Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-21

efforts Of such men as Roosevelt, Root
and Taft, and with notifications made
by Burnham, st. Gaudens, McKim and
Olmstead, so. that the plan could be
adapted to modern needs. the dream city
of L'Enfant is now taking form ana
substance.
Since George washington assisted in
laying the corner stone of the Capitol
in 1898 this Nation has been building
public buildings. With the enormous
growth of the business Of the Govern
ment, the building program did not keep
pace with our needs, either in the coun
try at large nor in the Capital, The
result was and is a huge payment OF
rents for totally inadequate quarters
throughout the country, working condi-
tions that in many instances are a dis
grace to the Nation, and the obvious
need for some orderly procedure to
meet the problem. During the World
War it was necessary to suspend all
construction work except such as was
required for military purposes. This
suspension, taken together with the
great increase in business in conse-
quence of the war. resulted in the oc-
cupancy of temporary structures long
beyond their usefulness and crowding
of Government buildings that would not
In addition, priceless records were en-
dangered, which, if destroyed. would be
impossible of replacement. There was
such unprecedented demand in Congress
for the authorization of construction
work that it proved impracticable to
select meritorious cases from the thou
sands of bills introduced.
Nation wide Survey Made.
This difficulty was not solved until
1926, when Congress authorized the
Secretary of the Treasury and the Post
master General to conduct a nation
wide survey to determine what projects
should be undertaken.
Congress has shown a most con-
Structive spirit in dealing with our
building needs, and although it is i'm
possible to name all those who have
aided in the program. such men as
Senators Smoot and Reyes and Repre-
sentative Elliott have given ungrudg-
ingly of their time and effort.
THE total amount required to meet
the public building needs of the country,
as determined by our survey, was $568,
100000, divided $4,000, 900 for the
District of Columbia and 5000, 900
for the country at large. To date Con-
gresS has authorized an expenditure of
1888 900, 900, $4,000, 900 of which is for
the purchase of land and the construc-
ton of executive buildings in the Dis
trict of Columbia. There is now pend
ing in Congress legislation which will
increase the amount already authorized
from 1888 ,000, 900 to $66, 000, 900. The
division of this enormous sum is $780,
100000 for the District of Columbia
and $378,000,000 for the country at
large.
Present legislation requires that the
1888 ,000. 900. now authorized shall be
expended over a period of 10 years, or
at the rate of $35 600, 900 a year. Should
the pending Reyes Elliott bill become a
law, the period of the program will be
! extended only one year, inasmuch as
penditure from SIS, 600, 900 to $50, 900, =
900. OF the $4,000, 900. SIS 5000 may
be expended in the District of Columbia
and $4,000, 900 in the country at large.
The survey covered nearly 1000
places having postal receipts of sac, 600
or over, and necessarily consumed con-
siderable time and effort After OBJ
| tanning the required data, the va. ious
places were evaluate> on such elements
as population, postal receipts, congeS-
ton in present quarters and similar
items, resulting in a list, arranged in
preferential order, for each State, from
which selection was made for a certain
number Of projects for definite authori-
cation and appropriation. This duty
devolved upon an inter-departmental
committee of five members, designated
by the Secretary of the Treasury and
the Postmaster General The recon-
mendation Of this committee was ap-
proved, and projects to the extent of
nearly $40, 900 600 for the country at
large and $4,000, 900 for projects for
the District of Columbia, or total of
| $23S, 000, 900, has been specifically au-
therized. This covers 334 projects foI
the country at large.
] Building Projects Here.
I'm the District Of Columbia seven
building projects have been authorized
of which i've are under construction
and two are awaiting the acquisition OF
| land.
1.-THE duty of carrying out this stu
pendous program falls under the oflcC
of the supervising architect of the
| Treasury Department. That office nov
employs more than 800 architects, en-.
glneerS and craftsmen and nearly Ion
field engineers. and steps are now beins
taken to increase the force by IS PEI
cent. A number of private architect.
also have been commissioned to pre-.
pare drawings and specifications fol
some of the larger buildings.
In the country at large liz projects
have either been completed or are IL
course of construction. How much worl
is involved in this building program vii
be appreciated by description of tn
various steps that are required to pro
duce one building. The first step is tn
acquisition Of site. The direct pur
chase of site by negotiation consumes
considerable time, but If the propert
has to be acquired by condemnation
this may take year, or even more
In either case the title to the propert
has to be approved by the Department
of Justice.
Before project can reach the draft
ing stage it is necessary to obtain al
: accurate boundary and topographica
survey. and in a good many cases ties