The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-02-28
FOR new
POSTOFF Flee
Allan McDermott's Argu-
ment Before the Con-
gressional Com
mittee.
OLD BUILDING CONDEMNED
Growth of the City's Business
and Importance Demands
a Larger Structure.

Especial to "The Jersey City News.'1
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. Is 1902s--
Congressman Allan L. McDermott APP
peared before the Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds today and made
strong argument in behalf of the bin APP
propriating 100000 for a new postoffice
building at Jersey City.
His statement, which will have the con-
sideration of the committee, follows in
full-
Il desire to present reasons why an ap-
preparation should be made for the cree
ton of a Government building at Jersey
City"
ITO those members of the committee
who are familiar with Jersey City, argu-
ment cannot be necessary to prove that
municipality entitled to relief from Con-
gress in the matter of the erection of
suitable public building TO be used by the
postal, revenue, Judicial, and other de-
partments of the United States Govern
ment. To those who have seen the city
only while in transit to New York a few
facts may be of benefit in arriving at a
proper conclusion. The present building
was purchased under legislation enacted
in 1873, and is constructed for privite
dwell-house. the inside of which would
not be found extensive for a family of ten
members. 1t was purchased by the Gov
ernment in 1875, and was then in n resi-
Dental section, which has since. by the
encroachments of manufacturing estab-
lishments and railroad lines, been almost
wholly transformed. 1t is now, for
large majority Of the population and for
visitors from New York and elsewhere. in
convenient of access, miserable in APP
pearance, furnishing an eyesore for resi-
dents, and a topic for the didicule Of yis-
itors."
.sThe following letter from the Treasury
Department shows the cost to date:-
Treasury Department,
"Off1ce of the Supervising Architect,
washington, Feb. 2S 1902
"Hon. Allaz L. McDermott NJ c., House
of of Representatives, Washington
! D. c.
etsir-Your letter of the 24th instant. adj
dressed to the Secretary Of the Treasury
relative to the appropriations made for a
post office building at Jersey City, New
Jersey, has been referred to this office
for response
1.-THE records of this Office indicate that
! in pursuance of acts of Congress ap-
proved March 8, 1873. and March 3. 1873.
a plot of ground at the intersection Of
Sussex and Washington street. Jersey
| City. New Jersey, with a brick building
thereon. which had been used az resi-
dence, was purchased October q, 1875, for
the sum of seventy thousand dollars
| 7e,00O). In 1877. under authority of an
act of July 81, 1876. this building was re-
modelled. and was occupied again In the
| latter part of that year. The total ap-
preparations to>this date were one hundred
and twelve thousand dollars tsll2,00o).
Subsequently there was an additional APP
preparation of four thousand dollars
(s4, ,OO0) for improvement of grounds, and
in 1889 a one-story addition was built and
some minor changes made at cost Of
about twelve thousand dollars fs12,ooO.
which sum was appropriated by an act
of March 80, 1888. 1t would therefore APP
pear that the total amount appropriated
| for the building named, aside from the
regular annual most of maintenance, was
| one hundred and twenty-eight Thousand
dollars (s12S,OO0).
Trusting that this information may
prove to be what you desire. am.
Very respectfully.
~ K. TAYLOR.
Supervising Architect.
"Its purchase was a mistake. and its
continuance in the public service is a
detriment so positive that no parallel can
be found in the dealings of the United
States with the necessities of the people
in any other section The city is COM
pactly built: covers an area OF thirteen
| square miles; is lighted by over twenty
Ave hundred public lights; has about two
hundred and fifty miles of streets, and a
population Of over two hundred thousand
| 1t contains the terminal depots and lands
| of the Pennsylvania, Delaware Lacka-
wanna and Western, Lehigh Valley, Balti-
more and Ohio, Erie, Philadelphia and
Reading. and half a dozen other railroads.
The value of its real estate. including
/ railroad terminals. is about S2o0,o0e eco.
Millions of dollars have been expended in
the erection and equipment of manufae-
/ tories. and we here find the works OF the
American Sugar Refining Company, the
! LoriIlard Tobacco Company. the Dixon
! Crucible Company. the Colgate Soap Conn.
pany. the Corcoran Wind Mil Works, the
| Griffing Iron Company, and hundreds Of
| other corporations whose correspondence
reaches every part of the world. In addi-
I tion to these over two thousand corpora
tions doing business outside of New Jer-
sey have their offices in jersey City The
correspondence of these concerns alone
demands greater facilities than can be
afforded in the present postoffice.
Feb Is. 1902.
Hon. Allan L. McDermott, House Of Rep
resent ffyeS.-
| Sir--fn compliance with your request OF
| the 24th instant. addressed the Postmas
| ter General | have the honor to furnish
| you herewith statement Of the receipts
! OF the Jersey City. n. j., Postoffice for
Are You Going Anywhere2