Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-26
The DistrictAppropriation Bill
Agreed to.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE
BUILDING TO BE FOR
OFFICES ALONE.
No Police Court or Recorder Of Deeds
to Be Observation-Disclosures De-
bate on the Subject.


sideration of the conference report on the
District of Columbia appropriation bill.
The report was taken from the Speakers
table on motion OF Representative Nc
Cleary of Minnesota, chairman Of the
House conferees.
Representative Bartlett of Georgia, who
had asked that he might be given time
to discuss the change in telephone rates
when the bill was sent to conference.
stated today that he had come to the con-
clusion that the action Of the conferees
in agreeing to the Senate amendment fix
ing the maximum rate at $50 per year was
the best solution of the matter that could
be arrived at at this time. Congress could
take the matter up again at the next ses-
sion If it should be deemed necessary. 10
alter or amend the Senate provision now
would delay the District bill unnecessarily
and might result in its failure.
The conference report was agreed to ex-
cept as to the four items Of disagreement, to
which Mr.. McCreary called attention. One
of these items was in regard to the loca-
ton of the Police Court in the new munich
pal building and the other three were items
depending upon the decision of that ques-
ton. MIR McCleary moved that all four
be considered together. He moved that
the House should recede from it's position
and agree to the Senate amendment, which
leaves the Police Court out of the building
as well as the offices of the recorder OF
deeds and the register Of wills.
Mr.. Burkett's Opposition.
On this motion Representative Burkett
spoke at some length. He opposed COLI
cession to the Senate in the matter Of the
Police Court provision, and declared that
the new municipal building was large
enough to accommodate the offices of the
49, S11e,o
the Police Court. He said that If the House
agreed to the Senate amendment 1t would
also have to agree to an appropriation or
$4,000 to buy additional ground for new
shelving in the office of the recorder of
deeds and a large sum for fire boxes In the
Office of the register OF wills. MI Burkett
went over the ground covered by him when
the House bill was first presented. He said
that all District offices should be under one
roof, and argued that the new municipal
building as planned contains % per cent
more floor space than is needed.
Mr. Burkett explained to the committee
that the new building had been planned In
the shape Of the letter ~ being open TO
the south. The House committee on APP
propriations had agreed that the south part
OF the building should be built up. In this
way 1900 additional square feet OF floor
space would be provided. Peculiarly enough,
he added, when the Judges OF the Poilce
Court were confronted in the matter they
uuire Is 200 square feet. By building up the
south side of the municipal building, Mr.
Burke.t said, the Police Court could be en-
t1rely shut off from the rest of the building.
1t would cost, he said, $133, 600 to bui.e up
the south front Of the building, whereas he
believed that If the construction OF new
Police Court building were entered INTO IL
would mean an expenditure In the emu Oh
a million or more dollars.
Mr.. Burkett argued that there was room
enough in the building to accommodate the
Police Court without building up the south
side but he believed that the latter course
would result in a better-looking building
and would also more effectively shut OF
the Police Court from the remainder OF
the structure. He said that the entrance
to the Police Court the south SIDE OF
the new building would be further away
from the main entrance on the north front
than the present Police Court is from the
present District building. In face OF the
fact that Congress is now appropriatlng an
pually money in excess of the revenues or
the District. Mr.. Burkett said, the local
authorities are asking for new building
for Police Court. He admitted II was
disgrace to continue the Police Court in It's
present condition. but he believed that the
pr oper thing to do was to put the court IN
the general municipal building.
Representative Babcock Of Wisconsin,
chairman of the House District committee,
entered into the discussion briefly at this
point by asking if he understood 1t cor
rectly that it was proposed to put the Po-
lice Court in the new building for the mu-
nicipal offices. When he had been replied
to in the affirmative Mr.. Babcock asked II
any of the members had CHANGED to be
around the Police Court during the time
1t was In session. He said the sights there
were too unclean to be countenanced IN the
vicinity of the new municipal building.
Mr.. Gardner Urges Concurrence in
Senate Amendments.
Representative Gardner Of Michigan,
member of the House subcommittee on APP
preparations in charge Of the District Dill,
vi Red that the House should recede and
concur in the Senate amendments he SAID
that the Engineer Commissioner of the Dis
trict had estimated that the cost of a new
Police Court building would be $75,UO.
Adding to this the $4,000 required Tor ad-
instead of a million dollars or more. only
$4,000 To change the plans OF the mu-
nicipal building SO as to accommodate the
Police Court would cost $133 600. Economy
dictated therefore, he said, that the Po-
lice Court should be kept out Of the build
ing. . ,..s =. A.
Gardner thought the estimate of $4,000 for
q new building was correct one. Mr..
Gardner replied with some warmth:
sIf YOU can't trust our engineers, who
can you trust! .
Continuing, Mr.. Gardner said that to put
Police
corder of deeds and the register of wills
ia the municipal building would tax from
the very outset the maximum capacity or
the structure. Very soon there would be
pressure for new building because the
city of Washington is growing rapidly and
the demands of the city offices are in
creasing accordingly The great fault of
this republic today is that too many build
ings are constructed for present needs and
consequently require constantly enlarge
ment and added expense. If they should be
built with an eye to the future there would
lie a great saving Mr.. Gardner also re-
ferred to the dirty conditions existing
around the Police Court, and said he did
not desire to have these unsavory condi-
tions fagrantly Wanted ON Pennsylvania
avenue, the most famous thoroughfare in
the whole country.
Mr.. Benton's Charge.
Representative Benton of Missouri. the
democratic member of the House subcom-
mitee on appropriations, In charge Of the
bill, charged that Mr.. Gardner had gone
over boot and breeches to the Commits
sioners, who wanted to build up here at
Washington an expensive city at the cost
of the general taxpayers of the country.
Mr. Gardner interrupted to say that from
the very beginning he had been opposed
to putting criminal court In a municipal
building.