Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-13

ana sui give room 1Cr the interstate
commerce commission. could be erected
in round numbers. for $5.0OOOOO. This
building would be granIte-faced. of mod
ern type. four stories and basement A
build ng sufficient to house the Depart
ment of State and the Department of
Justice could be erected. in round num-
bers for $2.oO0.6n0. making total of
SIW0.OGo, exclusive of site. 1t Is only
question of time until the government
will have to own this property anyhow. in
order to carry out its parking hemes, and
for the time being the cost of the site
could be left out of consideration
From a Financial Standpoint.
let us see if from financial stand
point this would be businesslike prop
Osition. What are the savings IN rent?
During the present fiscal year the State
Department pays out in rent $3.50: the
Department of Commerce and Labor.
$50 O49.SO: the Department of Justice
$2S 200: the interstate commerce commits
sion. $S. 16oa total OF $11O.4s9 With
the State Depa rtment moved from it's
present quarters into a new building the
rent of the Mills building ard some other
buildings used by the War and Navy
Departments could be saved and run this
total up to at least s140,O0O-2 per cent
OF 81 100000. But in late annual report
of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor
he says the assem bling OF the bureaus
and offices Of the department under one
roct would result in a saving in the cost
OF administration on a very conservative
estimate Of at least s68OOO per year
an Informed that at least $4,000 could
80 saved in similar manner in the
Department Of Justice. These savings
bring the total OF savings in these two
buildings up to 2j6.OOO-a per cent
rate of interest on $12SCO.OO
'ls not that a fair businessiike state
ment? Would it not be true economy to
begin at once the erection of these
buildings?
Another condition cOnfronts us. and
that is that the buildings now occupied
by. the various departments are all crowd
ed. and each Secretary is FALLING for more
space. Some day this condition will have
to be met and several other buildings
erected in the District of Columbia. Those
just mentioned would take care of three
departments and would relieve the War
and Navy departments of the crowded
condition which exists in their buildings.
The government at present owns the cor
ner lot across Pennsylvania avenue from
the Treasury building. The purchase of
the Arlington Insurance Company build
ing and the Belasco Theater would give
the government a f1ne site. on which
could be erected a handsome four-story
auditors office. Such building ss this
would relieve at once the Treasury De-
partment OF its congestion. Forty-three
per CSul vi TIE IlOOT space III the treasury
Department is occupied by auditors Of
fees. These auditors do not necessarily
come in contact with the Secretary or
his assistants every day. while in the
purely Treasury work OF the department
the heads of bureaus are constantly being
called into consultation with the Sec
rotary or his assistants. The location
o. such a building on Pennsylvania ave
nue. would at once put the auditors in
the different departments together give
t. YN1,>
and relieve the Postofflce Department of
some of its congestion.
New Postal Workshop.
ITO still further relieve the congestion
in the Post ONCE Department a new pos
tai workshop should be erected at the
Union station. Here all mails could be
handled promptly. carriers could start
their deliveries from this point ard the
objects o. fast mail service absolutely
obtained. 1t Is the verie3t nonsense to
run fast mail trains from New York to
Washington and then have forty-five min
utes wasted in carrying mail from the
Union station to the present post Office
building. Other cities have seen the
necessity of post Office which is work
shop and are already clamoring for such
an Improvement With this addition the
Post Once Department would have the
space 1t needs.
New Bureau Of Engraving.
For years a new bureau of printing
and engraving has been needed. In the
last Congress the necessity was realized
and the Secretary of the Treasury was
authorized to prepare a plan. He has
found the most deplorable overcrowding o:
men and women in every part of the
building. He has found that it was
to
force beyond the regular hours and
considerable part OF the men and
women at night. Should Congress pro-
vide by new legislation for increas-
ing issues Of notes. it would be nee
essary to resume this overtime work. The
Secretary of the Treasury has made his
recommendations and they are worthy of
consideration. and I understand they are
to be adopted I shall offer no objections.
l am only too glad to see the needs met.
printing should be d workshop-it is
merely an establishment where money Is
manufactured 1t should be located
where ii could have railroad facilities, and
as much as possible Of the work should
be done on the ground floor This could
be accomplished by securing cheap site
near one of the railroads and erecting a
modern manufacturing plant. All the
heavy machinery could then be the
first floor instead OF running up into the
present building. Such a structure would
not need to he a granite government
building. but simply substantial, hand
some brick maRt acturing establishment.
With the bureau of engraving and print
ing located along the railroad. where it
could have switching and other facilities,
the Treasury Department could be re-
lleved of great expense in the hauling
of paper to and fro. checking up. weigh
ing. etc. All this could he done at the
bureau of engraving and printing and one
hauling would be sufficient. But as
stated before. T understand the present
matter comes before the Senate ] shall
offer no opposition further than to re-
peat these views.
II had thought that with the bureau OF
printing and engraving housed in such
an esta Enlistment as this the present
building could be used as hall of rec
ords. since such structure is badly
needed. But new building for such a
hall can be erected for two millions or
dollars. and no senator can for moment
oppose its erection on plea of no ne
cessity.
Twenty Millions Enough.
Zone more building is needed. that for
the geological survey. Its necessity has
been shown before numerous committees
on numerous occasions feel that I am
within the limits of reason when l saw
that twenty millions Of dollars. the
amount on which the government is now
paying a 2 per cent rate of interest in
rent. would more than erect and equip
these buildings. 1t would even go far