The Washington herald., 1908-05-15
Washington Fares Well in
This Years Gift.
LAND GRABS TO BE PROBED
Omnibus Public Building Bill Is in
at Last-New Post-office for City
Provided-sIemOriaI at Arlington
ProBabIe-sIte for District National
Guard Dedicated-BiII TO Pass.


In addition to the sum Of S5OOO00 car
ried for a new post-office building
which will be located in the vicinity Of
the new Union Station. although the
place is not designated-appropria
for the beginning of work on memorial
amphitheater in Arlington and for other
local monuments are provided.
The effectual preventios Of land grab
bing In the Capital is to be brought
about. as has previously been outlined
in The Washington Herald, by a com
mission consisting of FIVE men who shall
investigate grants by the government Of
lands In the District.
As TO the Probers.
The provision OF the bill referring TO
this commission reads as follows: THAT
a commission be. and the same is hereby
created. to consist Of five members. name
ly' the Secretary OF War, the Attorney
General the president OF the Board OF
Commissioners Of the District Of Column
bia, the chairman OF the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds OF the
United States Senate. and the chairman
of the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds OF the United States House OF
Representatives. for the purpose of in
vestigating the title of the United States
IN and to all lands IN the District Of Co
lumoia. with view % protecting such
title, Ming a map Of said lands and as
certatning whether or not any individual
or corporation is, without proper author
lty. occupying, in whole or in part any
such lands.
Said commission shall also investigate
and report on any and all transfers Of
titles 20 such lands by the United States,
either by authority OF Congress or other
wise and shall make recommendations
as to the future policy of the govern
ment with respect 10 the sale or retention
Of any and all such lands title TO which
may have been or Is now vested in the
United States. and pending the report OF
said commission. unless otherwise d.
rected by Congress all authorizations
heretofore made for the sale OF govern
ment land in the District OF Columbia,
in which conveyances have not been
made or contracts entered into. shall
be held In allegiance
The commission hereby created shall
have authority 10 send for persons.
papers, documents. public and private
records. administer oathS, and 70 conduct
such Investigation in such manner as
said commission may deem best. and
shall report the results Of such investlga-
ton 10 the Sixtieth Congress, together
with its recommendation And for the
expense OF such commission sum not
to exceed $500 is hereby appropriated.
Half Million for POst-offiee.
The paragraph appropriating s500,O00 for
a new post-ofice at Washington specifies
nothing more than the amount and the
city. Il is we'll known. however. that
The building viii be placed near the new
station the exact location to be decided
upon IN the usual manner.
For the work Of making estimates and
plans for memorial at Arlington. a
consisting Of the Secretary OF
War, the Superintendent Of the Capitol.
one member Of the 6. A. R. and a men,
Der OF the United Spanish War Veterans.
IS created. The sum Of 5000 is carried
for this work
The sum Of $2.5e0. for the expenses Of a
commission consisting Of the Assistant
Secretary or War the general command /
-A6 NtiE AFlSNAA ANA AlA4AAA&dr ana the EUDHT-
intendent Of the Capitol. is appropriated
Ia the bill. This commission is to cause
plans and estimates for a suitable ar
mory for the District National Guard to
be submitted
The bill also provides that the north
erly portion Of the government reserva-
tlon bounded by street north. 3 street
south, Seventh street west. and sixth
street east, in the District Of Columbia.
known as ArmOry Square, be selected and
dedicated as a site for an armory for
the National Guard Of the District" after
the tracks Of the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company are removed.
The bill further provides that in the
future. the Secretary Of the Treasury
submit 20 Congress annual detailed esti-
mates OF appropriations necessary for de- J
fraying all expenses incident to carry
ing out the work on buildings authorized
which come under the supervision OF the
In addition to providing funds for sites
and public buildings the bill proposes
the enactment OF some important legisla- /
ton germane to the provisions of the
measure. Il provides that IN the future
buildings viii be constructed for post
Offices purposes only, other bureaus of
the government to be provided with quar-
ters in separate structures. This policy |
will be carried in the case Of the post !
office buildings to be erected al New
York, st. Louis, Pittsburg, Minneapolis I
Chicago, Syracuse, Washington. and /
other ci,ies.
Three Months TO Frame 1t.
The House committee spent three
months in framing the bill. It considered /
no less than s21 projects, including $50
that had been passed upon in the Senate. /
an estimated expenditure of /
more than Sill. 100000
The committee cut down these esti-
mates to about S2S.0O0o0O, providing more
than 600 for sites. buildings. and
and more than 100000 to
continue work on buildings already under
way.
For constructing buildings for post 4
office purposes only, making them models II
'or buildings to be put Up IN the future, II
he bill carries s750. 900 fer Chicago, S50000e II
'or Boston, SS50.O00 for Cleveland. and II
$4,000 for San Francisco.
The measure will be taken up in the II
House to-day and passed. II will go Il
through by a unanimous vote
There viii be no opposition to Il, as
nearly every member OF the House. be he Il
,ver so humble. be he Democrat or Re
viii cast his vote for the bill
With a whoop. Should the President, as
las been threatened, veto the bill for any
'eason, 1t viii undoubtedly be passed