The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-28
Washington Bureau st. Paul Globe, /
Corcordn Building.
Decial to The st. Paul Globe.

Special to The st. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-Although
congress has been compelled to pursue
a course of severe economy for tn last
six years, and on that account has
doubtless authorized the construction
of fewer public buildings than would
ordinarily be the case, it appears from
a tabulated statement submitted by
the treasury department relative to the
sundry civil appropriation bill just re-
ported, that seVenty-eight public build
ings are now in process of construction.
The government is not a speedy build
er, as is shown by the fact that nine
teen of them were authorized prior to
Dec. l. 1889 This last list includes
postoffce buildings at Buffalo, N. Y,
Camden. N. j., Charleston, S. c., De-
troit, Mich, Fort Worth, Tex, Jack
sonville, Fla, Lowell, Mass, Milwau-
kee, Wis, Newark, N. J., Newborne,
N. c., St. Paul, Mimi, Omaha, Neo.,
Paterson. \. j., San Francisco, Cal,
Savannah, Ga, Troy, N. Y, Whining
ton, Del, and Worcester, Mass, be-
sides an appraisers warehouse and
custom house in New York city. 1t
should be stated that these buildings
primarily intended for postoffices, in
nearly all instances include something
else, either a court house or a custom
house, and the building at Newborne,
N. c., is intended to serve all three
purposes. The limit Of cost in the
buildings still incomplete, but author
ICED before Dec. l, 1889, is $1S, 157, 531,
and the limit of cost of the fifty
nine authorized since that date is $751;
439 1874 For the last eight years, it
appears, congress has authorized public
building construction at the rate of
about 81, 250000 a year.
The Largest Building
under way is the Chicago postoffice
and court house, the total cost of which
was limited to $4,0O0000, and of this
sum 100000 was appropriated last
year, and the committee have asked
for $1,0C0000 this year. This is one of
the buildings on which the secretary
of the treasury is authorized to con-
tract in any year in excess of the
amount appropriated if within the
total limit. The second largest public
building authorized in the last eight
years is the Washington city postof
flee, for which So, 065 400 was the amount
set. This is nearing completion. For
the mint at Philadelphia $4,000 900 was
fixed of which amount 1851, 375 remains
to be appropriated The immigration
station at Ellis Island, which is one
UL IHe DuHulNSS SUBJECTED 70 COmpeIl-
ton under the Tarsney act, will cost,
In the opinion of the architects, in the
neighborhood Of $530,O0O, and they say
that their work will begin within ninety
days after the approval of the draw
lngs.
The recent discovery of the theft of
5000 worth Of government envelopes
In the congressional globe building,
throws side light upon the contribu-
ton which Uncle Sam makes toward
the campaign expenses of the great
political parties. These envelopes were
intended for mailing congressional
speeches, whether actually delivered or
inserted in the Record, but il either
case they go free of charge as a part
of the Congressional Record. When
the last campaign opened the Repubn-
can managers here laid in a supply OF
100000 of these envelopes, of which
they used 34,0OO,00OO. The rest were