The Washington herald., 1911-04-27
FITZGERALD'S INQUIRY.

when $2.150,000 has been appro-
prlated.
FITZGERALD'S INQUIRY.
Mr. Fitzgerald. who is the chairman OF
the Committee on Appropriations, wants
to know whether there ere in existence
any plans for the building which are not
in accordance with the requirements Of
the statute authorizing that structure.
The inquiry was directed primarily on
account of the long DELAY in the erection
of the new building and through suspi-
Cion that the Treasury nepa rtment may
have wandered away from the terms of
the statute prescribing the size and form
OF the building. and that another Depart
1nent of Agriculture building incident is
about TO he perpetTated. The act au-
thorizing Il new building for the last
named department. Il was contendnd, did
not specifically state that two wings of
q future building might be erected in
place thereof. Representative Fitzgerald
has received intimation from private
sources that the Treasury Department
will attcmpt the Same sort of an under
taking with the new Bureau of EngraV-
ing and Printing building, in Il similar
hope of adding to 1t in the future. He
is unwilling TO believe this. but has de-
cided to obtain direct answer from tho
Treasury Department in regard to the
matter.
Appropriation Was Made.
The Agricultural! building incident.
wren il was discovered. caused quite a
furry in the Committee on Appropria-
tions. As a result. when the appeal for
larger quarters for the Bureau Of En-
craving and Printing came along, the
committee took particular pains to pre-
scribe the nature of that structure in a
rough way. but in such manner 10
make sure that there would not he
erected two wings OF 4 building which
would stand as mute appeal for rhe
erection of a larC" and expensive joining
structure at some future day. After
designating the plots of ground TO be
purchased. the COMMITTEES stipulated that
there should he ''fireprOOf building, ap-
proximately 800 by 500 feet. with interior
courts basement. four stories. and attic.
il the immediate vicinity and adjoining
the present building In 1905, three years
ago. sc-1,coO was appropriated, and the
entire authorization of so.Iy0.oO0 was final
ly placed at the disposal of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury.
Explaining the Delay.
At the Treasury Department yesterday
it was asserted that the site for the new
building had been purchased, and that
attempts were being made to obtain a
set of plans suitable for a convenient
building which could be erected within
the specified appropriation, approximate
ly S1756,CGO OF which remained on hand.
An inspection of the plans thus far drawn
and discarded disclosed the fact that the
department had been keering within the
terms of the statute authorizing the
luilding. although possibly a strict con-
struCtion OF the term interior courts"
might cause some slight controversy be-
tween the department and Congress.
The dimensions and the height of the
building. according to the first plans sub
mitted, were within the prescribed limits.
At the behest OF the director of the
bureau. and on petition of a local civic
Improvement body. the courts which it
was necessary to construct were left
opcn on one side. 1t being maintained
that the health and comfort of the work.
men absolutely required the elimination