The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-01
TIE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
rhe Opposition to Changing the Pub
lie Building Site.


There are two sides to every question, and
those who oppose any change in the present
site of the new government building at the
corner of Abercorn and York streets have
presented their side of the case to Secretary
Window with great particularly of detail,
and the secretary mas written to those VINO
| oppose a change Of SITE as he has to those
who favor 1t, that the matter has been re-
ferred to the supervising architect OF the
treasury. Meanwhile there has been no
suspension of the work, aud, although the
| site is inclosed by high fence, through the
crevices of the planks the basement walls
can be seen rising to the first floor.
Those who object to any change OF the
site, in their communications to Secretary
Windom, say that Savannah, after waiting
$50 years. from the days Of Oglethorpe,
has at last seen work begin upon post
Office building, and on a site agreed upon.
after heated discussion on other proposed
sites, without a dissenting voice, and not
| until the Guards Armory was burned, and
the idea suggested that they could sell their
site to the government at price that
would relieve them from financial en-
barrassment was any thought given to
change; that the site now owned by tue
government upon which work is in progress
is 9Ox240 feet, giving an area Of 81 600
6SxlSO feet, or l2,240 square feet-a differ
ence in favor of the present site OF $3.50
square feet of area; that the cost of the
present site was but $4,000, while the site
of the Guards armory will probably cost
S75, 600; that If the site of the Guards
arinory is so desirable. the site owned by
the government. being less than $50 yards
distant, cannot be very undesirable.
The friends of the present s to say that as
soon as it was learned that the government
wanted a site for the postofiice, owners of
property on Bull street asked fabulous
prices which would have purchased a gold
mine, or a petroleum tract in the richest oil
fields, and the only reasonable offer was on
the present site, which satisfied every one
until there was an ak to grind.
The further objection is raised that TO dis
pose Of the site of the Guards VII require
special act of the legislature, of doubtful
constitutionalIty, If 1t would be possible TO
secure its enactment; that one side of the
lot is on narrow and powdered street,
over which street cars run, presenting the
same objection for a United States court
as IS made against the court room in the
custom house on Bay street.
1t is further argued That the whole oh
ject of the movement for a change is based
upon individual ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and that
the parties who are moving ia the matter
discovered no objections to the present site
or the new government building until the
armory burned, when it occurred to them
that If they could sell to Uncle Sam it
would be great coup de'etGt, and there
upon petitions were circulated and sigma
lures obtained from persons who never took
the pains to read the petitions, and who
would have as readily sigued, upon the
reputa ion of the parties presenting the
petitions, if the petition had been one to
halg the mayor and aldermen OF the city.
Finally, those who oppose any chang9in
the site unite in asking the Secretary Of tue
Treasury if a suspension of work on the
present site is seriously contemplated, to
send special agent here to investigate all
tue facts, aud they propose to show:
l. That the present site is as favorably
situated, and nearer the cotton exchange,
board Of trade rooms, and banks than the
site of the Guards armory.
2 That there is less danger from fire at
the present site.
g. That the locality is more quiet and
better suited for a United States court
room.
T. That tho surface area of Che present
site Is nearly twice as large as the armory
site.
5. That constitutional objections are in
the path of a clear title to the armory site.
8. That any suspension of the work now
would lead to an indefinite suspension, and
that it is extremely doubtful if congress will
grant any additional appropriation, so that
the higher priced property may be pur-
chased.
T. That the increasing demands for postal
facilities require the com Dletion of the post
Office building at the earliest possible date,
and that, in view of all the facts, it would
be detrimental to the public interests to sus-
pead work when it is extremely doubtful if
any change in site can be secured Through
additional appropriations.