The Dickinson press., 1915-12-18
FEDERAL BLl
HAS NO APPROPRIATION YET

Dickinson knows now Just where
she stands regarding a federal build
ing appropriation. There is none un-
less the $1,000 recommended the past
week to start preliminary work may
be considered one.
Ever since February, 1913, when it
was announced that 100000 had been
appropriated for a government
building at Dickinson, every now
and then it has been questioned if
Dickinson really had this appropria-
tion or not, and just as often as the
question was raised just so often
fears on that point were hushed to
rest.
This fall when Noggle Bros. were
engaged to make soil tests on the
new postoffice site to determine the
footings required, it began to look
as if the Washington authorities were
at least giving thought or two to
the building.
In due time the bill for this went
in and the whole building matter be-
gan to take on a different color
when the supervising architect wrote
Postmaster Frank Lish-as given in
the PRESS November 27-as follows:
''It is understandable to the fact
that Congress has authorized the con-
struction of the building, although no
appropriation has yet been made
therefore that payment for this
work will be made as soon as Con-
gress shall have made the necessary
appropriation"
In the same issue Of the PRESS
appeared letter to Mayor White
from Gov. L. B. Hanna and we are
reproducing most of this in this is
sue. He said:
II have noticed more or less COM
ment in your local papers out there
as to whether Dickinson really had an
appropria tion of $90,OOO.OO for their
postoffice building or not. You know
l have always told you they did have
and that the law was passed and
would stand there on the statutes of
the United States until the building
was erected, but I thought perhaps it
might be well to verify this, SO that
those who doubt would forever hold
their peace. Under separate cover I
send you a copy of the Statutes of
the United States for the third ses-
sion of the 62nd Congress. That was
the last session I was a member of
the United States Congress. Turn to
page $40 and Section 8. Follow this
section down to page 872 and you
will find a place I have marked
where Dickinson, Valley City and
Jamestown each get an appropriation
for their new postoffice buildings,
Dickinson getting $90,00O.OO.'
The section referred to by Gov.
Hanna reads as follows:
"Sec. 3-That the Secretary of the
Treasury be, and he is hereby author
lied and directed to contract for the
erection and completion of suitable
building, including fireproof vaults,
heating and ventilating apparatus,
and approaches, complete, for the use
and accommodation of the United
States postoffice and other govern
mental offices upon ground now
owned by the United States or author
lied to be acquired in each of the fol-
lowing cities, respectively, within it's
respective limit of cost hereby fixed.
United States postoffice at Dickin-
son, N. D., $90,000.00."
Following these letters, J.. G. Quin-
livan, who has always contended that
Dickinson had no appropriation as
yet for a federal building, wrote Sena-
tor P. J. McCumber to find out the
real status of the $9O,0QO..
Under date Of December 9 Senator
McCumber says no appropriation has
been made as yet, for public
building at Dickinson, although such
building was provided for, or au-
thorized, in the omnibus bill passed
in February, 1918, when the limit of
cost Of such a building was placed at
100000.
This throws some light on the
method of procedure in regard to
the construction of government
buildings. The omnibus bills go
through first, authorizing the erec-
ton of certain buildings and limiting
the cost. Construction usually re-
quires more than one year and when
ready to begin the building the ap-
preparations committee is presumed
to ascertain what proportion of the
amount to be allowed is needed for
each year and then get this sum ap-
propriated. There is difference be-
tween authorizing a public building
and appropriating money for con-
structing it. The fact that within
the week an appropriation of $4,000
| was recommended for the Dickinson
building shows how this works out.
| Dickinson is not going to lose her
public building but it may not be
finished quite so soon as had been
hoped and expected. The govern
ment knows full we'll the importance
and needs of this city and that not
only quarters for the rapidly in
creasing business of the postoffice
and the Dickinson U. S. land office
are necessary but rooms for the
weather bureau service and u. s..
court chambers will soon be required.
Since this matter was taken up sew
eral years ago Dickinson has in
creased in size and Importance and
at least $150,000 should be authorized
and appropriated for the Dickinson
government building.
| ANDERS0N-ADAMS MARRIAGE