Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-30

the party was located and returned at Uncle
SANS expense.
Under ordinary circumstances Uncle Sam is q
slow paymaster. Many stories are told on that
subject, but in all the years I have been in
Washington as member, members secretary and
press correspondent I have known of but one
instance in which delay to pay resulted from a
clerical error in department. A building con-
tractor. accompanied by his lawyer. appeared in
members office one day with a complaint
that the final payment one of two Federal
buildings he was the contractor for had not
been made. He could get no satisfaction out of
his correspondence with the Treasury Depart
ment. and he wanted a personal interview for
himself and his lawyer with the proper official
Such Simple Solution
The proper officlar was called upon and he
said positively that final statement required
from the contractor had not been received The
contractor positive he had sent It, The
Jacket" containing the correspondence relat-
ing to the contract was produced. Letter not
there, Lawyer cleared his throat prepared to
say something. Member mildly suggested that
as the same man contractor for two build
ings the Jacket holding correspondence for
tother building be peeked into. Done: mis-
sing statement found Contractor got his pay
next day, So did the lawyer.
The variety of chores member is called upon
to do is recalled to me by looking over certain
fles for one not very busy week
get some black bass from United States
Hatchery for pond at" "see Bureau OF
Mines about analysis OF coal submitted with
navy bid by" "see War Department about
man detained at Ellis Island" See War De-
partment about getting discharge OF under-age
,ITg
But I'll not run through the list; there is a
hint OF what keeps a member out Of mischief
between breakfast and noon when the House
meets. OF course. his daily correspondence and
frequent committee meetings help occupy his
time
Some fOot-weary pilgrim, early in it's history
named Washington the "City OF Magnificent
Distances" The distances are here. to be sure,
but as to their magnihsnes one Is entitled TO
his own opinion.
It is interesting fact I've never seen men
toned in print that the reason OF the absurd
distances between the public buildings in Wash
ington Is that the District has always been
more or less run by real estate interests. which
also have pretty well dominated Congress in
respect to its District legislation.
Picking the Treasure Site
President Jackson alone OF all the Chiaf
Executives successfully rsbened against this
powerful influence. The Treasury building was
authorized. and at once the real estate ring
began to lobby to detsrmine ita location. Ths
President himself was besegsd jackson was
easily bored. The real estate gang bored him.
One morning he walked out OF the White
House, crossed over to the low swampy lot just
east, stuck his hickory cane armly into the
Eround and growled' There's where the Treas
ury building will be. d--n thsml"
And that's where Il Is. You can easily
observe how admirably suited the lot Is 10 the
building BY noticing that you 90 down By stone
steps into sunken garden 70 reach the main
floor from the Pennsylvania avenue end, and
from the other end you climb Up a long aight
Of st0ns steps . reach ne same aoor.
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