Evening star., 1897-01-08
An Objectionable Plan.

The government has an insufficient num-
Der of buildings for the performance of its
legitimate work in this city. The fact is
patent to all observers and Is admitted by
every public Official whose attention has
been directed to the matter. The House
committee appropriations is forced by
the recent appeal of Secretary Francis for
more room for the Interior Department 10
make provision for the housing of certain
bureaus In rented quarters else
grant a large sum for the purchase of a
site and the erection of large new build
ing. Its present policy is opposed to such
appropriations, notwithstanding their evil
dent economy. Hence It's tentative decision
to avoid expenditure by playing chess with
number of bureaus and buildings. shift
ing things around as to get the greatest
possible number of private landlords off
Uncle Sans pay roll. In order to do this
two new structures to he brought into
service, the city post-office building and the
Congressional Library. This is the scheme
which Is TO give an additional building to
the Interior Department and to make a
further reduction in the rent charge than
even that move will produce: the Post Of
flee Department Is to be housed with the
city post office in the new building designed
for the latter, and also for number of
HiAotCHdEcOuS DuFcduS, the DTeS"Hs seleT.ll
post office building is to he given % The
Secretary of the Interior ro- two of lis
largest and most crowded bureaus, and the
two structures are TO be joined by bridge
over street; and some of the bureaus that
We're TO have been housed with the city
post office are to be located in the new
library building.
This plan is Objectionable in many par
ticulars. 1t smacks too strongly of the
process of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
There can be no adequate excuse offered
for the proposed invasion of the new
Library, building designed for a par
ticuIar purpose. and to meet the needs of
the natural expansion of the great library
and its adjuncts. 1t has been beautifully
decorated at a heavy expense and is there
by untitled for use for ordinary office pur-
poses. There should be a general and
vigorous protest raised against any propo-
sition looking to such violation of the
legitimate ends for which this monumental
structure was designed.
Architectural reasons contribute to the
objection against such use of the present
post office building by the Interior Depart
ment. would involve their connection by
a bridge. as now suggested. The two
structures are wholly dissimilar In design
and elevation. A bridge. to be high enough
to prevent interruption to traffic +
street, would have to be 50 high that il
would rest approximately on the roof of
the post office building. producing alto
gether grotesque effect. 1t would under
any circumstances be a Disagreement,
without affording compensating advantages.
There is no special objection to the plan of
housing the Postmaster General and his
force in the city post office building. About
seventeen years ago such a housekeeping
partnership between the city and the gen
erar' post offices in the F street building
was terminated because the then Postmas-
ter General concluded that there was not
sufficient room for the city post Office in the
building. ana also that the presence of the
latter was an annoyance. and so the city
Office was ousted. There seems to be ample
room, however. in the new city post office
Tor the needs OF both fer many years. With
the remote future in view the local post
office would be best protected from over
crowling and ultimate expulsion from the
tuildiES by assoc!ating with 1T indepen-
dent and scattered bureaus now in rented
quarters, rather than by housing it as Il
subordinate bureau branch with the
General Post Ofiice Department which
would dominate the building and enforce
demands upon the local post office space
at its pleasure.