Mr. BOURNE, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 5874.]

The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, having had under consideration the bill (S. 5874) to increase the limit of cost for the erection and completion of the post-office building at Albany Oreg., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that the bill pass without amendment. The reason for this legislation is given in the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, which is attached hereto and made a part of this report.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 27, 1912.

The above-mentioned bills provide for an increase of $10,000 in the limit of cost for the erection, completion, and furnishing of the post-office building at Albany, Oreg.

Act of May 30, 1908, limits the cost of site and building to $65,000, of which $10,000 has been expended for a site.

Bids have been received for the construction of a building which will meet the requirements of the public service, but as the amount of the lowest bid is in excess of the balance available for the construction of the building, all have been rejected, and it is considered that an increase in limit of $10,000 will be sufficient for the erection of the building as designed. This estimate does not include the cost of movable furniture.

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PUBLIC BUILDING, THE DALLES, OREG.

MARCH 22, 1912.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. BOURNE, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 5877.]

The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, having had under consideration the bill (S. 5877) to increase the limit of cost for the erection and completion of the post-office building at The Dalles, Oreg., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that the bill pass without amendment. The reason for this legislation is given in the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, which is attached hereto and made a part of this report.

(The Dalles (Oreg.) post office, contemplated Federal building. S. 5877, H. R. 21769, second session, Sixty-second Congress.]

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 15, 1912. The above-mentioned bills provide that for the erection, completion, and furnishing the post-office building at The Dalles, Oreg., the limit of cost heretofore fixed be increased by the sum of $24,000.

The act of June 25, 1910, limits the cost of site and building to $80,000, of which $14,000 has been expended for a site.

Department estimate of December 16, 1909, contemplates a two-story and basement structure covering 4,000 square feet of ground area to provide for the needs of the Federal service. To erect such a building of dignified architectural design, using firstclass materials, an increase of limit of cost of $24,000 will be required if of fireproof construction, or $14,000 if nonfireproof.

The above estimate does not include the cost of movable furniture.

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PUBLIC BUILDING, CAPE CHARLES, VA.

MARCH 25, 1912.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. SWANSON, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 5668.]

The above-mentioned bill provides for a site and suitable building for the accommodation of the post office and other Government offices at Cape Charles, Va., at a cost of not exceeding $50,000. Those branches of the Federal service requiring accommodations and the annual rental now paid for their respective quarters are: Post office, $448; officer documenting vessels, $198.85; quarantine officer.

The Auditor for the Post Office Department reports that the postal receipts for the last fiscal year were $7,455.57, and for the corresponding period 10 years previous, $2,662.02, and that the annual cost of the present post-office quarters is $448.

The last census reports state the population as 1,948, and the postmaster reports that the population (including suburbs) now served from the post office is 2,700.

It is estimated that a one-story and basement building of 4,000 square feet ground area will be sufficient; that such a building of fireproof construction will cost $55,000, exclusive of site; nonfireproof construction, $48,000; and that a suitable site, allowing for the usual 40-foot fire limit and sufficient land for a possible 30-foot extension of such building hereafter, can be secured for $10,000 additional. Total (fireproof construction), $65,000.

In this connection, would state that Cape Charles is situated at the lower end of and on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. It is the terminus of the New York, Philadephia & Norfolk Railroad, which spent during the years 1910 and 1911 at this point $610,000 for new shops, docks, etc., and will spend during the next two years for extraordinary improvements from three to four hundred thousand dollars.

The assessed valuation of all property in 1908 was $362,770 and in 1911 it was $514,130. And this on an exceedingly low assessment. (These figures do not include railroad property.)

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There were shipped from this port last year 547,471 packages of perishable freight, all grown in the adjoining district. There are two banks, with a paid-up capital of $145,000; deposits, $481,754.66 The retail merchants did a business last year of more than $700,000. There has recently been erected at Cape Charles a school building at a cost of $28,000.

The post office handled last year 5,000 registered packages, including transit; packages of all classes about 8,000 per quarter. Money orders issued and paid, 7,409; rural delivery about 2,100 per month. Patrons of this office about 2,700, of which 800 are served from boxes; balance general delivery. Size of the building in which all of this mail was handled is 16 by 43 feet, very poorly lighted, and for which the Government pays $448 rental per annum.

Documents issued in this customs district to vessels during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, were 340.

It is recommended that on page 1, line 12, the words "fifty thousand dollars" be struck out, and insert in lieu thereof "sixty-five thousand dollars."

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