The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-19
MANY JOBS WAITING
IN BUILDING BOOM
Uncle Sam Has Work Map
ped Out for Months
to Come.

II Uncle Sam will get a building move
or himself he has enough work map
ped out TO keep hundreds Of artisans
at work for good many MOI tbs TO
come Congress, last session, authoriz-
cd the purchase OF three sites for
public buildings and appropriated the
necessary money TO purchase the land
for TWO Of these sites, and for the
third site appropriated the money for
the building, which is 10 be used as
an annex 10 the Bureau OF Engraving
and Printing The land on which the
Bureau is to be erected will SHORTY
be acquired by the Government at a
reasonable price. the titles Of the prop
erty offered now being examined by
the officials Of the Government.
Now, while Congress was rather gen
erOus making these appropriations at
the last session it winked its eye at
the proposition to appropriate money
for the Hall of Records and an addi-
tional building for the Postoffce De
oartment. and likewise to provide for
a building 10 be erected on the plot
Of ground where the former Depart
ment Of Justice stood just north Of
the Treasury building. on Pennsylvania
avenue.
Hall of Records.
II was in March. 1903. that an appro-
priatiOn Of 10000 became available
for the purchase Of a site for the Hall
or Records. There was also an appro-
priation OF 5000 for the construction
Of plans and details OF a building not
TO exceed the cost OF 100000 the
building 10 be used for the Hall OF
Records. The plans prepared BY the
architect OF the Treasury we're merely
preliminary. The Secretary Of the
Treasury experienced little or no diff
Guilty in purchasing square I43. which
Is located between r and F and Sew
enteenth and Eighteenth streets north
west, and contains l57.7II.35 square feet.
The price paid Tor u iS property was
500, $3.50, leaving an available balance
OF $4,000 The Government has now
been the owner OF this piece Of real
estate five years. ar ii is. no doubt in
creased in value. II IS understood that
Secretary COrtelyou will recommend to
Congress next December that an ap-
preparation be made for commencing
work on the Hail OF Records. a build
ing for which the Government is in
sore need.
For the Postofice.
] asst year the Government secured title
to the last piece Of property in square
ga. just south Of N, PostOfiice build
ing, which is bounded by Eleventh and
Twelfth and G and d streets. and cost
the Government $3s5.0O0 The act au-
thOrizing this purchase provided that
when the building, for which an appro-
priation viii be asked at the next ses-
sion OF Congress. is erected space shall
be reserved for the mail bag repair
shop. The Postohice building is made
quate 10 meet the demands made for
space by the growing business Of the
department, And Postmaster General
Meyer in his annual report will make IL
clear that Congress act promptly in pro-
viding for the immediate erection OF a
suitable building for the use OF the
Postoffice Department. The impression
Is that Congress Will authorize a build
ing 10 cost something ike S2,5O0. 600.
The Richest Purchase.
But the richest piece Of real estate
owned by the Government is that vacant
part Of the square opposite the Treas
ury Department on PENNSYLVANIA ave
nue. which extends from the Arlington
"a -a-N'N- eAA+NN N-CAAAN dAAg > DAnAllk 10
the Belasco Theater. The Government
secured title 10 this property in 1852 at
a cost OF $4,000. A few years ago il
was proposed TO erect a building for the
use Of the Department Of Justice on this
site. but after consideration the site
was deemed too small for a building OF
sufficient size and dignity for the use
Of this department. Just what the Gov
eminent viii do with this valuable piece
OF properly is not known
Various suggestions have been made
OF late, and the one that seems most
likely is to erect a building for the use
OF all the accounting Offices Of the Gov
eminent II this should be done II
would take from the Treasury Depart
ment large number Of Offices and
clerks. and would also make a large emf
In Uncle Sans rent roll for space in the
various Office buildings throughout the
city It Is not improbable that the Sec
retary OF the Treasury will deal with
this problem in his annual report to
Congress.