The evening times., 1899-01-25
DEPARTMENT. OF
JUSTICE BUILDING
House Bill Passed by the SEN
ate Without Amendment.
Lively Debate Over Use of the
Existing Structure.
Demonstrated That Id IL Unsafe and
Cannot He UtiIized-WaIIs
Are Cracking.

The house bill TO provide for the erec-
tion of a building for the Department of
Justice was passed by the Senate today
after lively debate. The bill is as fol-
lows:
Whereas the building occupied by the De
rartmcnt Of Justice is too small for its purpose,
Is unsafe. overcIowded and dangerously over
loaded, and has been so pronounced after
animation Icy the proper officials OF the Treas
ury Department: Therefore,
BE il enacted by the Senate and House OF Rep
resenJatives OF the United States of America in
Congress assembled. That freprocf building shall
be erected for the accommodation and use of the
Department Of Justice. upon the ground belong
ing 10 the Government at the corner OF PeinsyI-
vania and Madison place tFifteenan
halt street norrhwesD, in the city of Washing
ton, District OF Colubia. part "t which Is covered
10y The building now occupied lay the Department;
and the construction of said building shall be in
charge Of the Attorney General, who shall he
authorized and directed 10 select and adopt plans
the said building and 10 make contracts for
it, construction and for the removal of the old
building. after proper advertisements and the re-
cepticn OF plans and bids; and for the purpose
Of carrying Out the provisions Of tins act and
completing and furnishing the said building The
of 81, ,00onD Is hereby appropriated, out ot
any money in the Treasury not otherwise aplr"-
priatcd; and the money appropriated for sald
building shall be expended under the direction OF
the Attorney General.
Sec. , That said building shall he con
structed TO provide courtroom and nee
essary accommodations for the Court of Claims.
In the meantime the Attorney General is author
lied to hire temporary quarters for the use OF
said court. and to remove said court and its
records and archives thereto; and the sum of
$4,000 is hereby appropriated Tor that purpose,
To remain available until expended.
Sec. & That the Attorney General shall an
nually report To Congress al the commencement
of each session detailed statement of all the
proceedings made under the provisions Of this
act.
The bill was called up by Senator Quay,
who asked unanimous consent to its con-
sideration. which was granted. Mr.. Cock
rell asked why the old building should be
torn down. He thought it should be util-
lied. 1t was a costly building. he said,
and should not he torn down and thrown
away, thereby adding. the cost of its re-
moval to the cost OF a new building.
Mr. Quay said that the reason the old
building could not be utilized was that ii
was unsafe. The walls were cracking and
a disaster like that at Ford's Theatre was
not improbable and certainly not impossi-
BILE in its present overcrowded condition.
He thought it would be proper to clear
out the old building as useless, although
some of the material in il might be util
lied.
Mr. Hoar. who made personal inspsc-
tion of the building, said that it was to-
tally unfit The plastering was cracked
and the walls were separating. 1t never
was a well-constructed building.
further debate on the provision of the
bill placing the work in the hands of the
Attorney General instead of the Supervis-
ing Architect of the Treasury. followed.
after which the bill was presented to the
Senate without amendment and passed.