Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-26

SQUARE CONTAINS 170,64s FEET, TIE Rate WILL
BE ABOUT sL42H PEN SQUARE Poor-xo Ap-
PRECIPITATION FOR THE BUILDING YET.
When the Government Printing Office site
commission met yesterday, as stated in The
STAR, they adjourned without taking any
action. When the meeting was held at noon
the commission had practically decided that Of
all the land offered for the site the west side of
square 67S. bounded by +, G, North Capitol
and east LIST streets-known in base ball
circles as Capitol Park-was the
cheapest and best but there were certain
questions relating 70 taxes that prevented a
final conclusion. The owner, Mr.. Chostor A.
Snow, the patent attorney, made o proposition
that was not exactly in accordance with the
views Of tho commission. and tho negotiations
were suspended until a compromise could be
reached.
Mr. SNOW APPEARS AND ACCEPTS THE oovERS-
MENr's TERMS.
But to the surprise Of all three members Mr.
Snow appeared at the Treasury Department at
about $3.50 o'clock and announced that he was
willing to accept the terms of the government
based on his original bid, which would give the
land to Uncle Sam for the sum OF $243, lis. A
meeting OF the commission was hurriedly called
in the Office OF Judge Bateheller, and
in the presence of MIR. Hcndley, private
secretary to Mr. Window, as witness. the owner
signed al agreement to sell the land at that
price while the commissioners entered into a
contract to purchase within five days, provided
the Attorney General, to whom all such mat
tiers are referred. shall return o certificate OF q
clear title.
A meeting of the commissioners will be
held tomorrow morning for the purpose Of
formulating the request upon tho Attorney Gen.
eral for his opinion. In case the title should
be found intact the sale will be consummated
by October l.
THE LAND TO BE PURCHASED
has never been improved, except by the GREG
ton Of the appurtenances of base ball park,
and it is practically clear for any building that
may be erected. In the plat book of the Dis
trict the lots are thug bounded: North side,
184.8 feet and 1866, total, 36l4 east side, $50,
80, 80, $50, total 43O; south side, 1f2, S77 Has
total 3; west side, 96.7, 90, 30, $50, total,
1867
The reason for the difference between the
corresponding sides is that Massachusetts, ave.
nue. cuts slight section from the southwest
corner by it's angle. The square contains
ITO, 64s square feet 1t is calculated that at the
price to be paid the rate will be about $L42I Q
square foot, which is thought by the commits
sion to be quite reasonable when compared with
some OF the prices asked for other property.
JUICE BATCHELLER WELL SATISFIED.
Judge Batcheller acted MS O member Of the
commission in place Of Secretary Window, who
is absent from the city. Ho said this morning
to STAR reporter: II think that we have boon
very successful and unusually fortunate in get
ting SO good a piece OF ground with SO little
trouble and delay The square is large
enough for the building that is needed;
is well lighted, unimproved, cheap and
very near to the Capitol. This last point is OF
great importance, and it is not unlikely that in
the future there may be some method adopted
for the rapid transit Of matter between the Cap
itol and the printing Office. The east half Of
the SQUARE may be very useful in the future, as
II is already supplied with freight tracks, and
it is likely that recommendation will be made
to Congress that this other land be condemned,
80 that We may then have room for the erection
of a ware house east Of the main building
with folding and other work rooms above it
and tracks at its doors. The commission soon
narrowed the matter down to selection of one
of three sites, the one that was bought and
the south half of square 673, bounded by North
Capitol, L. east LIST and Babcock streets. about
four blocks north of the one we took. This
however, was thought to be too far from the
OF buying part of the rest OF the square occu-
pied by the present Office, SO as to enlarge the
building but 1t was found that the owners
were demanding exorbitant rates for their
land ranging from 81 to So foot and charg-
ing high prices for the Improvements, so we
abandoned that scheme, particularly az the
would give promiscuous struc-
ture.
NO MONEY FOR THE BUILDING.
There is no money for the building yet ap-
propriated," continued Judge Batcheller, "and
there probably will be none until the next SEES
sion. SO that no steps will be taken by the su-
pervising architect, who will have charge of the
matter toward designing the building for some
months yet"