The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-06

saS Pacific railroads Steps had been
taken to foreclose the governments
liens upon the Central Pacific Railroad
Company, but before action Was com
menced
Congress passed an act approved July
Z, 1898. creating a commission consist
ing of secretary of the treasury, the
attorney general and the secretary of
the interior and their successors in office
with full power to settle the indebt-
edness to the government growing out
of the issue of bonds in aid Of The con-
struction of the Central Pacific and
western Pacific bond aided railroads,
subject to the approval of the pres-
dent. No report has yet been made TO
me by the commission thus created.
Whatever action is had looking to a
settlement of the indebtedness in ac-
cordance with the act referred TO. viii
be duly submitted to the congress.
deem it my duty to call to the at
tention of congress the condition of the
present building occupied by the de-
partment of justice. The business of
that department has increased very
greatly since it was established in its
present quarters. The building now
occupied by it is neither large enough
nor Of suitable form for the proper ac-
commodation of the business Of the de-
partment
Inc supervising architect has pro-
nouhced 1t unsafe and unsuited for the
use 10 which it is put The attorney
general in his report, states that the
library OF the department is upon the
fourth floor, and that all the space al
lolted to it is SO crowded with books
as to dangerously overload the struc-
ture. This first floor is occupied by the
court Of claims. The building is Of an
old ana dilapidated appearance, un-
Sulted TO the dignity which should at
Jach to this important department. A
proper regard for the safety, comfort
and convenience Of the officers and en-
ployees would justify the expenditure
OF a liberal sum of money in the cree
ton of new building of commodious
proportions and handsome appearance
upon the very advantageous site al
ready secured for that purpose, includ-
ing the ground occupied by the present
structure and adjoining vacant lot.
comprising in all a frontage of POI
feet on Pennsylvania avenue and a
depth Of 1856 feet.
In this connection ! may likewise re-
fer to the inadequate accommodations
provided for the supreme court in the
capitol, and suggest the wisdom of
making provision for the erection of a
separate building for the court and it's
officers and library upon available
ground near the capitol.
The postal service of the country adj
Vances with extraordinary growth.
Within 20 years both the revenues and
the expenditures of the post office de
paFtment have multiplied threefold
In the last ten years they have nearly
doubled. Our postal business grows
much more rapidly than our popula-
ton. It now involves an expenditure
of lOO,O00000 year, numbers $4,000
post offices and enrolls 100000 en-
ployees. This rapid extension of service
which is an accurate index of the pub
lie conditions, presents gratifying evil
dences of the advancement of educa-
ton, of the. increase of communica-
ton and business activity and of the
improvement of mail facilities leading
to their constantly augmenting use.
TIE POSTAL SERVICE,
The war with Spain laid new and
exceptional labors on the post office
department The mastering of the
and naval forces of the United
States required special mail arrange
ments for every camp and every cam
paign. The communication between
home and camp was naturally eager
and eXpectant. In some of the larger /
places. of rendezvous as ,,.,nv nc 20 non
1a++ars d.. - IT ~
ie''els d ua5 required hallollIS' ms
necessity was met by the prompt de-
tan and dispatch of experienced men
from the established forces by direct
ing all the Observation-Disclosures of the
railWay-mail and post Office service, 50
far as necessary to this new need.
Congress passed an act empowering
the postmaster general to establish Of
fees or branches at every military
camp or station. and under this au-
thOritV the nOSfa1 machinery was