MESSRS. DANIEL R. ANTHONY, JR. (CHAIRMAN), WILLIAM R. WOOD
LOUIS C. CRAMTON, EDWARD H. WASON, L. J. DICKINSON
JOSEPH W. BYRNS, JAMES P. BUCHANAN

HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MESSRS. DANIEL R. ANTHONY, Jr. (CHAIRMAN), WILLIAM R. WOOD, LOUIS C. CRAMTON, EDWARD H. WASON, L. J. DICKINSON, JOSEPH W. BYRNS, JAMES P. BUCHANAN, AND THOMAS W. HARRISON, OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF THE SECOND DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION BILL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1929, ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING, NAMELY:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1929.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC PARKS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

STATEMENT OF LIEUT. COL. U. S. GRANT, 3d, DIRECTOR

DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF TEMPORARY BUILDING NO. 7

Mr. WOOD. We have before us a supplemental estimate of appropriation for the office of Public Buldings and Public Parks of the National Capital for the fiscal year 1929 in the amount of $5,000. Tell us about this, Colonel.

Colonel GRANT. The sum of $5,000 is asked to cover the cost of removing a temporary building, now occupying a site which the Pan American Union is authorized to use for its new building. Section 2 of the law says:

The Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital is hereby authorized and directed to remove at the proper time temporary Government buildings now on the site described in section 1.

The $5,000 is our estimate of the cost of removing the building. We had one of the wrecking firms look the building over to see whether there was any chance of removing it without cost, but there is none. To them, the amount of work is more than the value of the material that they would save.

On the other hand, to the Government, there is material in the building that is probably worth more than the cost of tearing the building down; not that we could sell it for that amount, but we can use it again and it would cost more than that amount to buy new material.

Mr. Wood. What use could you make of it?

Colonel GRANT. The heating system, the pipe system, the plumbing, and things of that kind are quite standardized throughout the temporary buildings that were built during the war. If we take

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those articles out, we can use them for replacement in the other temporary buildings, instead of buying new articles.

Mr. WOOD. Is that building occupied now?

Colonel GRANT. Yes, sir.

Mr. WOOD. By whom?

Colonel GRANT. It is occupied by the headquarters company of the District Garrison, the Sixteenth Brigade. This headquarters company is made up the clerks in the War Department-the enlisted clerks, chauffeurs, persons of that kind.

Mr. WOOD. Do we get any rent, or any return at all, from it? Colonel GRANT. No, sir. It is a Government building, occupied by troops at the present time.

Mr. WOOD. The land on which building rests belongs to the Government, does it not?

Colonel GRANT. Yes, sir.

Mr. Wood. And we gave it to the Pan American Union?

Colonel GRANT. Congress has given it to the Pan American Union. The Pan American Union has been authorized to put a new building on it.

Mr. Wood. What do they propose to do on this ground?
Colonel GRANT. They have plans for an office building.
Mr. DICKINSON. How is this new building being financed?
Colonel GRANT. I think most of the money is donated by the
Carnegie Foundation.

Mr. WOOD. It is not going to cost the Government anything?
Colonel GRANT. No, sir.

Mr. DICKINSON. Will we be responsible for its maintenance after it is built?

Colonel GRANT. No, sir.

Mr. WOOD. How is the Pan American Union Building maintained, do you know?

Colonel GRANT. I do not know just where they get their funds. It is maintained without expense to the Government. I think each country pays a small amount annually.

Mr. WOOD. That was my understanding. Do you think it will take $5,000 to tear down this building?

Colonel GRANT. It will not take more than that. That is our estimate of doing it ourselves.

Mr. WOOD. How much do you think will be salvaged to the Government, through the use of the materials in the building? I refer to the materials and the equipment?

Colonel GRANT. We will salvage all the usable equipment.

Mr. WOOD. I understand that, but I mean how much will it amount to?

Colonel GRANT. To replace it with new would cost considerably over $5,000. If we sold it, it would not bring in more than about $3,500. The salvage value given to it by the people whom we have consulted is about $3,500; but, of course, it is worth more to the Government because we can use it instead of buying new equipment. Mr. WOOD. What is the present condition of your fund out of which this work might be done if you had to do it?

Colonel GRANT. I think that there is no other deficiency item. against that appropriation in. We have absorbed about $62,000 for some new boilers that we found had to be put in as an emergency item.

Mr. WOOD. How much have you left?

Colonel GRANT. $6,000 has also been absorbed for an additional item to fix floors in temporary buildings to prepare for the census. We will not have anything left-that is, I do not believe we will, as we see it now. In other words, these emergency items have absorbed all the reserve and also what we have gained this year because it has been quite a mild winter-that is, gained on fuel.

Mr. WOOD. What will become of the troops that are occupying this building now?

Colonel GRANT. They are planning to ask for legislation to build somewhere else; I do not know where they will finally decide upon. Mr. WOOD. When is it proposed to tear this building downimmediately?

Colonel GRANT. Some time this spring or next summer. This would be a supplement to the 1930 appropriation, as we understand it. We do not actually need it until after July 1.

Mr. WOOD. I want to call your attention to the fact that the estimate here is for 1929, and you say that you can not use it in 1929.

Colonel GRANT. We could use it. I do not need it in 1929. I understood it was intended as an addition to the 1930 appropriation. Mr. WOOD. The item says:

General expenses, public buildings and public parks of the National Capital: For an additional amount for general expenses required for the demolition of temporary building No. 7, at Eighteenth Street, C Street, and Virginia Avenue NW., in Washington, D. C., fiscal year 1929, $5,000.

Colonel GRANT. I suppose that is the way it came in; yes, sir. If we can get it in 1929 we can use it. It is a matter of only a couple of weeks' work. I would not want to disturb that. It is just a question of our being able to do it.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1929.

RENTAL OF BUILDINGS FOR COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY AND GENERAL SUPPLY COMMITTEE

Mr. WOOD. We have an item of $104,840 for general expenses, maintenance, and care of buildings. Tell us about this item, Colonel Grant.

Colonel GRANT. The legislation for the new House Office Building necessitates removing the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Public Health Service out of the old Butler Building group, and the Public Buildings Commission found it necessary to locate space for them. The Coast and Geodetic Survey, with the approval of the Public Buildings Commission, can move into the old Southern Railway Building, which is probably about the only relatively inexpensive building in the city that will stand the floor loads that they need.