Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-14
THE SITE SELECTED.
Colonel Low Decides on Allegheny's
P0st0ffice Location.
IT Is THE OLD GRAHAM PROPERTY,
On the Northwest Corner Of Ohio and West
Diamond Streets.
OPTIONS SECURED FROM THE OWNERS

|
Supervising Architect of the Treasury De-
partment, departed for Washington last
evening prepared to recommend to the Gov
ernment the purchase of property for q
| postoffice on the northwest corner of Ohio
and West Diamond streets, Allegheny.
Colonel Low said before leaving that $685.
600 of the appropriation was Immediately
available, and he believed that the land
would be bought and work begun in very
short time.
The agent of the Treasury Department
| stole march on the local newspapers
Word was sent from Washington that he
would leave there Friday evening and ar
rive here Saturday morning. As matter
of fact he reached Pittsburg about noon Fri
day and registered at the Hotel Duquesne.
That afternoon he visited the Allegheny
postofice and talked with Acting Postmas-
ter Mackey in regard to various proposed
sites Colonel Low learned that there was
general desire in Allegheny to see the
Federal building erected on the Haymarket
square Inquiry had already developed the
fact that the terms under which that square
was dedicated to public purposes would not
allow the city to offerit to the General Gov
ernment
Yesterday Colonel Low visited the vari-
Gus private properties offered for a post
Office. He was accompanied by Council.
man John G. Oliver, who was chairman of
the joint committee of Councils that went to
Washington to urge the appropriation.
Half . dozen properties were viewed, all
near the center of the city.
The Proper Piece Of Ground.
Colonel Low finally agreed, as had an
other agent Of the Government who came
here nearly year ago, that the proper site
was the corner of West Diamond and Ohio
streets The site has frontage Of 120 feet
on Ohio street and extends back along West
Diamond 15O feet, and is owned by three
parties.
On the corner is the old frame hotel, three
stories high. a relN of Allegheny antiquity,
now leased and operated by William Booth.
This property has frontage of go feet, and
includes not only the old hotel, but the de-
serted livery stable on West Diamond
street, formerly occupied by John Wilson.
The property belongs to Mrs Nettie Mckee
Graham, a widow. who lives at the
Hotel Duquesne, and its management
is in the hands of the Fidelity
Title and Trust Company. On the
Ohio street front the store rooms are
occupied by N. F. Nolte, cigarmaker, at
No. 40; Philip Miller. harness maker, at
No. 81; s. Drum & Sons, insurance and
real estate, at No. 80, and Wa Shing, a
Chinese laundryman, on the corner. Next
west Of this property is the 30-foot front
owned by A. D. Smith, of the firm of Smith
Bros, proprietors of La Belle furnaces This
is q three-story brick house, occupied bv
Zimmerman's grocery and DR.. Burgoon's
medical establishment. Next west is a
brick building with 80 foot front owned
by the Ben Franklin Insurance Company.
1t is occupied by the Offices of the insurance
company, and by Fairman's undertaking
rooms These properties are all $50 feet
handsome, commodious granite building.
Colonel Low Getting the Figures.
Colonel Low called on John B. jackson,
President of the Fidelity Title and Trust
Company, A. D. Smith and the officers of
the Ben Franklin Insurance Company, and
secured their figures on the properties
Neither he nor Councilman Oliver were pre-
pared to say last evening what the figures
were. Mr. Oliver said that the entire site
would be secured for something less
than 5000, 900. Colonel Stone and Senator
Quay, he said, had the figures. and their
size could easily be inferred from the fact
that the terms of the appropriation were
changed so as to allow as much as $200, 900
for the purchase of the site. This leaves
but $50, 600 of the present appropriation for
the building, and that will be sufficient to
carry on the work of excavating and build
ing the foundation until Congress can make
q further appropriation. Colonel Stone was
in consultation with Colonel Low on Fri
day, but at noon yesterday left the city for
a vacation at Bedford Springs The figures
could, therefore, not be secured from him.
Colonel Low left for Washington last |
evening on the $40 o'clock train. Before
his departure he said: 81 shall report to the
Treasury Department the advantages and
disadvantages of about half dozen sites,
but 1 shall take occasion to express my
The Haymarket Square would be a good |
location, but as the city has not offered it to
us we could not consider it. Of course, the |
Government could condemn that. as it could |
any private property, but it would not wish |
to do that That land has already been |
dedicated to public purposes.
Colonel Low declined to say what |
property he would recommend, and the facts |
in regard to the above location were OBJ |
tanned from other persons with whom he |
conversed during his two days visit He |
is an old. experienced and trusted agent of |
the Supervising Architects Office, and his |
will doubtless be accepted |
by the Treasury Department
Not the Sa ma srnarosn