The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-15
NEW YORK,S CUSTOM HOUSE.
A History of the Attempts to Erect
New Building.

a New Building.
Secretary Gage transmitted to Con-
gress yesterday the reports of the Su-
| pervising Architect of the Department
| upon the necessity of erecting a new
customs house building in the city of
| New York. and theSrecommendation of
| Assistant Secretary Spaulding. who has
the subject in charge. A history of the
various attempts to get a new custom
house in New York is given in the cor
| respondence, which, briefly stated, is
this:
Congress in 1888 appropriated $1,000
900 for the purchase of suitable sites for
the erection of an appraisers warehouse
and a custom house. The sum of $685.
OBJ was expended in purchasing the site
bounded by Christopher. Washington
Greenwich and Barrow streets for the
appraisers warehouse. The Secretary OF
the Treasury was authorized by Con-
gress to sell the site of the present Gus
tom house for not less than S4,00O,5V0
the proceeds of the sale after the pay
ment of the usual incidental expenses to
be converted into the Treasury and re-
appropriated and made available for
the purpose of constructing the new
custom house. The old building was TO
be leased by the United States for use
as custom house pending the erection
and completion Of the new building. A
commission composed OF five citizens of
New York was to be appointed charged
with the making Of contracts for and
the supervision of the work of erecting
and constructing a new building. Con
gress afterward repealed the law re-
specting the appointment Of the commits
sioners.
The property known as the Bowling
Green site was looked upon as a favora-
BILE one. but the Commissioners OF APP
praisal reported the value of the proper
ty to be s., I0l. 900. This sum being large
~ in excess of the uneXpended balance OF
the s.. 900. 000 and the department having
been unable to dispose OF the old Gus
tom house at the price required by the
act of March 3, 1891, the department has
not been able to give effect to the legis-
latiOn looking 10 the erection of Gus
tom house I'm New York city.
While, therefore. ample authority has
been given and an apparently sufficient
appropriation made the department is
unable either 10 purchase a site or erect
a custom house, because neither the site
selected nor any other OF sufficient size
can he acquired In the locality desired
within the uneXpended balance of the ap-
preparation heretofore made. and not
having been able To sell the old custom
house at the price fixed by Congress, no
funds are i'm the hands Of the department
for the purchase Of building. The de-
partment now recommends that the price
al which the old custom house property
in New York may be- sold be reduced. 50
as to permit the department to sell the
same To the highest bidder for not less
than $3.50 900. In view Of the proposed
reduction I'm the SeHing price Of the cuS-
tom house the department recommends
that an appropriation OF $3.50, 600 be made
for use in adiupn to the uneXpended bal
1nce OF the appropriation made 10y Con
gress in 1883 for the purchase Of a site
for the new building. and that the limit
of cost of the building. exclusive OF the
site he fixed at s.. 600 900.