Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-01
FEW LOCALITIES ARE LIBERAL
But Three Cities Donate Land to the
Government.
CAPTAIN ELLISON A PUBLISHER
Issues a Booklet Giving Data on the
Waterways.
BANKS AND THE POSTAL SAVINGS
Secretary Wilson'S Men VIII Keep on
Inspecting the Lard Substitutes
that Are Put on the
Market.
(From a STAFF Correspondent.)


Market.
(From a staff Correspondent)
WASHINGTON, July 1.-(Special.) 1.-The
last congress passed omnibus public
building bill, IN which authorizations were
made for the purchase Of 172 sites for new
public buildings one or more located In |
each state and territory in the union and
several outside OF continental United States,
namely Ponce, Honolulu and Manila. These
sites viii cost unoie Sam from 5000 up
TO the 500 900 mark and then some.
There are three exceptions to this state
ment however, as three towns In the
United States have agreed to present Un-
Gle Sam with a site II he will erect a
building. Uncle Sam calls the bluff and
win accept sites from the towns Of La
Junta, Colo.: Minden, La, and Honne
Teire,. MO. and will erect thereon buildings
!. commensurate with the needs of these
J places.
Immediately after June 25 the date Pres
ident Taft signed the bill. Supervising Ar
chitect J. Knox Taylor sent out advertise
ments to the various newspapers In local
ities where sites for new buildings had been
authorized, inviting property holders toI
make bids. The usual thirty days under
which such advertisements arc required by
law TO run expired IN the first instance in
Atlantic coast states July 22 These bids
have been opened, recorded and scheduled.
The further opening of bids of this char
acter will continue until August 8. when
all towns ana cities win have been heard
from.
Here iss a Task.
The mere opening and scheduling Of these
bids is great task, requiring the entire
time OF six committees, each composd OF
three expert clorks of the supervising ar
chitect's office. These committees work
some nine hours daily. and In some in
stances where there are many property
owners in a given CITY willing to part
with their realty holdings to the govern
ment, working overtime Is necessary to
keep up.
In addition to the new sites. congress
has authorized appropriations for the en-
iargement Of some eighty-five federal
buildings throughout the country. such en-
largement in practically every case calling
for the purchase of additional ground.
This great realty deal which the last con-
.jEress authorized win cost Uncle Sam very
close to SIS 10000 and will be very equitahly
distributed between his children in forty
six states and territories and also our
brethren beyond the seas will come in for
a slice Of this largess.
Ellison Puts Out = Book.
WATERWAY Wisdom" Is the title of a
most comprehensive brochure which has
Just been compiled by Captain j. F. Ellison
OF Cincinnati o., secretary OF the National
Rivers and Harbors congress, and is now
being circulated by that great organiza-
tion. II embraces pertinent paragraphs
from the addresses of the presidents from
the time Of the immortal George to William
Howard TAFT, from governors of states,
foreign diplomats, railroad officials and
men prominent in the commercial and In
uustrial life of the nation on the subject of
Waterways and the needs for their de-
Velopment and Improvement In addition
It contains excerpts from newspaper edi-
torials on this very vital subject and a
mine OF Information as to the commerce
pn the great lakes, mileage and traffic upon
tho inland waterways OF European eoun-
tries 1t has an exhaustive table showing
the mileage OF the navigable streams of the
United states and details OF the appro-
priations for all waterways,
1t also gives a list OF all the waterway
associations In the United States affiliated
with the National Rivers and Harbors con-
gress. with their officers. In short 1t Is
the best compendium on waterways that
has been Issued and shows vast amount
lecturer, the student interested in making
our river work, to the business man who
sees reduced freights in the development
OF our rivers and canals. and to the Amer
lean people concerned in this great eco
nomIc question the book will prove inval'
.uable and Is a most timely contribution C
the subject of waterway Improvement now
that congress has decided to make yearly
appropriations for tho rivers. harbors and
canals OF the country.
A. 20 Postal savings Banks.
The prelnalnaries of the Inauguration OF
tho postal savings bank system do not In
dicate any large amount OF enthusiasm
over the idea. These prellminarles consist
for the most part of applications OF banks
10 be designated repositories, and OF
postmasters TO have their offices appointed
10 receive savings More banks have asked
for recognition than postoffices. In some
states having a large number OF postof
fees Surprisingly little attention Is giveT
the new enterprise. and but few postofflcei
have essayed to venture to promote ths
system. Two reason are given for this
One is that the average postmaster doe,
not know or does not care about the law
Not for publication but as an evidence O.
shrewd discernment, these at this end o
the business having 70 do with these appli
cations intimate that ignorance Is mainl,
responsible for the dearth OF applca ton
from the postmasters. Few Of them. Il 4
assumed, have mastered the details OF TN
law. and many who have studied It hav,
decided that as thu government has neg
lectod 10 say that they are 10 have hell
and additional pay for the service, they d,
not care to bother with the work and tn
responsibility.
Postmaster General Hitchcock before h
left for Europe did not appear to hav
any definite ideas about the organiza ton
end IL Is not believed that II can get unde
way even with the first step, until IN
middle OF autumn.
The statistics to date touching the In
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