The times., 1897-04-18

sums annually appropriated by Congress
for rivers and harbors, it behooves one
to speak with attention. The control is
absolute, and is vested in the Engineer
Corps alone. III the last five years this
appropriation tas the Treasury Depart
ment shows has been:
1898 .....................$2 $22 ,O6s ,21S 90
1894 ......,,..............' IA, l66, 100 w
1895 .............. 20,043,1S0 90
1896 ............'.......... 1,loG, lIo w
1897 ................. 1894, 147 90
Here is d work which Families the coun-
try through, and extends into every Con-
Eressional district.
In addition to these amounts, Congress
appropriated for coast pefenses:
1888 ...................... 81 ,734 ,o76 90
In1ss4 ss4........... -. 2,2l0,o55 90
In 1896 5...................s... 2,427 ,004 90
In 1886 Observation-Disclosures. -. 1904, ,557 80
In 1S07......,....,......,.. -. 1917 1888 90
For public buildings and grounds in the
District OF Columbia;
In 1893 .................... .Slol, Az w
In 1Sc4....-. ...........'.... So,f' x w
In 1895. ....'.. 1Z6,o9o 20
In 1896. Observation-Disclosures. 1896 90
-
In 1S9T..................... l4l ,o3o 90
For remodeling, etc, Government Print
ing Office:
1895. Sio,OUO W
1896 .................121,1 ,121 80
1897 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 100000 %
Can it be doubted that the vast patronage
thus afforded enables them to increase
their influence and power over Congress
to an extent undreamed of at the beginning.
The whole amount appropriated for public
buildings for the last four fiscal years,
to be spent under the direction of the
SupervSing Architect OF the Treasury tas
that Departmel tshuwsl was: 1893, 81 $780,
l72.lO; 1894, 81 1856, ,317.06; S95, ST.
OS9. .S162 The largest previous annual
apnroDriation never exceeded four to five
millions.
little inside history may here be in
place.
on the 23d of March, S53, the work of
the extension Of the Capitol which by the
terms of the appropriation had been placed
under the special direction OF the Presi-
dent of the United States, with Thomas
L. Walter, as architect, was transferred
by him from the Department of the In
terror to the War Department, and on
AprI 4 orders were issued by the Secre-
tary of War jefferson Davis to Capt, NJ.
C. Meigs, Corps OF Engineers, to take
charge of the work, thus subordinating
the originator of the design, the archi-
tect. to the Army engineer.
In accordance with instructions Capt.
Melgs examined and reported TO the Sec
retary OF Wal that the committee of
engineers and Typographical engineers,
who in March, 1852, at the request OF the
Senate Committee on Public Buildings, had
examined the foundations, found the walls
TO rest uniformly upon natural soil, etc, anu
that he had instituted an extensive re
examination, which resulted in verifying
the report of these engineers. he closed
his report ny saying:
| did not discover q, single crack in
the Interior face of the outer waIIs, look
ing uur lcuarly into tne re-enterng angles
at the heads OF the piers. When we CON
~iier uhaJ THESE waits vary iii uttgnt Frou'
IF .een TO fur.y feet, being founded on nor
izoutAl benches cut in descending the SIDE
of the hill, think 1t a proof OF good wotk
tu find the settlement SD UNIFORM as not TO
have caused cracks
And yet the President OF the United states
Issued the following letter, damaging 10
the architect and laudatory Of the Army
engineer:
Executive Ma nsion, March %, 1853
Believing tnaJtne pupiic huerest slnvolved
In the erection Of the wings or the United
States Capitol will be promoted by the eN-
erCise of a general supervision ana contrOi
OF the whole Work by a sktllrul and COM
petent officer OF the Corps of Engineers
or OF the Typographical Corps, and the
officers ofthese COTpSare morelnllnedldlely
amenabIe to the Secretary Of War, hereby
direct that the Jurisdiction heretofore
exercised over the said work by The De
partmcnt OF the Interior, be transferred 60
the War Department, and request that the
Secretary Of War will designate to the
President suitable officer to take charge
Of the same. FRANKLIN PIERCE
The result, might be expected, was
that Mr.. Waiter, after much tribuation
and quarreling, was ultimately squeezed
out OF his place by Capt. Meigs, who, in
turn. was put also in charge Of another
of Mr.. Walters works, the United States
Postoffice extension.
Up To the beginning of the war of the re-
belIion the Government buildings under the
Treasury Department Supervising Archi-
tect's office were i n charge of Army engi-
neers. Capt Alexander II. Bowman was,
believe, n charge of this office, when
the war broke out
That occurrence, which called the Army
alone nehavetakenthiso office from mtheirhands,
and they have ever since the close OF the
war improved every opportune moment to
regain IL, with more or less show ofuItimate
success. The office of Commissioner of
Public Buildings and Grounds in the Dis
trct of Columbia is in their hands. One
OF the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia, and his assistants are Army
engineers.
The Washington Aquednct, which caused
a waste of nearly two millions of dollars,
and the river front Improvements are In
their charge Naturally, they wish also
to control the office of the Supervising
Architect of the Treasury What is to he
the end? II will he well worth the while
Of American architects to take the matter
into serious consideration.
ARCHITECT.
PROTEST AGAINST SUNDAY WORK