The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-06

different cities as to what would make a
principal street.
Has the department ever tried to reach
any rule as to how large city should be,
or how much business it's government Of
fees should have, before being honored
with a public building?" Mr.. Taylor was
asked.
oh, no; it is not a question of popu- Z
lat1on or of necessity very much. These
public buildings were provided for, as
you know, in an omnibus public build
ing bill; it had to get enough votes to
pass, and SO the public buildings had to
be distributed among enough constit-
uenc1es to get the votes of the members
from the various states. A town. of $500
inhabitants in one place will have a
public building while another town Of
$4,000 Inhabitants goes without The
present. bill provided for number Of
towns of a population of less than $1,000
while of course there are places of 10000
population in the thickly settled parts of
the east without a government building.
In the New England cities it is much
harder, for the government to get sites,
as rule, than in the west. Property is
more conservatively held and there is
not the enthusiasm for public buildings
that the newer towns exhibit. Our ap-
preparations usually do not permit us to
pay much for the land. Forty thousand
dollars for a postoffice property does not
leave much to pay for the site.''
DO senators and representatives inter-
fere much with your selections?'
The Fresno, Cal, Case.
Not as a rule; most of the congress
men deem it the part of wisdom to keep
out of the fight and let the department
shoulder the responsibility. They almos,
| Invariably announce that as their pur-
| pose. Where the senators Of state OF
the representatives Of a district do take
hand in the controversy the depart
ment always gives weight to their views
1t would not select what it regarded 4
VIGOROUSLY bad site because of congress.
sional influences, but where the merit;
are nearly evenly balanced it takes theil
wishes into account Not long ago VIZ
| had some controversy over the location
Of public building in Fresno, Cal. Botf
senators and the member Of congress:
came in here and insisted that certain
site was the proper one. 1t was not thu
one that we should on our own motion
have selected. But said: Gentlemen
you are sent here to represent the PEG
pie of this community. I am going t:
| take the site YOU want and let the PEG
pie there who do not like it settle will
you. 81.
Mr.. Taylor believes in the public build
ing system, especially when the govern
ment can borrow money at two per cent
1t Is true that the rentals on privat
property rarely exceed two per cent Of tn
value Of the government building pu
up to displace them, but the officers O
the government get better quarters an
there is more dignity about 1t. Losse
by fire and burglary are more commo
in the rented quarters Of the cheapl
built private buildings, and while thes
losses fall at first hand on the postmas
ter or his bondsmen, congress eventual
makes good the loss when it appears t
, have been not in any way the postmas
ter's fault. So the extra safety Of til
public buildings really constitutes say
ing to the government. They are beside
a reminder of the power Of the feders
! government, and as such are worth ha,
2 ing, even If as direct investment they d
2 not make a great showing.
2 w. w. Jermane.