The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-22
Ned STILL MORE.
Government May Buy Fifty Feet
Next to Post Office.
Would Require Larger Appro-
priatiOn Than Available.
PROPERTY APPRAISED
Will Cost About Thirty Five
Thousand Dollars.
Also Need Twenty-Five Thous-
and to Complete Building.

The addition to Topeka's federal
building will be much larger than orig
inally planned and the purchase of at
least fifty feet of space north Of the
governments property is now sought
in order to give ample building space
and to provide room for driveways.
An additional appropriation of $35, 700
for the purchase of abutuing property
and perhaps $4,000 for the compile
ton of the proposed addition will be
asked for by United States Senator
Charles Curtis.
Several days ago government agents
secured an appraisement of fifty feet
of property and the two-story brick
building north of the federal building.
1t is believed that $4,000 will be nee
essary for the purchase OF the lots and
the removal of the buildings. This
move will give the government eighty
five feet of space north of the present
building. OF this amount abouty sixty
feet will be used for building space.
The building east and west will ex-
tend 100 feet, or the entire length of
the present structure. The entire ad-
dition will be three stories in height.
After the recent appropriation of
congress allowing 100000 for the new
addition, several plans for the new
building were drawn. The original
plans provided for a one-story addi-
ton. 1t was estimated that this would
cost $4,000. There was still $4,000
of the amount left and the govern
ment's agents planned for a three
story structure the entire length and
width of the addition. This may re-
quire more funds than the present APP
preparation, but it is believed that the
amount will be granted as soon as the
new plans are generally understood.
With the completion of the new COX
1870 foot addition, all of the more i'm
n q
manently housed in the building.
These will include the new pension Of
fees which will be combined with the
Topeka agency and will virtually
double the present office force. The
postal savings bank will be established
in the building as soon as the addi-
ton is completed. In addition to
these, the United States weather bu-
reau will be located in the federal
building. Provision is also made in
of the office of the United States COM
missioner in the Topeka office and sew
eral other offices may be brought here.
It is the plan of the government to
provide building for Topeka that will
answer the requirements of the town
and the governments needs for at least
| twenty-five years. The postoffice and
postal savings bank will be located on
the first floor of the building. The
greatly enlarged pension office-han-
ding perhaps l16,UOu penSlOnerS-Wni
occupy the second floor together with
the land offices, the special pension
agents and the United States commits
sioner. On the third floor the space
will be given over almost entirely to
the United States district court and
it's attaches. This will include the
present offices now on the floor in adj
dition to the offices of the district at
torney, which has in the past been
located on the second floor Of the
building.
Work on the new addition will COM
mence some time this spring. It is
proposed to complete the building
some time next fall and the new pos
tai savings bank will be located in the
building about January l. Calls for
bids will be issued as soon as the plans
are approved in Washington.