The Washington times., 1902-05-29
Senate Agrees to Con-
fereeS' Report on Omni-
bus Building Bill.
HOUSE WILL ACT TODAY
To Close E Street-Secretary of Treas
ury to Buy Site for ssso,ooo, and
With Commissioners to Superintend
Construction.

The conference report on the omnibus
building bill, carrying an appropriation
for the purchase Of a site and the eree-
tion OF municipal building for WASH
ington was agreed to yesterday by the
Senate. Under rule Of the House the
conference report cannot be considered
until today. when it will undoubtedly be
agreed to.
A new home for the local government
is thus practically assured to the Dis
trict. and a long hoped for consummaion
of great need will be realized
The Senate conferees made their re-
port early in the day and it was adopted
without debate. AS far as the municipal
building item goes 1t favors the orig
inal House proposition rather than the
Senate amendment, though there Is a
compromise in some important particu-
lars.
No Trouble Expected.
The fact that the House conferees
were successful makes it almost certain
that there will be no trouble in secur-
ing the adoption of the report by the
House also. The bill will then be law
except for the signature Of the Presi-
dent.
AS the measure now stands the build
ing is TO be placed on square $50. be-
tween Thirteen and a-half and Four
teenth Streets, and between ID and E.
known as the power house square. and
E Street. north OF the square, is to be
condemned and closed and added to
the site.
This is the original form of the propo-
sition. The Senate amendment striking
out the provision closing E Street was
discarded by the conferees.
Cost of Site Limited.
The cost of the site is limited 20
s55O.OOO This is the Senate proposition.
the House having failed to limit the
cost of the site.
The Washington, Alexandria and
Mount Vernon Railway is to be COM
pensated for the loss of its tracks on
E Street This is a House proposition,
which was dropped by the Senate be-
cause 1t was proposed not to close z
Street. The provision becomes ncces-
sary again with the return to the House
plan.
The section regarding the railway is
changed slightly to omit the word
damages" and substitute the word
cost
Senate amendment proposed that
the District Commissioners should act
with the Secretary of the Treasury in
buying the square This amendment
was dropped by the conferees. The Com
missiopers are to have joint supervision
with the Secretary over the construc-
tion OF the building.
Carries Nineteen Millions.
The omnibus public building bill. as
agreed upon by the House and Senate
conferees. carries a total Of Sis, ,425. .450,
or s., sos 900 more than the amount fixed
by the House. and 1853, 200 less than
when it passed the Senate.
The PRINCIPAL Senate amendments
agreed upon by tie conference were
those increasing to s4,0Q0.000 the limit
Of cost OF the customs house at New
York; apnropriating SiHc 600 each for
new postcfiices at Meriden, Conn, and
Laramie. Wyo.; 500 900 for Scranton.
Pa: $4,000 for Anderson. Ind; S70.-
300 for Gainesville. Tex; s65.000 for De-
kalb. ILL.,. $4,000 each for Kirkville.
MO-, ana MaTnleNtdu, hdSS., anu SoJ,VVV
for Oak Park. Ill.
The conferees restored the appropria-
ton of 5000 fer a new postoffice az
Geneva, n Y. and struck out the ap-
of s160. 900 for a new build
ing at Winston-S Salem, n. c.; S300GO0 at
Macon. Ga: SI5,0 600 for Crookston. Mimi.
and $40 COO each for Columbia and Mo-
berly, Mo. The purchase of sites, how
ever. is authorized at the three places
last named, and at Macon. Si56,OOO is
lpprc priated for repairs to the present
building.
In addition TO the increase in the limit
,f the New York custom house. the bill
.lso raises the limit Of cost of build
ngs in ffty-eight other cities.
The total appropriation under the head
If increased limits is $500. $50. The
ill provides for the erection of l13 new
buildings in various parts of the coun-
ry. at n cost Tin some few cases in
luding sites) of s13.e29. 600. In addi-
ion. it makes provision for acquiring
tics upon which to erect twenty-five
ther buildings, the cost of the land
eing limited to 81 .029 600.
Tho site for the new postoffice at New
Iork. which is to be selected and ac-
uired by commission composed Of the
ecretary of the Treasury the POST
Master General and the Attorney Gen.
raj. is not included in the group last
AIMED as no specific appropriation ID
lade for the purpose.