CONGRESS . ELECTRICAL PROTECTION TO VAULTS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS. LETTER FROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TRANSMITTING A DRAFT OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION FOR ELECTRICAL PROTECTION TO VAULTS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1916. DECEMBER 29, 1914.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 22, 1914. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: The estimate for the appropriation under the control of the Supervising Architect for the fiscal year 1916, known as "Mechanical equipment," as submitted is available for central electric burglaralarm devices. The statement accompanying this estimate shows that, for the fiscal year 1916, it is contemplated to expend, out of the total of the appropriation, the sum of $86,525 for this purpose. Formerly there existed an annual appropriation, known as "Electrical protection to vaults," which was available for a specific number of buildings. In connection with the estimates for the fiscal year 1915, the department requested that this appropriation, after a few months, be discontinued and the authority to install central electric burglar-alarm devices be included in the appropriation for mechanical equipment. The department believed that it would be in the interest of economy and good administration to have this matter under its control, rather than be dependent largely upon a rented service. Congress, however, did not agree with the department. The result was that the separate appropriation for "Electrical protection to vaults, public buildings" was eliminated, and the authority asked for in connection with the appropriation for mechanical equipment was not granted. The matter was submitted to the Comptroller of the Treasury, after the 1915 appropriations became available, and he decided that no appropriation was available for electrically protecting the vaults in public buildings under this department. This protection, therefore, ceased. Its elimination brought forth protests from custodians of various buildings as well as from the Director of the Mint. In response to the requests of the officials referred to above, the department resubmitted its request for authority to install central electric burglar-alarm devices as a part of the appropriation for mechanical equipment for the fiscal year 1916. 67 A The department anticipates an objection from the Appropriations Committee to confer unlimited authority for the installation of central electric burglar-alarm devices as part of the appropriation for mechanical equipment. It is therefore suggested that this authority be eliminated from the estimate for mechanical equipment for the fiscal year 1916. the amount of the estimate reduced $6,525, and a new annual appropriation created to take the place of the former appropriation for Electrical protection to vaults, public buildings.' tentative draft of the suggested legislation is submitted herewith. To create a separate appropriation does not increase the total of the estimates submitted for the public-building work; it merely transfers the sum of $86,525 to the proposed new appropriation. The latter is so worded as to provide for the purchase, installation, repair, maintenance, and alteration of these signaling systems, but not for renting any service. It is the recommendation of the department that these protective systems be owned by the Government. Experiments in three cases have shown that this is a thoroughly practical method. The estimated cost of $86,525 may be subdivided into groups as follows: (A) Buildings in which service was formerly authorized: Boston, Mass., post office and subtreasury. *Chicago, Ill., post office. Cincinnati, Ohio, post office and subtreasury. *Indianapolis, Ind., post office. Louisville, Ky., post office. Milwaukee, Wis., post office. Minneapolis, Minn., post office and customhouse. New Orleans, La., customhouse and subtreasury. New Orleans, La., mint. Omaha, Nebr., post office. Peoria, Ill., post office. Pittsburgh, Pa., post office (old). St. Louis, Mo., customhouse. St. Paul, Minn., post office. San Francisco, Cal., mint. *San Francisco, Cal., post office. San Francisco, Cal., old subtreasury. The buildings marked "*" have central systems the vault linings and apparatus for which are owned by the Government, but their operation is now impossible through the elimination of the former appropriation for "Electrical protection to vaults, public buildings.' The vault linings, etc., in the Louisville, Ky., building have been presented to the Government by the service company, but no appropriation is available for operating them. It is estimated that to purchase the property of the service companies will cost $21,600, and to install the central alarm systems, in order to connect up with the property purchased, will cost $12,125, or a total of $33,725. (B) Assay offices and mints: *Boise, Idaho, assay office. Philadelphia, Pa., mint. The buildings marked 66 77 are those in which the Director of the Mint has asked that electric burglar protection be provided. In the opinion of the department, the protection should also be provided in the other two buildings. The estimated cost would be $14,400. (C) Subtreasuries. In the following subtreasury buildings no service has ever been authorized: San Francisco, Cal., subtreasury (new). New York, N. Y., subtreasury. The estimated cost of installing a central burglar-alarm system is $9,600. (D) Post-office and customhouse (etc.) buildings. In the following post-office and customhouse (etc.) buildings no service has ever been authorized: Atlanta, Ga., post office. *Cleveland, Ohio, post office. Minneapolis, Minn., new post office. The buildings marked "*" are those in which custodians have asked that central electric burglar-alarm systems be provided. Those not marked are buildings in which this department believes the system should be installed. For this group of buildings it is estimated that the cost would be $28,800. The following is a résumé of the preceding: Installing the system in buildings previously served.. $33, 725 14, 400 9, 600 Installing the system in certain post-office and customhouse (etc.) buildings. 28, 800 Total...... 86, 525 It should be noted that the estimate is made up very largely of the cost of installation. After this original cost has been paid, the cost of maintenance will be comparatively insignificant, and the cost of installing service in other buildings will not be large, depending upon the number of vaults involved. It is estimated that the cost of installing the system, per vault, is about $800. The advantage of the separate appropriation is that Congress may determine in which buildings the system shall be installed, and it may also have an assurance that the money appropriated for this purpose is not used for any other purpose. Should the installation of the system not be approved in any of these buildings, their names may merely be eliminated. It would not be absolutely necessary in that event to reduce the amount of the appropriation, because any balance remaining must be returned to the Treasury and may not be used to install systems in buildings not listed, nor may it be used for any other purpose. It is recommended that this new appropriation for "Protection to vaults, public buildings," be provided, instead of conferring the authority to install central electric burglar-alarm systems as a part of the appropriation for mechanical equipment. Respectfully, BRYAN R. NEWTON, Protection to vaults, public buildings: For the purchase, installation, repair, maintenance, and alteration of burglar-alarm systems and other signaling apparatus, including linings of vaults and safes and other necessary work in connection with such systems and apparatus, required exclusively for the protection of the vaults and safes in the following public buildings under the control of the Treasury Department: Atlanta, Ga., post office; Boise, Idaho, assay office; Boston, Mass., post office and subtreasury; Carson City, Nev., mint; Chicago, Ill., post office; Cincinnati, Ohio, post office and subtreasury; Cleveland, Ohio, post office; Dayton, Ohio, post office (new); Deadwood, S. Dak., post office; Denver, Colo., mint; Denver, Colo., new post office; Helena, Mont., assay office; Indianapolis, Ind., post office; Louisville, Ky., post office; Milwaukee, Wis., post office; Minneapolis, Minn., post office and customhouse; Minneapolis, Minn., new post office; New Orleans, La., customhouse and subtreasury; New Orleans, La., mint; New Orleans, La., post office; New York, N. Y., new post office; New York, N. Y., subtreasury; Omaha, Nebr., post office; Peoria, Ill., post office; Philadelphia, Pa., mint; Philadelphia, Pa., post office; Pittsburgh, Pa., post office (old); St. Louis, Mo., customhouse; St. Paul, Minn., post office; San Francisco, Cal., mint; San Francisco, Cal., post office; San Francisco, Cal., subtreasury (new); San Francisco, Cal., old subtreasury.......... $86, 525 63D CONGRESS, 3d Session. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (DOCUMENT SALE OF WASTE PAPER. LETTER FROM THE DOORKEEPER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSMITTING A STATEMENT OF MONEY RECEIVED FROM SALE OF WASTE PAPER FROM DECEMBER 1, 1913, TO DECEMBER 1, 1914. DECEMBER 29, 1914.-Referred to the Committee on Accounts and ordered to be printed. Hon. CHAMP CLARK, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OFFICE OF DOORKEEPER, Washington, D. C., December 7, 1914. Speaker of the House of Representatives. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a statement showing the number of pounds of waste paper sold, together with the amount of money received, from December 1, 1913, to December 1, 1914, the same having been deposited with the Treasurer of the United States. Very respectfully, J. J. SINNOTT, Doorkeeper House of Representatives. Statement of waste paper sold from Dec. 1, 1918, to Dec. 1, 1914. |