Evening star., 1940-06-16
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Tee OF the house ana Senate on public
buildings and grounds on
Post Office the city post Office matter
Tenonts was presented in the Sem
ate on June 10, 1890, and
was agreed to after a lengthy debate
over the suitability of the site chosen
for the structure In its issue of June
II, 1890, The Star makes the following
editorial comment concerning the nature
of the building and the governmental
services assigned to occupy it:
Both houses of Congress have now
agreed to the conference report on the
local post Office site and the building is
to be erected on the square between c
and D and Eleventh and Twelfth streets,
which stretches to the south side of the
Avenue at Eleventh street. This action
will be hailed by the people of Wash
ington with a profound satisfaction, un-
affected by past differences Of opinion
in respect to the most desirable site:
for creditable and we'll situated build
ing Is assured in place of absolutely unfit
rented quarters, and the decision has
been reached at time when a return to
the deadlock and inaction of past years
seemed almost inevitable.
Washington cannot appreciate too
highly the intelligent and public spirited
services of the Joint Committee on Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds. who by con-
cessions have settled the differences be-
tween the two houses, which have so
long deprived the Capital of respectable
post Office quarters. For $500 900, the
amount suggested, an admirable post
Office building can be erected. 1t may
be doubted, however, whether it will be
found, when the plans and estimates
come to be considered, that this amount
will erect a creditable structure over the
$4,000 feet of floor space required for
post Office purposes to a greater height
than the one or two stories that the post
Office will need, and whether in a build
ing costing this sum any considerable
amount of room for other Government
purposes than those of the post Office
will be discovered.
If Congress determines to utilize the
property which it has decided to pur-
chase, and provides the necessary funds
to erect magnificent many-Storied
structure covering the whole square and
presenting itself with fine architectural
effect to the observer on the Avenue,
there will be abundant room, after ac-
commodating the post office on the first
floor, for other Government purposes
In the event that the structure is built
and applications for admission as CO.
tenants with the post office come to be
in order, The Star will venture to renew
It's suggestion that the offices of the
local District government will be most
appropriately housed with the local post
office.
I'm pursuance of the wise contention
Of the House, provision is to be made for
a general Post Office Department. and
the same reasons which prevented the
placing of the department and local
office together should operate to pre-
vent the latter from being put at the
mercy OF any other more powerful tenant
who can oust 1t at pleasure They should
at least operate in favor of selection for
accommodation from among the i'm
properly housed branches of the Govern
ment that one which will make the most
appropriate co-tenant with the post
Office and which promises a joint occu-
patton without wrangling or hostile en-
croachment on the part of either tenant.
Every one will admit that the rented
quarters of the District Building are
entirely unsuitable. The new structure
on the Avenue should be a local Dis
trict Building, containing various
branches of the government dealing with
local affairs. 1t must not be understood,
however, that the Capital is dissatisfied
with the proposed appropriation for it's
post Office and is greedily grasping for
more. For this amount devoted to this
purpose it is profoundly and enthusiast
tically grateful. 1t is only in the event
that Congress of its own volition pro-
poses to enlarge the Post Office Building
for other Government purposes that
the District government files its applica-
ton for accommodation"