The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-07-23
NO EXTENSION
TO RICHMOND
POST OFFICE
Necessity for Strict Economy
in Government Expendl-
tures Precludes Authorize
ton of Improvement.
BUILDING MUST WAIT
PALLADIUM NEWS BUREAU

AoI1lNG lON, July Lo.-4No dP-
preparation for an extension of the
postoffice at Richmond. Ind, will be
authorized during the present extra
session of congress.
The committee on public buildings
and grounds of the house has reached
decision not to introduce an omni-
bus public buildings bill at this ses-
sion, and it is generally believed the
committee will not introduce such a
measure durng the regular session,
which begins next December
The necessity of strict economy in
the expenditure of public funds in
fluenced the public buildings and
grounds committee to indefinitely
postpone a program for the construc-
ton of postoffice buildings in vari-
Gus places throughout the country. i
II has been several years since con-
gress has passed an omnibus building
bill, generally referred to as the pork
barrel" measure
The last bill authorized such a reck-
less waste of public funds that it be-
came a national scandal 1t is pre-
dicted that any future public building
measures will provide for only such
projects as the executive departments
lndlcate are actually needed.
Improvement Desirable.
About two years ago Representative
Elliott introduced a bill authorizing
an appropriation of $4,000 for en-
larging the postoffice at Richmond.
The postoffice department had indi-
Gated that such an improvement was
desirable
When the Richmond postoffice was
built the population of the city was
over 5000 less than it now is. AL
though the federal building at Rich
mond is supposed to provide quarters
for representatives of the internal
revenue department the labor depart
ment, the civil service commission,
agriculture department and the navy
department in addition to serving as
postoffice, the building at the pres
ent time does not provide the required
space for the postal service.
But the situation at Richmond Is no
worse than at hundreds of other places
throughout the country and il appears
certain that there will be no extension
TO the federal building at Richmond
until there has been a decided curtail-
ment in governmental expenditures.
incidentally, the treasury depart
ment estimates that the necessary en-.
largement of the Richmond federal
building would involve cost of con-
siderably more than $4,000, which
was the appropriation Mr. Elliott
asked for when he introduced his bill
over two years ago. The treasury de-
partment figures that an additional
site for the Richmond building would
cost $4,000 and that new building
would cost approximately 100000.
G. |. Christie. director of the Purdue
Experiment Station, at one time as
sistant secretary of agriculture during
the Wilson administration. and A. G..
Philips, chief of the Purdue Poultry
Department. writing to Indiana mem.
bers of congress, express their approx
al of the tariff duty on eggs which
was included in the tariff bill which
passed the house. Thursday.
The farmers of Indiana are depend
ing great deal during these days
upon the production of their twelve
million hens for a considerable pro-
portion of their income" the two
Purdue officials write. With condi-
tons as they now are on the farms
we believe nothing should be permitted
that will cause any loss of income.
tion of Chinese eggs into this country
is having a marked influence upon the
egg quotations of the large city
markets. which in turn is reacted into
the central states" they add I'VE
believe that too great an importance
of these eggs, to sell below the price
of our eggs. will discourage and make
Improbable the production upon Amer
lean farms"
Indiana members of congress are
constantly receiving many inquiries
concerning reported sales of govern
ment-owner motor vehicles.
The war department has Just an.
nounced that the only motor vehicles
it has for sale at this time are un.
serviceable ones. Under acts of con-
gress, all serviceable automobiles not
required for the use of the army are
transferred TO other government de.
partments to meet their require.
ments.
The unserviceable cars, those which
are not desired by any of the depart
ments. are offered to the public al
public auctions, the sales being ey
tensively advertised in the vacinities
in which they are to be held, three OF
four weeks in advance. Such sales
have been held at the depot quarter
master station at Jeffersonville, Ind.
Less than 10000 unserviceable ears
had been sold to July 9. More thar
$4,000 serviceable cars had been trans
ferred to other government depart
ments up to that date.
The records show that up to July Q
30303 automobiles had been trans
ferred to the bureau of Dublic roads
The post Office department had requi
sitioned S.266: the U. S. Public Health
service. 1.565; engineer corps, river
and harbor work, sos, and the navy
and marine corps, 1878.