Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-06
PHILADELPHIA'S INTERESTS
NEGLECTED BY SENATOR PENROSE
Federal Buildings Here Ignored While Laved
Millions Chicago and New YorE-A Comparison
of Appropriations.

| DHILADELPHIA is the one large city of
! i the nation which has been neglected by
! the Federal Government so far as the erec-
! tion of public buildings is concerned The
records tell the story more clearly and more
vividly than any mere statement of the case
can do
For the past sixteen years-or since the
Hon. Boies Penrose took his seat in the
Senate-Philadelphia has been granted the
munincent sum of S9S2,O0O by Congress for
the construction Of Federal buildings
This is scarcely one e-fourth of the money
granted to Chicago in the same period for
the erection of one building.
1t is not one eleventh of the amount Law
ished upon New York in the corresponding
period for many great construction projects.
The figures plainly show that the interests
of Philadelphia in the annual formulation of
the Congressional Public Buildings bill have
been Systematically overlooked For nearly
two decades Philadelphia has not received so
much recognition from Congress as cities of
greatly inferior ranking in population. Her
name has rarely appeared in the Congress
sional appropriation bills.
Here is the record during Senator Penroses
service in the Senate:
In 1900 appropriation of S351000 was
given the Quaker City for the completion of
the Government Mint.
In 1902 S25,OOO was appropriated by Con-
gress for structural changes in the Mint.
In 1904 there was an appropriation of
$4,000 for the remodeling of the Frankford
Arsenal.
Repairs to the Mint and a number of minor
projects caused an appropriation Of $4,000
in 1906
In 1907 further repairs to the Mint cost the
Federal Government $4,000.
The following year G90S) construction of
an immigrant station at Philadelphia, at a
cost of s25O,OOO, was authorized.
An appropriation of $4,000 for repairs to
the Postoffice was authorized in 1910.
In 1911 the Federal Government appro-
priated s1050OO for the construction of pier
at the immigrant station.
This is complete statement of Philadel-
pha'S share of the annual appropriation for
public buildings for a period of sixteen
years. 1t is not very impressive in compari-
son with the sums given to New York and
Chicago for public improvements. Although |
Senator Penrose was ostensibly a power dur
ing the Republican regime in Washington he
failed signally to guard the interests of
Representatives of the other
great cities of the country were more efficient
apparently.
For instance, New York, during the six
teen-year period has received from the
United States $11,16O,OOO for the construc-
ton of Federal buildings. Chicago has re-
ceived s4,133,OOO in the same time. Phadel-
phia's minor place in the record has been
due, it seems, to the failure Of her chosen
in Congress, including SEN
ltor Penrose, to press her legitimate claims.
New York has built magnificent new
Custom House at a cost of several million
dollars, new Postofilce which ranks as
one Of the finest in the world new barge
and assay office and a marine hospital dur
ng this time. Chicago has constructed
monumental Postofiice at a cost Of more than
'4OOOOO0 Philadelphia has succeeded in
gaining appropriations only for the Mint a
small immigrant station and a pier at the
immigrant station. The contrast is not fiat
ering to Quaker City pride.