When the bids were opened July 20 it was found that their aggregate was $446,371,300, at prices from par up to 125. The average price offered by the successful bidders was 104.036+, and the premium received for the $30,000,000 of bonds sold to them was $1,210,817.95. Including the issue of Panama bonds, the public debt November 1, 1906, was $925,159,250. Of this amount bonds of the face value of $631,542,630 were held by the Treasurer of the United States in trust for national banks as security for circulating notes and deposits, leaving $293,616,620 in the hands of other investors. The changes in the amounts of the several kinds of money in the United States outside the Treasury between November 1, 1905, and November 1, 1906, are shown in the table following: COMPARATIVE STATEMENT SHOWING THE CHANGES IN CIRCULATION. The monetary operations of the Government have been conducted through the Treasurer of the United States, 9 subtreasury officers, the treasury of the Philippine Islands, the American Colonial Bank of Porto Rico, and 962 national bank depositaries. The amount of public moneys held by the bank depositaries on June 30, 1906, including funds to the credit of the Treasurer's general account and United States disbursing officers, was $90,443,923.66, an increase since June 30, 1905, of $16,686,567.01. On June 30, 1906, there were 317 regular and 606 temporary depositaries; 121 were designated during the fiscal year and 35 discontinued. On November 1, 1906, the number of depositaries was 1,106, and the amount of public moneys held by them was $148,975,346.14. ENGRAVING AND PRINTING. The demand on the Bureau for United States notes, silver certificates, and other securities is insistent and increasing. The increase in the number of sheets delivered in 1905 over 1904 was 3.4 per cent, and in 1906 over 1905 was 9+ per cent. Before Congress had an opportunity to consider the estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, the Treasurer of the United States increased his requirements by 8,000,000 sheets of certificates, and the Comptroller of the Currency increased his requirements by 2,000,000 sheets of national-bank notes, making a total increase of 10,000,000 sheets of notes and certificates. The estimates for 1908 show an increase over the amended estimates for 1907 of 12,319,269 sheets, or 6.1 per cent. This increase is entirely to supply the current business of the country, and does not take into consideration any increase that may be necessary should Congress provide for a more elastic currency or for more frequent redemptions of the notes and certificates issued by the Government in response to the demand for clean money. To provide the notes, certificates, and securities required by the estimates of the officers supervising their issue, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is working a very large proportion of its force overtime, and a large force of printers and their assistants and a smaller force of operatives in the examining and the numbering divisions are working at night. The working of any portion of the force of the Bureau beyond the regular hours and at night is for obvious reasons objectionable. Some steps must therefore be taken to dispense with the necessity for so doing. No further extension of the present building can be made, for the reason that its site is now occupied as far as it is possible to utilize it. The only adequate relief will be the erection of an entirely new building designed and constructed for the special purposes of this Bureau. This building should be in every way adapted to the work, having the rooms for the several divisions conveniently arranged, and should embody all of the improvements in building construction and in the operation of machinery, including electric light and power and other processes, that have been developed during the twenty-five years since the completion of the building now occupied. The present building can be readily utilized for other governmental purposes. I specially call the attention of Congress to this subject, and urge that provision be made for the erection of a proper building for the execution of the important work of this Bureau. The work delivered during the year aggregated 180,289,766 sheetsan increase over 1905 of 14,935,252 sheets, or slightly over 9 per cent. In addition to the impressions delivered, miscellaneous work was executed to the value of $118,293.70-an increase over 1904 of $28,875.98, or 32.3 per cent. The aggregate amount available for the operations of the Bureau during the year from appropriations and repayments was $3,378,117.72. The aggregate amount expended for all purposes connected with the work of the Bureau was $3,355,786.23. The increase in expenditures for 1906 over 1905 was $63,569.17, or 1.93 per cent. There was an unexpended balance of $22,331.49. Work on the additional building authorized by the act of March 3, 1903, was completed in March, 1906. The expectation heretofore expressed that upon the completion of this building there would be no further occasion for night work has not been realized because of the increase in the work above stated. Notwithstanding the large increase in the work required of the Bureau, it has promptly filled all orders given it for securities. A notable instance in this respect is the order for the bonds of the Panama Canal loan. The final instructions for these bonds were given on July 6, 1906, and the bonds were delivered August 1, 1906. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. During the past year the Department has completed and occupied 67 buildings; 35 are now in course of erection; 23 authorized prior to June 30, 1906, have not, for various reasons, been commenced. The total number of buildings completed and occupied under the control and maintenance of this Department is 515, of which 43 are marine hospitals and quarantine stations. In addition, 46 sites had been acquired prior to June 30, 1906, for which no construction appropriations were provided until that date. Congress, by act past June 30, 1906, made provision for the purchase of many sites and the erection of numerous buildings. This legislation may be briefly summarized as follows: The limits of cost of 43 buildings previously authorized were increased; three specific authorizations were made for the purchase of additional land; provision was made for the enlargement, extension, remodeling, or improvement of 45 buildings, 28 of which require enlarged sites; limits of cost were fixed and appropriations made for 41 buildings. upon sites already owned by the Government; 5 buildings were authorized in certain cities upon condition that the sites do not exceed $1 in cost; 86 sites without buildings were ordered to be purchased, and 116 sites with buildings were provided for. The total amount authorized was $27,569,000, and $10,306,600 was appropriated with which to begin the work. Energetic measures have been taken to carry this legislation into effect. Advertisements for the purchase of sites were issued immediately upon the approval of the act, and agents of the Department are now reporting upon the properties offered. Some of the sites have already been selected, and it is believed that this preliminary work will be completed early in the coming calendar year. Nearly all the buildings authorized in the omnibus public building acts approved June 6, 1902, and March 3, 1903, were either finished or under contract by June 30, 1905, at which date it became necessary to reduce largely the technical force of the Supervising Architect's Office on account of lack of work. The disorganization of that highly trained force is now seriously felt, and although every effort is being made to overcome the handicap, the work of reorganization is proceeding slowly, due chiefly to the fact that men well equipped with architectural knowledge now find more stable employment and higher salaries in the fields of private enterprise. It is hoped that when the office in question is reorganized upon the basis of its former efficiency the necessity to impair its usefulness will not arise again. This could be averted by the passage each year of a bill carrying a moderate number of public buildings. Such a policy would result in their prompt commencement and completion without undue strain upon the Department, and at the same time insure stability in the architectural force-a condition absolutely necessary in a great construction bureau. The Department has continued its policy of designing public buildings along lines as nearly classic as possible. This has been done without sacrificing the purposes for which they are intended, and it has resulted in the erection of many buildings which well represent the Government in their dignity and strength. In the rapid evolution of Federal architecture, a type of building has been reached equal in all respects to the best examples of modern construction. The following tables show the operations of this Department with respect to public buildings during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1906: EXPENDITURES DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 1906. For sites, for the construction of public buildings, and for extensions and repairs especially appropriated for.. For repairs and preservation.. For heating apparatus... For vaults, safes, and locks.. For plans, including books and periodicals.. Total CONTRACT LIABILITIES EXISTING ON JUNE 30, 1906. On account of sites, for the construction of public buildings, and for Net contract liability payable from amounts appropriated.. Total.. $7,996, 525. 82 425,379.15 195,308, 39 55,556.35 894.83 8,673, 664.54 $8,032, 373.69 653,866.18 7,378,507.51 103,600.40 134,656, 60 33, 289.61 0.00 7,650,054. 12 BALANCES AVAILABLE ON JUNE 30, 1906. For sites, for the construction of public buildings, and for extensions and repairs especially appropriated for For repairs and preservation.. For heating apparatus.. For vaults, safes, and locks. For plans, including books and periodicals.. Total. $14,674, 351.05 6,167.86 7,638.01 441.36 5,193.62 14, 693, 791.90 PUBLIC HEALTH AND MARINE-HOSPITAL SERVICE. The Surgeon-General reports 54,363 patients treated during the year. Of these, 13,925 were treated in hospital and 40,438 were out-patients. Aid was extended to other branches of the Government in the physical examination of 5,348 persons, of whom 435 were rejected. One hundred and seventeen seamen were examined to determine their fitness for shipment on merchant vessels of the United States, of whom 14 were rejected. A total of 1,175,000 arriving aliens were examined by medical officers of the Service to determine their physical fitness for entrance into the United States and its dependencies. The details of officers at Naples, Quebec, St. John, Winnipeg, Victoria, and Vancouver for the medical inspection of aliens bound for the United States were continued. The officers on duty at ports in Japan and China, in addition to their quarantine duties, also inspected aliens at the request of the Department of Commerce and Labor. Personnel. At the close of the fiscal year the commissioned corps of the Service consisted of 118 officers as follows: The Surgeon-General, 5 assistant surgeons-general, 28 surgeons, 56 passed assistant surgeons, and 28 assistant surgeons. Of this number, 8 commissioned officers were assigned to duty in the offices of American consuls in foreign ports; 3 were continued upon detail to the Panama Canal Commission; 14 were assigned to the Immigration Service for the examination of aliens; 7 to the quarantine service of the Philippine Islands, and 7 detailed for duty upon vessels of the Revenue-Cutter Service. Three sanitary inspectors, 205 acting assistant surgeons, and 45 pharmacists were on duty at the close of the fiscal year. Expenditures. The balance of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital fund available at the commencement of the fiscal year was $230,124.98. The receipts from all sources, tonnage tax, repayments for care of foreign seamen, reimbursement for Immigration Service, etc., and including an appropriation of $200,000, were $1,280,461. The expenditures were $1,090,272.51.. The balance on hand at the end of the fiscal year was $420,313.47, from which should be deducted estimated amount of outstanding bills and liabilities $82,000, leaving an estimated balance of $338,313.47. Congress at its last session made an appropriation for the expenses of the Service during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907. The unexpended balance of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital fund will be therefore turned into the Treasury. H. Doc. 9, 59-2—3 |