Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-22
COL. STONE AT WORK.
The Allegheny Congressman Gets
Some Assurance That There
WILL BE A N0RTHsIDE BUILDING
For Postofics Purposes. When the Depart
ment Gets at It.
HE ASSISTS THE RIyERMEN, ALSO
,rRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT,

iFRoH A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, Nov 21.-At last there Is
a prospect that the doubt IN regard to the
selection of site for the new postofice at
Allegheny will soon be set at rest Repre-
sentative W. A. Stone had q conference
with the Secretary of the Treasury, to-day,
promise from Secretary Foster that SO soon
as the new Assistant Secretary, E1-Gov-
ernor Gear. of Iowa, arrives in the city aud
gets comfortably installed in his Office, he
will direct him to 60 to Allegheny and
make thorough examination of the whole
question, and that upon his report will de-
pend the decision of the Department
The whole trouble has been as to the
value of the property No one has disputed
at any time that of all the properties offered
or available, the site in question, that on
the northwest corner of Ohio and West
Diamond streets, is to be preferred for
many reasons Colonel Low, the agent Of
the Department, who made report on the
matter several months ago, estimated that
the value of the property, rated in accord
ance with the price at which adjoining
property Is held, is little less than $3.50, 600.
House and Lot Must Correspond.
The owners of the properties included
in the site fixed prices for their
respective lots which aggregated
nearly 100000. To pay 5000, 900
for site would leave but $780, for
building, and the authorities of the Depart
ment did not relish the idea of putting
$50. 900 building on q 5000, 900 site, as in
such case they would be roundly criticised,
or, If they purchased the site and then went
to Congress for more money, the Holmans
of the House would raise great ruction
over the transaction, quoting Colonel
Bayne's action of few years ago, when he
was satisfied with an appropriation of
500, 900 for the purchase of site and the
beginning of building, only $65, 900 being
available for site.
So the matter stood until to-day Colonel
Stone presented the question Of prices in
all its details, and wound up by assuring
the Secretary that at the very least calcula-
tion, based on the value Of property in the
neighborhood, the site in question is worth
S182, 900. Whereupon the Secretary gave
his promise to send Ex-Governor Gear on to
Allegheny to examine into and decide the
matter.
Governor Gear to Be Judge.
If the to-be Assistant Secretary shall de-
eide that the estimate of Colonel Stone is
not excessive, no one will question the in
tegrity of his judgment, though between
the figures of Colonel Stone and Colonel
Low there is gap of $4,000. Gear will be
the assistant who will have all matters per-
tanning to Government buildings in his
charge, and he will be practically making
final examination upon which will be based
his own decision, from which the Secretary
of the Treasury will not dissent.
Colonel Stone was accompanied to the
city by Captain Addison Lylse, Captain
w. w. O'Neill, and Captain Dodds re-
presenting the Pittsburg Coal Exchange,
their errand being to secure, if possible,
change OF plans for the Improvement of q
point in the Ohio river, near Logstown. In
the river at this place there are two small
islands known as Gravel Island and Grass
Island. The old dyke for confning the
waters to the channel'ran from the northern
part of Gravel Island Major Stickney,
in charge of the improvements on
the Ohio river and its tributaries,
proposes to abandon the old dyke and run a
dyke from the north shore to the upper
part of Grass Island, and another dyke from
the southern point of the island to the south
shore.
An Obstruction and Not a Benefit.
The representatives. of the exchange, with
Colonel Stone, to-day argued before General
Casey, Chief of Engineers, that this would
be an obstruction and not benefit to the
river traffic. and that the scheme of Major
Stickney, to secure by means of his in
provement the washing away of Grass
Island, would not be based upon sound
premises
General Casey promised the plans for the
improvement should be changed in accord
ance with the wishes of the exchange,
which are that the old dyke shall be main
tained. .'
Colonel Stone also urged upon General
Casey the Importance of the continuance of
the work upon the improvements at Herr's
Island pending the litigation that has been
in progress for some time upon question
of riparian rights. General Casey replied
that this was question to be decided by the
law authorities of the Government, and that
he would submit the matter to the Attorney
General and be guided by his own opinion.