1210 ' CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
There is absolute protection from jobbery in the fact that this is to 
be under the supervision of the Smithsonian Institution. At this 
period of the session I content myself with this statement. 
* * * * * * * 
Mr. Dresie. Mr. Speaker, the bill providing for the establishment 
of a zoological park in the District of Columbia was referred to the 
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, and, after due con- 
sideration, that committee determined to report it favorably to the 
House. I will print with my remarks the report of the committee, 
but in the meantime will state briefly, for the purpose of saving time, 
the reasons which induced the committee to recommend the passage of 
the bill. | 
In the first place, Mr..Speaker, the project as set forth in the bill 
is for the purchase of not less than 100 acres of land. As members 
will see from the design and plan in front of the reporter’s desk—— 
Mr. A. J. Hopkins, of Illinois. Will the gentleman permit a ques- 
tion ? 
Mr. Diseie. I must decline to be interrupted now, because my 
time is so limited. Otherwise I should be glad to hear the gentleman’s | 
question. . 
Mr. Hopkins, of Illinois. I merely wanted to ask the gentleman 
whether his remarks were directed to the amendment of his colleague, 
or, rather, that part of it embraced in the bill introduced in the House 
by the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Breckinridge], relating to the 
zoological garden ¢ 
Mr. Dresir. I am speaking to the zoological park bill, a bill 
reported by the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, in 
accordance with the design now in front of the reporter’s desk. 
Mr. Hopkins, of Lllinois. But does the amendment 
Mr. Drepie. Mr. Speaker, I have answered the gentleman’s ques- 
tion, and I must decline to yield further, although I would gladly do 
so if I had the time. This piece of land embraces about 120 acres. 
The bill provides for the purchase of not less than 100 acres. It is 
estimated, as the committee are informed, that the sum of $200,000 
will purchase the land and will provide for the structures that will be 
immediately necessary. ° But, Mr. Speaker, even if the entire $200,000 
were expended for thé land alone, gentlemen will tind that that 
would be a very reasonable price, because it can be ascertained by 
calculation that the cost per foot would be only about 43 cents, which 
is much less than property commands in that vicinity. Therefore I 
say that even if we purchase with this amount of money 100 acres of 
land it will cost us only 4$ cents per foot, and if we purchase 120 
acres of course the cost per foot will be less; and I am informed, in 
fact, that a large portion of the land can be purchased at less than 
that price, so that the committee will be enabled by this appropriation 
