Evening star., 1947-02-01
New Courthouse
Bill Introduced
By Reverconnb
Second Measure Asks
Use by Courts Of
Capitol Park Hotel
By Harold B. Rogers

To relieve congestion In District
Federal courts, legislation introduced
In the Senate yesterday not only
would authorize new $40, 800 900
courthouse, but also would provide
for the temporary use Of the Capt.
tol Park Hotel.
Two bills by Senator Revercomb,
Republican, of West Virginia. to ac-
complish these two purposes, were
referred to the Public Works Com
mittee, Of which he Is chairman.
The courthouse would be located
on Constitution avenue, between
Third street and John Marshall
place NV, q site now owned prin-
cipally by the District government.
Cost of both the land and the build
ing would be split half and half, be-
tween the Federal and District gov
ernments.
The structure would house District
Court and the United States Court
of Appeals here.
Sought for Housing.
The Capitol Park Hotel still Is
being sought by Representative
SABBATH, Democrat, of Illinois, to
house members of Congress. The
hotel on North Capitol street, be-
tween E and F streets NV, recently
was vacated by the United Nations
Service Center. It belongs to the
Federal Government and is being
reconditioned by the Public Build
|ings Administration Of the Federal
Works Agency.
Representative SABBATH, who has
been Ill at his home in Chicago, is
expected to return to Washington
over the week end to resume his
campaign to get the hotel for mem
bers of Congress. Harold Buckles,
his secretary, said more than so
members of the House have indi-
Gated to Mr.. SABBATH they were in
terested in living there. As soon as
he returns, Mr.. SABBATH intends to
call a meeting of these members to
decide whether to introduce legisla-
ton for such Use of the hotel.
Financial provisions of the court
house bill stipulate that the Dis
trict would be credited for half Of
the value of the land toward the
Districts share of the cost Of the
building. The Public Building Ad-
ministration is said by the bill to
have appraised the Districts land
on the site at $2,420,0 900. So the
city would be credited with $780,
900 toward its share Of the struc-
lures cost. The. Federal Govern
ment already owns small portion
Of the site.
The balance owed by the Dis
trict to the Federal Government
would be payable In equal parts
over a period of 10 years.
Other Proposals Failed.
Several different proposals for
financing a new Federal court here
have been advanced in the past.
One would have called on the Fed
eral Government to pay all Of the
cost of a structure to be erected on
the site of the old General Account
ing Office, on Judiciary Square, i'm
mediately north Of the present old
courthouse.
A later measure would have split
the cost $3.50 between the Federal
and District governments for a
building on the Constitution avenue
site. This was opposed by many Of
ficials and citizens here.
Identical bills were introduced in
both Senate and House last year
providing that the entire $2,420, 900
land value shall constitute a credit
to the District of Columbia for its
share of the cost of the entire prof.
ect as hereafter established by the
Congress"
None of these measures was ap-
proved by Congress. The last one
was killed in the closing days of the
Seventh-ninth Congress when it
failed to muster two-thirds' vote
required under suspension Of the
rules.