The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-25
MR.. CONANTS GOOD BARGAIN
SECURTNG 4 LEASE FOR ANOTHER YER
or IIIE ON PUST OFEICE.

Charges or Favorttism Made by Members orthe
Chamber or Commerce Sheruinns Right to
Lease the Property Considered Doubtful.
The members Of the Chamber Of Commerce
are highly indignant over the announcement
that the old POST Office building has been leasod
to n stranger at n nominal rent They regard
the transaction ms an net Of bad faith on the part
Of the Government. The Chamber has been
trying to buy the property from the United
States ever since the Post once vacated it for
the new ten million dollar structure. They
want it ms n site for n new building and Mer-
chants Exchange. A gentleman familiar with
the history Of the property said yesterday that
there was good deal Of mystery surrounding
the lease. The lease was signed by the de fncto
Secretary Of the Treasury on the 18th inst. and
has one year TO run from the first OF May nnxt.
The lessee Is james II. Conant. OF whom little s
known except that he comes from Boston. He II TO
pay s5.0 900 n year monthly in advance, and stpu-
latos to pay the Croton water taxes. Mr.. Conant
has been in possession Of the property since
July, 1877. Property owners in the neighbour
hood of the building say that the lease was given
in an undcrhanded way They chhrgccrNe II
as u gross piece OF favorit'sm They believe II
to be worth much more than tho amount 1t is
member Of the Chamber Of Commerce said
that Mr.. Connnt had done good deal OF lobby
ing in Washington this last winter to secure the
| lease Tho Chamber had bill before the last
session OF Congress. authorizing the Govern
mcnt 20 sell II to that body for 100000. Mr.
| Conaut wrote TO n member OF the WAYS and
| Means Committee that he would give $500. 600
cash. hut atterward admitted that he did not
| have that amount of money. The Committee
| reported tho bill fAyorably, and it went tothe
| Committee Of tho Whole. when Gen. Butler
made an objection TO IT, HIS objection was over
| come by amending the bill 50 rs to make tho
| sale of the property oDcn 10 competition. The
| bill WIS lost NJ the very last moment through u
trivial objection raised by n Represents from
! West Virginia. Mr.. COnant was in Washington
most Of the time.
| Tho Hon Fernando Wood has prepared n
new bill. providing for the sale OF the property
| hy auction. which he Is expected 10 Introduce in
| the House this week.
The right OF an officer Of the Government to
| lease tho property IL regarded as doubtful, and
IL Is said that there IL not another instance like
| IL on record. The local authorities clatm that
| the property is taxable because IL Is rented for
| private benefit The city's claim for taxes
amounts to about 81 600. and will be doubled
| when this years lcvy Is made. When tho sit,
was coded 10 the United States the agreement
was that II should De permanently occupied by
| the Government. The Chamber ~ Commerce
| contributed t500 900 OF the t250.000 that WINS
paid for Il to the old Dutch Church. 1t Is RS
| serted 10y that body that II would not bring any
more Mt tho present time. when there are sew
eral pieces OF good property In tho vicinity
The old Post once is occupied by painters
| carpenters boot makers candy dealers. sta
| TONERS. and photographers. Mr.. Conant de-
| rivcs about $751; 600 Il year from II. He hns bill
! Incorporate n part OF the building rs n New
| York Exchange Mr.. Conant Is supposed to be
q relative OF an Assistant Secretary OF the
| Treasury.