Evening star., 1901-12-04
OF LOCAL INTEREST
OF DISTRICT FINANCES
BY SECRETARY GAGE.
Classic Architecture for Public Build
ings-Need for q Hall of
Records Shown.

In his annual report the Secretary Of the
Treasury thus refers to the finances of the
District of Columbia:
The net expenditures on account of the
District of Columbia for the fiscal year 1901
were s., 74S, ,323. .O4. The net revenues deposit
ed in the treasury on this account for the
same period were 1886, ,176.19.
Under the operations Of the sinking funds
the net reduction of the bonded debt during
the year was So, $50, and Of the annual
interest charge 1854 Since the close Of
the fiscal year bonds amounting to $12,250
have been purchased, and of $4,000 water
stock bonds maturing October 1, 1901, $685.
600 have been redeemed.
The total amount Of the bonded debt at
the close of the fiscal year was $15,O6s, $50.
OF this sum s14,2O1 $50 consists Of 3.65 per
cent bonds. These bonds command a pre-
MUM in the market of % per cent, and at
fund about 2.25 per cent, while the law con-
templates an increase to the sinking fund
of 1865 per cent per annum.
The accumulations of interest on the
bonds Of the old funded debt held for ac-
count of the sinking fund for the water
stock bonds will hereafter pay the interest
on the water bonds outstanding, and no ap-
preparation will be required on this account.
Public Buildings.
He says that during the last year twenty
four new buildings have been contracted
for, many Of which are now nearing COM
pletion-the largest volume OF work ever
performed in any one year. He says the
classic style Of architecture has been adopt
ed so far as practicable, so that all public
buildings will have distinctive character.
In regard to a hall of records he says:
Time but serves to emphasize the neces
sity for a hall Of records, which is now
- t.,
crease of departmental business during the
last few years. There is no longer any
room in the Treasury Department, or
buildings rented by 1t, for additional files.
There is a serious condition of congestion
both as to current and uncurrent docu-
ments. Valuable papers are in some in
stances stored in the corridors. and the
clerical force is in many cases crowded
into quarters wholly insufficient for the
transaction Of public business. Overcrowd-
ing in dimly lighted and poorly ventilated
rooms cannot fail to affect injuriously the
health of those who are subjected to such
conditions. Various remedies have been
proposed for meeting the demands for more
room in this department. The subject is
one which cannot be treated in all the
necessary details in this report, but l will
on a later occasion submit a special COM
munication which will exhibit the great in
crease of business throughout the burea us
of the Treasury Department and demon
strate the necessity for enlarged quarters.
Bureau of Standards Buildings.
He refers to the new bureau of standards
and it's organization. OF the proposed
buildings and their site, he says:
The site selected for the buildings con-
sists Of nearly eight acres in the northwest
section of the District of Columbia, near
Connecticut avenue and the three-mile cir
Gle. 1t has an elevation of $50 feet and Is
one Of the most desirable building sites in
the District of Columbia.
Plans are being prepared for a physical
laboratory, which will be equipped with ap-
paratus and conveniences for carrying on
Investigations and for testing standards
and measuring instruments of all kinds.
Plans are also being prepared for a some
what smaller building, to be known as a
mechanical laboratory, which will contain
the power and general electrical machinery,
the instrument shop, refrigerating plant.
storage batteries, dynamos for experimental
purposes, and Laboratories for electrical
measurements requiring heavy currents.
The construction Of the buildings will be
pushed as rapidly as possible and it is ex-
pected that the smaller building will be
ready for occupancy by July 1, 1902, ana
the larger building by January l, 1908. In
the meantime additional quarters have been
secured In the building occupied by the for
mer Office Of standard weights and meas
ures, with a view to the organization OF
the bureau and the immediate DEVELOPMENT
Of the more needed extensions Of the work
heretofore carried on.