The Alaska daily empire., 1916-08-22
 SCOLDS CITY
 FOR NO HELP
Delegate Says He Has Had No Aid in Fight to Secure Capitol.
 for Juneau.
HIS LETTER TO MAYOR

Mayor B. D. Stewart has received letter from Delegate James Wick ersham in which tho latter says the capitol building bin will not be passed by Congress until the short term Of Congress. and scolding the people Of Juneau for not aiding him to secure the passage of the meas ure.
 Delegate Wickersham's letter dat ed at Washington August 9, and addressed to Mayor B. D. stewart follows:
 I have your letter of July 2Sth saving you are authorized by tho City Council to urge that put forth all possible efforts looking toward the immediate commencement Of construction on the Government building at Juneau. without waiting for further appropriation for the same
 "There are two reasons why this can not be done. First the Demo cratic caucus has determined not to pass the public buildings bill until December Nothing nor any one else can do will change this situa- tion. The authorization for the ex- tra $500 00O win not be had until that time and any effort we might expend in that behalf would be wasted for the caucus determination is fixed and final. Congress is just about to determine all the business which can possibly be consummated and nothing else will be considered. To open the gates to one bill would be to open them to all and the com mittee will not permit it.
 "The second reason why nothing can be done at this moment Is that the only authorization we have now for .he Government building at Jul neau is the original bin which ] got passed authorizing the expenditure of s2OO. .OOO The new authorization for the additional $3OO0OO will not be passed until next December Be- fore any money can be expended on the new building the plans and speci- fications must be prepared If we should urge upon the architects of flee the preparation Of plans for S2OO.0O building they would have to be entirely redrawn when the addi' tional appropriation For SS00.OOO IS made next winter. in short the architects office In the Treasury De. partment would not consider the preparation of plans for S2OO,OOO building as long as Congress has approved an authorization for the additional S3OO,OOO. Neither would the architect prepare plans for S5OO.OOO building until the authoriza- tion has passed through Congress m December If we are satisfied Co take S2OOOOO building we could probably get the plans prepared and some money spent but If we want the S500.OO0 building we will have to wait until December when the bill passes. assume everybody in Ju. neau would prefer 10 wait until December and get the additional au- thorization and have a $5OO.OOO build ing. Anyway we can get the S5OOr GOO building now as quick as we can get the $2OO,OOO building and for that reason l can not make any effort at this time to secure the action you ask for.
 Permit me 10 call your attention to inc fact that this application is about eight months too late any way. The people of Juneau ought to give me some assistance in this matter of public building For two or three years have not had the slightest assistance in the matter but very much in the way of ob- stacles to overcome suggest to you that your people get ready to assist me In December. If you will have special committee of the Chamber of Commerce, City Coun- cn. or any other organization which may be interested in the public well fare. prepare to so to work with me in December we will be able to gel the Juneau public building erected next summer. If it is neglected for two or three long years you will just be out the use of your public building two or three years longer.