Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-27
Senate Committee Will Meet To-
morrow Night.
TIE FIRST SESSIONS PROCEEDINGS
Stars Article Started the lnvesti-
cation Now in Progress.
LETTER FROM MR.. GAGE

No meeting of the Senate committee in
vestigating the construction of the Wash
ington post office building was held today,
as it was found impossible to get the three
members together. 1t was decided, how
ever, to ho.d q meeting tomorrow night.
1t has not yet been determined whether
to ask for permission to sit in recess, but
it is evident from the line of the testimony
which was taken at the meeting held last
Wednesday that the time now remaining in
this session will by TO means be sufficient
to cover more than the preliminary ground
of til inquiry.
Chairman wellington of the investigating
committee has made public a pamphlet of
fly PAGES containing the proceedings of
the first session of the committee. There
were present at that meeting Senators
WelliI gtcn, Rawlins and Turner of the
committee. Supervising Architect Taylor,
Charles e. keinper, chief executive officer
of the supervising architects Office, and
James a. WetmOre, chief of the law and
records division of that office. in addition
to Mr.. Thomas CT. Steward former super
intendent of the building, the witness of
the cay.
Secretary Cages Letter.
Chairman Wellington laid before the COM
n.ittee a letter from Secretary Gage reply
ing to a communication addressed to him
by the committee on public buildings and
grounds. ccuched in the terms of the reso-
luton of the Senate directing the inquiry
This letter covered many Pages, and, after
replying to the question, closed as follows:
In my Judgment. the alleged and real
defects in the construction of this building
are not in any manner due to the methods
OF the supervising architects office of this
department, but to the laches of two for
mer superintendent Of construction in
n h,,;11 two
no legislation is necessary to correct the
methods of the office of the supervising
architect or to render it more efficient
The supervising architects office is the
growth of nearly fifty years. and its meth
obs are based upon the experience of
many Secretaries of the Treasury 1t has
been my endeavor to bring the office up
to the highest point Of efficiency. and the
designs of public buildings now cmanating
from this departm9n ont compare fayorably
with the work of the best architects in
the country. If the methods of the office
ana the efficiency of those in charge had
not been deemed satisfactory. my prarog-
alive as Secretary of the Treasury would
have been exercised long prior to this to
correct the evils in both directions In
conclusion, the department is ready and
willing 10 furnish any further information
required, and the files of the Office of the
supervising architect are at the disposal
Of the committee. if it is desired to make
an examination of the original papars re-
l&ting to this building
Started by Stars Article.
The chairman also laid before the COM
mittee the article which appeared in The
Star October 81, 1893, containing Mr. Stew
ards statement of the defects in the build
ing and the causes of delay. Mr.. Welling-
ton stated that this article was the founda-
ton of the investigation in progress Mr.
Steward was then placed on the stand and
Tor over two hours answered questions put
by members of the committee and was
crCss-questioned by Mr.. Kemper and Mr..
Wetmore.
1t was developed that the department now
acknowledges that the extra expenditure of
$4,000 for smooth finishing the granite
face of the walls of the building above the
meZzanine story was in the nature of an
extravaganza. Mr.. Kemper declared that
he had not approved of the matter at tho
time the change was ordered by the then
supervising architect, Mr.. Aiken.
1t was disclosed by the trend of the cross
questions asked by representatives of the
department that the answer to the SEN
ate's inquiry Will be in the nature of
disclaimer of responsibility, the delays and
extras on the building having been caused
by officials not now in office.
1t is not yet determined whether the fu-
ture sessions of the committee will be open
or secret.