Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-05

lie pan dUNOCdt6Q sDy S50fldtOT SCOIts
the chairman of the Senate committee on
public buildings and grounds. of bond
issue by the government to provide the
necessary buildings in this city for the
accommodation of the executive depart
ments. may not meet with the approval
Of Congress. If opposition does develop
1t will be as to the method proposed to
supply such a recognized need. No one
questions that the governments housing
accommodations were long since out
grown. In fact. 1t may. be said with
entire accuracy that at no period in the
history of the government has the supply
of buildings been equal to the demand.
Exactly why this has been so it would
be difficult to determine, although per-
haps an explanation may be given that
would apply to recent years when the
growth Of the executive departments.
keeping pace with that of the country,
has been SO rapid that il has far out
stripped any attempt made to keep up
with it.
A large army and navy during the fol-
lowing the Spanish war period carried
with 1t as corrollary an increase in the
number Of civil employees, and SO with the
acquisition Of the Philippines and Of other
insular possessions. A recent instance is
found in the tariff bill which became a
ldW Oiiy last year LII OTOcT 10 carry
out this latter provision for taxing the in
comes of corporations. it has been found
that additional clerks will be needed.
Never Enough Buildings.
There has never been a time when
there were enough buildings in the city
Of Washington to provide room for all
the civil employees Uncle Sam has al
ways been factor in the rental market
in this city, and to the casual observer
it may seem surprising that property
owners have not made more permanent
provision for such tenant than has been
the case. In some phases Uncle Sam
has not proved always to be profitable
tenant For example, leases can run only
for year when made with the govern
ment. for the reason that appropriations
are only for that period
Then, in addition to it's uncertain ten
ure, property owners have sometimes
found the governments use of buildings
rather haru on those structures, SO tnat
many and expensive repairs are needed
to restore them to q good condition
The earliest instance of building
erected for the purpose of being rented
to the government was the Winder build
ing, at the northwest corner of 18th and
+ streets northwest. 1t was built some
sixty years ago and. what was very un
usual for that time. it is tireproof struc
ture, win floors resting ON brick arches
and steel beams. 1t has been practically
In the occupancy of the government ever
since, and few years ago was pur-
chased by the government.
In Rented Quarters.
AT the present time two of the execu
tive departments of the government are
occupying rented buildings in this city,
while such an important branch OF gov
ernmental activities as the interstate COM
merce commission has always been a ten
ant. The same statement is true of the
geological survey and of the forestry serv-
ice and the reclamation service, while II
has only been in recent years that the
census office has been taken out of the
rental market.
There are a number of bureaus and di-
visions crowded out of the main depart
ment buildings, which are to be found
scattered through the city and occupying
buildings owned by private persons. Only
within the past year or SO has the Dis
trict government had a home of its own,
while the city post office, when it has not
been an unWecOme tenant in the build
ing of the Post Office Department, has
also been obliged to go into the general
market and rent place to carry on this
essential Part of the business of the city.
From time TO time some member of
Congress has gotten together the figures
showing the total rentals paid in this city
by Uncle sam. and always the summary
has been impressive one. 1t has gen
orally been pointed out on such occasions
how many structures could be erected by |
the expenditure on the part of the gov /
eminent of the sum of money capitalized
on the basis of the aggregate of the rents |
paid, and. of course, at the rate of inter |
est paid by the government
Purchase Of Sites.
However. the progress of erecting pub |
lie buildings has not been apparently
much FASTENED by this form of reasoning. |
and at the same time the appeal to in
vestors to supply this public need has
not been alluring enough to draw In this |
direction a large amount of capital |
Whatever may be said about the returns |
on property where Uncle Sam Is a ten /
ant, the fact remains that comparatively |
few buildings have been erected In this |
city with that sole object. Now a site |
has been purchased where it is proposed
to erect buildings for the use OF the De- J