The CHAIRMAN. The note says: The stationary washbasins in many parts of the building are old and insanitary, and there is absolute need of new fixtures of modern type. In addition, there are portable washstands in many of the rooms which should be replaced with modern lavatories connected to running water. The tiled floor in some of the corridors in the main building is in bad and unsightly condition, and should be removed and new tiling substituted. Are you personally familiar with these matters? Mr. ALLEN. The chief clerk knows about them, Mr. Chairman. Mr. WENDEROTH. We helped to make up the figures. Just before I left the office a note came up to me asking me to send an engineer to the Winder Building to see about strengthening the floors. I do not think there is any question but what that building needs some very material repairs. Mr. PAGE. Where is the Winder Building? Mr. WENDEROTH. On Seventeenth Street, opposite the State, War, and Navy Building; just opposite the Corcoran Art Gallery. It has a balcony that runs all around the second story. Mr. ALLEN. The plan for the water coolers is to take out the standing water coolers we have in each room and put one of those large sanitary water coolers, connected up with the water pipes, in the hall, and let the clerks go to the hall to this big cooler instead of having many of them in the rooms. The CHAIRMAN. Does the chief clerk have at his command the technical services of experts to have these estimates made? Mr. ALLEN. Yes, sir. NEW BUILDING FOR BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING. [See also p..] The CHAIRMAN. How near completion is the building for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing? Mr. WENDEROTH. It is roofed in, and we are just about ready to start to put in all the interior finish for which bids are to be opened to-morrow. The CHAIRMAN. Are the floors in? Mr. WENDEROTH. The rough-floor construction is in, but the later contract includes the finished floor. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1913. PUBLIC BUILDINGS-Continued. (See p. .) STATEMENTS OF MR. SHERMAN ALLEN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, MR. OSCAR WENDEROTH, SUPERVISING ARCHITECT, AND MR. ELLIOTT WOODS, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CAPITOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. CONNECTING CAPITOL POWER PLANT AND NEW POST OFFICE BUILDING. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Wenderoth, we want to take up the question of connecting the Capitol power plant with the new Washington post office. We will dispose of that first. Mr. WENDEROTH. Mr. Chairman, I have looked over my data in connection with the Washington post office and also had a conference about it with Mr. Woods this morning. With your permission if you will allow Mr. Woods to make the statement, I think that he will explain it very much better than I could. Mr. WOODS. We furnished the Treasury Department with all the necessary data to prepare their figures, but after mature consideration I am opposed, or at least I do not recommend, that the Capitol power plant be connected up with any other public buildings than those referred to in the original organization; that is, the Capitol, the House and Senate Office Buildings, and any other building that might be erected on Capitol Hill. Our plant is constructed with one strong idea, that of continuity of service. If we hook up with some outside establishment we would then commence to run the plant on a line somewhat commercial. We would subject our apparatus to probably the same conditions that a commercial plant operates under. If anything were to happen on the outside to throw the Capitol out of service, the responsibility might be on the outside, and it would then cause us a great deal of inconvenience and trouble. If anything happens here now the responsibility rests entirely with the management here. That is the sum and substance of our objection. I imagine we have got to increase the capacity of the House Office Building some time, and that will require putting an additional load on our plant. So I hope that this will not be done. Mr. PAGE. How near up to its capacity is your plant now? Mr. PAGE. How much does it lack? Mr. WOODS. On the maximum load we have about one-third of its capacity left over. There is a considerable duplication of apparatus there for the purpose of continuity of service. Mr. SHERLEY. What does it cost you to manufacture electricity? Mr. Woods. It costs us about 2.1 cents, I think it is, per kilowatt hour to heat and light. Mr. SHERLEY. Have you ever divided those items? Mr. Woods. The heating amounts to nearly two-thirds of the total cost. Mr. SHERLEY. So you are actually manufacturing the light for something under a cent per kilowatt hour? Mr. WOODS. Yes, sir. Mr. SHERLEY. Does that include overhead charges? Mr. WOODS. Yes, sir; all charges I could possibly tack on to it. Mr. CANNON. Does it include repairs? Mr. Woods. Yes. In fact, the last time I made up the figures I took the entire appropriation including the expenditure for fixtures in the Capitol and the other buildings for the year, and we were then within the limit of 2.1 cents. Mr. SHERLEY. Do you figure anything for the original investment? Mr. WOODS. We charged up I think it was 5 per cent for depreciation and 2 per cent interest. Mr. SHERLEY. Two per cent interest on the investment? Mr. CANNON. You heat and light the Capitol by electricity? Mr. CANNON. How do you get this hot-air heat? Mr. WOODS. The ventilating apparatus down stairs is taken care of by steam furnished from the power plant. We send the steam from the power plant to the various coils throughout the building, and that heats the air. Mr. CANNON. So it is not direct heating by electricity? REPAIRS AND PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Wenderoth, the next item is on page 55, for repairs and preservation of public buildings. The appropriation is $625,000 for the current year and your estimate is $700.000. How many public buildings are cared for under this appropriation? Mr. WENDEROTH. In the fiscal year 1914? The CHAIRMAN. Take the beginning of the fiscal year and then what is needed up to the present and what will be needed? Mr. WENDEROTH. At the beginning of the fiscal year 1913 we had 729 occupied buildings. During the present year we expect to add to that number 100 buildings, so that at the beginning of the fiscal year 1914 we will have 829 occupied buildings. The appropriation that was available in the fiscal year 1912 allows us about $697 per annum for each of 627 buildings. The CHAIRMAN. Where did you get the other money? Mr. WENDEROTH. I have analyzed the total expenditure of the fiscal year 1912. The CHAIRMAN. We want it under this appropriation. Mr. WENDEROTH. I intended to submit a comparison. The appropriation for the fiscal year 1913 allows us $634 for each of 704 buildings, and in the estimates we have made for the fiscal year 1914. the average is $635 per building for 804 post offices, customhouses, and courthouses. In addition to that, of course, out of this appropriation is paid the repairs and preservation of mints, branch mints, assay offices, marine hospitals, quarantine stations, and a number of miscellaneous bulidings, as well as the Treasury, Butler, and Winder Buildings. The increase in the estimate is due, therefore, not to any increase in the allowance per building, but to an increase in the number of occupied buildings to be kept in repair, which is a matter, of course, we can not control. The CHAIRMAN. You say you have 100 additional buildings? Mr. WENDEROTH. During this present fiscal year, Mr. Chairman, we expect to complete and put in operation 100 additional buildings. Mr. FITZGERALD. That does not necessarily mean that the cost of repairs will increase relatively. Mr. WENDEROTH. No, sir; but once in a while there is a break to repair in a new building, or something of that kind, and, necessarily, as you increase the number of buildings in operation each year you will have an increasing number to maintain in repair. This increase is not due to the 100 buildings that were put in operation this year, but is due to the number of buildings put in operation last year. The CHAIRMAN. But we have appropriated for them. We raised the appropriation for the buildings that went into operation last year. Mr. WENDEROTH. It does not matter. Mr. Chairman, whether you figure this appropriation on the basis of the buildings in operation at the commencement of the year or at the end of the year, as you have an increase, anyway. For instance, you take the buildings occupied at the commencement of each of the fiscal years. For the fiscal year 1912 we had 652, for the fiscal year 1913 we had 729, and for the fiscal year 1914 we will have 829. Provided additional buildings are being completed and provided we always have the buildings previously completed to take care of, we must have an increasing number of buildings to maintain in repair. The CHAIRMAN. How is your appropriation now? Mr. WENDEROTH. For the present fiscal year, when we are half through the year, how much has been expended? The CHAIRMAN. How do you figure it works out in enabling you to take care of your buildings? Mr. WENDEROTH. For this year we have allotted $5,000 for the repair and preservation of nine mints, branch mints, and assay offices. We have allotted $446,637 for the repair and preservation of 704 completed post offices, courthouses and customhouses. Then we have a number of miscellaneous buildings to take care of, for which we have allotted $18,156. On the basis of previous experience we have put aside $2,387 for the repair of buildings which will be completed this year; that is an average of $23 a building. After the building is paid for repairs are necessary; some one breaks a pane of glass in a window, which might happen in a new building as well as an old one, and we must make an allowance for repairs of that kind. Then we have other miscellaneous items and some special repairs, and, finally, we have a charge against this appropriation for taking care of buildings not reserved by the vendors, of acquired sites, as well as the care of vacant sites. For the present year we have allowed $16,000 for the purpose. On the same basis we figured the fiscal year 1914, but the major item is the care of the completed post offices, courthouses, and customhouses. The CHAIRMAN. What part of the 100 buildings are extensions or remodels! Mr. WENDEROTH. For the fiscal year 1912 we placed under contract 82 new buildings and 2 extensions. During this year we expect to place under contract 76 new buildings end 14 extensions, making a total of 90 projects. We are placing under contract the extensions as rapidly as we can, on the theory that when an extension is authorized, it is authorized because it is urgently required, but we do not build all the extensions before we take up any of the new buildings. The CHAIRMAN. What was your unexpended balance last year? Mr. WENDEROTH. For the fiscal year 1912? The statement I have accounts for the whole appropriation, Mr. Chairman. I do not know that there was anything turned in last year; I think not. CARE OF SITES. The CHAIRMAN. You are asking for some additional language in this paragraph, "together with such sites." Mr. WENDEROTH. We are asking to put the care of acquired sites under this appropriation. Previously it was under another appropriation. The care of sites was provided for under "General expenses of public buildings" for the year 1912. It is not a "general expense" in the sense in which that appropriation for general expenses is made. I mean to say that this appropriation is now exclusively for the support of the office of the Supervising Architect and the maintenance of the field force. Last year there was taken out of that appropriation an allowance for the mechanical labor force, which was included in the operating force. This year we are suggesting that the care of acquired sites be included with the care of buildings not reserved by the vendors of acquired sites and taken out of general expenses. The CHAIRMAN. How much did you pay out of general expenses for this purpose? Mr. WENDEROTH. In the fiscal year 1912 there was expended $730.42 for the sites: for the fiscal year 1914 we have estimated $1,000. We can not tell what it may cost. The CHAIRMAN. Would it not be satisfactory to put in the appropriation "not to exceed $1,000?" Mr. WENDEROTH. I do not think it would, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. This same recommendation was made last year and the committee declined to accept it. If you think $1,000 will cover that item in 1914, would it not be better to have that $1,000 than to have nothing? Mr. WENDEROTH. The care of sites is a matter of public interest. The CHAIRMAN. I understand that, but with that language in the bill you could make any kind of improvement on the sites. Mr. WENDEROTH. With that language in the bill we might secure such a ruling from the comptroller: but I do not know about that. Of course, the object of the language is to enable us to cut the grass, build fences around the sites, and keep them in decent shape. The CHAIRMAN. You estimate you will require about $1,000 for 1914? Mr. WENDEROTH. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What objection is there to stating that not to exceed $1,000 may be expended for that purpose? Mr. WENDEROTH. That would be all right. Of course, we do not know what sites we may acquire this year and what the expense will be next year. If you prefer to make that $1,000, we will be satisfied. TEMPORARY JOB LABOR. The CHAIRMAN. You recommend again that you be given authority to employ temporary job labor under exigencies? Mr. WENDEROTH. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. We went into that pretty thoroughly last year. Mr. WENDEROTH. It makes it a little difficult for us, Mr. Chairman, without that authority. If, for instance, there is a leak in a roof, the custodian must telegraph to the Supervising Architect for authority to repair the leak. The Supervising Architect telegraphs back to him to take bids. He takes bids, telegraphs them in to the Supervising Architect, and in the meantime there may be a week's rain, and we do not know what damage has followed, but we have no authority which will permit us to telegraph the custodian to hire a roofer to patch the roof. The CHAIRMAN. What do you think would be a fair limitation on the amount that should be expended for that purpose? Mr. WENDEROTH. I could not state that, Mr. Chairman, but I can go back over last year's records and ascertain the amount for you. NOTE. Referring to your request to be furnished with a statement showing exigency expenditures made during the fiscal year 1912, from the appropriation "Repairs and préservation of public buildings." I have to advise you that in order to arrive at even |