Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-05
In the Construction Of Buildings
In the City Of Wash.
ington.
DRY WEATHER is NEEDED.
Many Large and Costly Government
Structures Now In Course OF Con.
struclion al Nations Capital.
Special Correspondence

has been the humidity IN the Washing
ton atmosphere during the present
summer that building operations have
been greatly retarded. By this II Is
not meant that the rainfall has inter-
fered with brick laying and stone set
ling but the bricks OF new buildings
have absolutely become saturated with
water 20 such a degree that II viii take
months OF dry weather 10 eyaporate
the containeS moisture.
Never before In the history OF the
Capitol City has there been so many
large government buildings in course
OF erection at one and the same time
The superintendent OF the Capitol is
erecting two new Office blocks. one for
the senate. the other for the house of
representatives. The total cost Of both
viii be in the nelghborhood OF Ave
million dollars. A new building for the
national museum. TO cost $4,000 900 is
in course OF construction; the new
department Of agriculture building al
an expense OF si.5O0,O0 Is well under
way. while q municipal building at a
like cost is up to the top Of the second
story In addition 10 this other build
ings for the ID. A. r. and the George
Washington university 10 say nothing
Of the magnificent structure being
built for the Union railway station and
a dozen other buildings Of less impOr-
lance.
In all these structures hundreds OF
thousands OF bricks have already been
II Lw4-
so thoroughly permeated with moisture |
that the superintendent Of construc-
ton assert that from three 10 six |
months will be required TO dry them |
out sufficiently 10 enable them to be |
ABUNDANCE OF RAIN.
In the 30 days since the first OF June
there have been less than Ia when |
rain has not fallen. Even during the to- |
tai of two weeks OF clear weather hum
mildly has been so great that little or |
none OF the surplus moisture was
evaporated. Washington's parks. |
lawns and gardens were never so beau
tlful In August as they were this year. |
but building operations have had a
severe setback and many Of the struc'
lures IN course OF erection VIII not be
finished, in consequence, IN time for
the next Inauguration.
THE RATE BILL.
Although the railroad rate bill went
into effect on Tuesday last the rail-
roads have not complied with It's
terms. in some respects, and probably
they never will. The reason is that II
IS a physical impossibillty to do so.
The new law requires every railroad
to post in each and every station along
the line a complete copy Of passenger
and freight tariffs 10 every other point
in the country. The railroads have
pointed out to the interstate commerce
commission that 20 comply with the
letter Of the law In this respect Is alb
solutely impossible. Not one OF them
has yet been able 20 prepare such a
schedule and not one OF them has a
force Of expert freight-rate clerks 10
enable IL 10 make schedule. Besides
this It Is agreed that there is scarcely
a station IN the country with sufficient
wall space TO accommodate the table
OF rates when completed. 1T would
be necessary to have a building az
each railway station as big as a con-
yention hall" said one Of the rail-
road men TO the commission and IN
consequence Il is likely that the law
will be modified IN that respect II the
commission decides It has any discre-
ti0nary power.
EXPRESS COMPANIES.
The express companies. who for the
first time are made common carriers
by the new law, are asking further
time IN which TO Gle their rate sheets
with the commission. This is not sur
prisng for no one--not even the
agents Of these companies-ever has
been able TO figure out an express rate
twice the same way. An instance OF
this was cited before the commission
when member Of Congress showed
that he had sent his typewriter for
ward and back between Washington
and his home 10 times during the
past Ave years and had never paid the
same rate twice. The charges ranging
between So cents and sl.65. When the
new law Is put into fun operation this
will not be permitted TO happen.
The sleeping car companies, also
made common carriers under the law.
have as yet filed no schedules but they
must do so and the general belief Is
that the public will be benefited ma
terially., because as matters now stand
sleeping car charges seem 10 be based
neither upon time nor distance. but
solely upon the arbitrary dictum Of
the employees and officials OF the COM
psnies.
INSURANCE BUSINESS.
The Insurance business I'm the Init.