The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17
THOUSANDS PAID TOR RENT
The Governments Enormous Bill
for Extra Quarters.
Uncle SAM n Tenant Who Pays An
nuniiy 10 Landlords SiS5.6f5.5f.
Old Residences Utilized 10 supply
the Increasing Demand for spucr.

Although the Government is the largest
property owner In the District and has
hundreds of acres Of floor space i'm MINER
Gus magnifieSfft buildings, 1t pays every
year an enormous sum OF money for rent.
There are dozens of structures in Wash
ington used 20 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 tiisposing 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, el5si The
advisability OF the erection OF build
ing on one OF the many vacant reserva-
tons has often been urged. but the matter
seems never to have been properly brought
before Congress.
For the two floors of the Union Build
ing used for the storing of Patent Offico
models. an annual rental of $1,000 is paid.
Every imaginable kind of structure. from
church to a blacksmith's shop. is in
Guided in the list of the Governments
quarters. for which II has to pay so much
ter-State Commerce Commission cost S14-
600 per annum; the structure 1913 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: HOOe Iron
building. not including the first floor, used
by the Department of the Interior. $1,000
An old blacksmith's shop, at an annual
rental of $50, 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 pavs an an
nual rental of SAC. S69.31 OF this sum th.,
total for miscellaneous and executive de-
partment quarters is $40, iG5: for public
school buildings. SIS I5g 81 and for mill
of rent paid by the various departments
are as follows: State Department $500:
Treasury Department. $3.50; War De-
partnent. 1880; Navy Department
81. 40; Interior Department. SIS. zsg: Post
office Department, Sl7195 Department OF
Agriculture, s6.540; Department of Labor
sliooo; department of Justice. 81 so; Dis
trict OF Columbia. S46,St9 III Interstate
commerce Commission, Sl4.0G1
y remarkable system which prevails in
certain departments under the Goverfs-
measure, at least. Of this public ex-
pensc. v, lille in some of the department.
bindings the floor space is amnly utfl-
zee, IN others there are found whole
suites OF rooms vacant and tenantiess:
while other spacious apartments viii
narpor one or two occupants whose
desks lie stranded in the midst of areas
each capable of accommodating a score
or more persons very comfortably.
II Is prohab bic that the Census Office
Building will. after the conclusion of the
present work, he used fer Government
purposes. The structure will not be Who'll
" vacated earlier than two years time
from date. so that any consideration Of
rs future use IS at present. according to
Government officials. somewhat preTna-
ture- Will, however. they believe be
utilized by one or more departments fo-
the housing of clerks wheE.. Il Is impos-
sible to accommodate in the regular
buildings. and who are now scattered
around in various makeshift quarters
for which the Government is paying
large rents