The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-03-02
EXPENDITURES.
mo. II

SOVeTuIucuU. w ullc cACIdSdSdHCe
has often been manifested in their
erection this is no reason why their
construction should be limited.
Certain things should be observed
in their construction. Excessive
ornamentation should be avoided.
They should in every instance,
whether large or small, be sub
stantial, fire-proof structures, built
upon correct architectural principles
so they will be pleasing to the eye,
and of such interior arrangement
that the work to be performed
therein can be accomplished in the
most convenient manner. This
last proposition has heretofore been
almost entirely overlooked. Take
for example the public buildings in
Washington, and the same is true
of State Capitols. The Chiefs and
Superintendent who perform none
of the routine work and store no
books or documents in their rooms
and who only need moderate sized
reception room and moderate
private apartment, have space
enough to house regiment, while
most of the rooms where the clerks
perform the work, are so small that
when one calls there to do business,
land more business is done there
than in the apartments of cabinet
officers or their assistants) he has
to stand on his head when he gets
tired of standing on his feet, as
there is neither space nor facilities
for sitting down. Every public
building in Washington is crowded
to such an extent that public
business is greatly impeded, yet
they contain an abundance of room
in which the same could be safely,
comfortably and expeditiously
transacted. Those who don't need
room have space enough to throw
at the birds, while those who do
need it, are cramped beyond des-
cription. This condition exists,
more or less, in all public buildings,
no matter where they are situated.
Those who have a "pulr' get
departments" those who are simply
employees, get "rooms" and about
the only thing taken into considera-
ton is how small space can be
made to answer the purpose.
Comfort, convenience and expedi-
ton are all sacrificed in order that
the superintendent may have
apartments which accord with their
own estimate of their own i'm
portance.
There ought to be public
building erected in every city and
town where the rent paid for
housing the public business would
pay fair interest on the cost of
the structure in which the same is
performed. Good business sense
demands this action. No business
man would do business in rented
quarters where the rent would more
than pay the interest on the price
of building. Take for example
the city of Sank Centre. A
building suitable for the needs of
the Post office, with it's five free
rural routes and more in prospect,
together with it's constantly in
creasing business, cannot be secured
at less rental than 5000 year
Six hundred dollars year would
pay interest on twenty thousand
dollars at six per cent. The gov
eminent can secure unlimited
quantities Of money at three pc,
cent or less. Twenty thousand
dollars would build and furnish 3
post Office that would comply Will
the needs of this community for tn,
next twenty years. AS matter o.
fact the government could hous,
the post Office in this city, furnish
them with facilities for con
veniently and expiditiously per
forming their work, remove al
danger of destruction of the MALL