EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 5, 1888_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return without approval House bill No. 1394, entitled "An act
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase additional ground
for the accommodation of Government offices in Council Bluffs, Iowa."
A new public building at Council Bluffs will be completed in a short
time. The ground upon which it is located has a frontage of 192 feet
and a depth of 106 feet and 10 inches. The proposition is to add 30
feet to its depth. The act under which this building has been thus far
constructed provides that the ground purchased therefor shall be of such
dimensions as to leave the building unexposed to fire by an open space
of at least 40 feet, including streets and alleys. The building is
located on land now belonging to the Government sufficient in size to
comply with this provision, and in point of fact more than the open
space required is left on all sides of the same. There is no pretense
that any enlargement of the building is necessary or contemplated.
The report of the committee to which this bill was referred in the House
simply states that "the grounds on which said building is situated are
inadequate for its proper accommodation and safety."
If this is so, I can see no reason why additional ground should not
be purchased for "the proper accommodation and safety" of a large
proportion of the public buildings completed and in process of erection,
since the provision that there shall exist 40 feet of open space on
all sides is, I think, contained in all the bills authorizing their
construction. In this view the proposed legislation would establish a
very bad precedent.
It is provided in the bill that the additional 30 feet mentioned shall
be purchased for a sum not to exceed $10,000. The adjoining 106 feet and
10 inches, located on the corner of two streets, were purchased in the
year 1882 by the Government for $15,000. The permission to purchase this
addition at a price per foot greatly in excess of that already owned by
the Government seems so unnecessary, except to benefit the owner, that I
am of the opinion it should not be granted.