The times., 1901-03-17
THOUSANDS PAID TOR RENT
The Governments Enormous Bill
for Extra Quarters.

Uncle sam n Tenant who Pays An
nunIiy 10 Landlords SiS7.6I5.3t.
old Residences UtiIixed TO supply
the Increasing Demand for space.
Although the Government is the largest
property owner in the District and has
hundreds Of acres Of floor space i'm numer-
Gus magnificent buildings. IT. pays every
year an enormous sum OF money for rent
There are dozens of structures I'm Wash
ington used 60 house important parts OF
the general machinery of the Government
but which are practically unknown and
unheard OF by the general public. Old
residences are thus utilized much to the
satisfaction of the owners. doubtless. who
would find some difficulty in disposing Of
them in any other way as profitable
The amount which. II Is estimated off,
cially, the Government win have to paw
for rents in this city alone for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1901 is SiS7. 6l5.Sl. The
advisabiity of the erection or a build
ing on one OF the many vacant reserva-
tions has often been urged. but the matter
seems never TO have been properly broUgb.
before Congress.
For the two floors of the Union Build
ing used for the storing of Patent Ofico
models, an annual rental of $1,000 is paid
Every imaginable kind Of structure from
a church to a blacksmiths shop. is in
Guided in the list of the Governments
quarters for which IL has To pay so much
a year. The rooms occ~pied hy the IN
ter-State Commerce Commission cost Sff.-
VOp per annum; the structure 17a9 New
York Avenue, rented by the Treasury De-
partment, chiefly for Photographic pur-
poses. $500: 1923 New York Avenue. used
by the War Department. s. 600: fioos Iron
building not including the first floor used
by the department of the Interior Sl0u00
An old blacksmiths ; shop. at an annual
rental Of 1896 is used by the POstOffice De-
partment as a mail bag repair shop For
the old CorCOran Art Gallery, used BY the
Department of Justice. the Government
pays $1,000 per annum.
The District of Columbia PAYS an an
uual rental Of S45 S65.3l. OF this sum th.,
total for miscellaneous ana executive de
partment quarters is so, 1f5 for public
school buildings. Sl5.1593l and for mill
TIA quarters. 81, oG5. The total amounts
OF rent paid by the various departments
are as follows: State Department 500.
treasury Department. $3.50: war De-
partment. <l3. SO; Navy Department.
81 I4ei Interior Department. SIS 81: Post
office Department S11I9I. DeDartrnent az
Agriculture, $3.50; Department of Labor
sf,oV0; Department Of Justice. 81 500: Dis
trict OF Columbia. S46,Sr9 81. Interstate
commerce Commission. Nt699.
y remarkable system which prevails in
certain departments under the Goyarg.-
menJ Is apparently accountable for some
measure, at least. of this public ex-
pensc. " hile III some of the department.
buudIngs the floor space is amply utf-
ized IN others there are found whole
suites OF rooms vacant and tenautiess:
~hlle other spacious apartments viii
narpor one or two occupants whose
desks lie stranded in the midst of areas
each capdhle OF accommodating a score
or more persons very comfortably.
IL IS proba bic that the Census Office
Buiidirg VIII. after the conclusion Of the
present work, be used fer Government
purposes, The structure VIII not be Who'll
" vacated earlier than two years time
from date 50 that any consideration 81
It's future use is at present. according u
Government officials, somewhat prenna-
ture- viii, however, they believe. bs
utilized by one or more departments fo-
the housing of clerks whom it is inpos-
sibte to accommodate in the regular
buildings, and who are now scattered
around III various makeshift quarters
for which the Government is paying
large rents.