St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-25
HIGH BIDS DON'T GO.
CAPITOL c0MHiSS .0NERS WILL MOT
PAY UNREASONABLE PRICE.
TO SECURE A SUITABLE SITE.
Chairman Seabury Points Out q
Mistake That People Are La
boring Under-The Board Has
Ample Power to Get Possess
sion OF Property Needed. -

boring. Under-The Board Has
Ample Power to Get Possess
sion OF Property Needed. ,i
Considerable comment was occaSioned1
| by the article i'll yesterday mornings
GLOBE relating to the offers of sites for
the new state capitol So far as it went
the article covered the ground, but OBJ
| lection was made by several leading
citizens that it did not go far enough,
| aud did not bring. out some important,
points touching the powers of the COM
mission. An examination of the law
shows the objection raised is we'll
founded. The wording of the law also,
shows that there need be no fear thata
suitable site will not be secured and,
the real work of the commission begun
long before the converting of the next
legislature.
1ln an interview with GLOBE man,
Hon. Charming Seabury. of st. Paul,
chairman of the commission, expressed
regret that there should even be a sus-
picion of an intention on the part of the
press of the state to throw cold water OH
the work of the commission, or to
doubt the good faith of its members in
administering the trust committed to
their charge.
THE point that we will very likely be
compelled to eXpend One-quarter of the
S2,000,000 in the purchase of site is not
well TAKEN" said Mr.. Seabury. "We
are not compelled, nor are we likely to
do anything of the kind. The law pro-
vdes that we shall advertise for offers
of site, which offers shall be consid-
cred on their merits. We did so adver-
tise, and when the offers were opened,
it was unanimously agreed that. with
the possible exception of one, the
prices asked were all too high. 1t
would surely not have been dignified or
| courteous to have at once thrown those
bids aside summarily, as unworthy of
consideration even. They were referred
to committee of which am chairman,
and the commission will meet again on
| the 1St day of August to hear the report
of that committee. Should the bids all
be rejected, we will be absolutely at
| liberty to acquire the necessary ground
for site, within the prescribed distance
from the present capitol, in the same
manner that any of us would go about
purchasing a piece of property for our
| selves. But behind that is the power
| to condemn and take at fair and
| reasonable appraisal. the property we
may consider best adapted for the loca-
ton of the capitol building.
Some people seem to have the idea
| that we are confined to the sites offered
| Ill answer to the advertisement This,
| of course, is a mistake. We are no.
| confined to consideration of any partic-
ular site or sites. and we snail not pay
an unreasonable price for the property
| we may acquire. Section IL of the law
| will make clear the point wish to inn
| press on those people who are seemingly
| jumping to conclusions without analyz-q
ing the law" ~
Powers of the Board. u
The section referred to by Mr.. Sea.
| bury reads as follows: -
| Sec. IL. Said board are hereby au-
! thoriZed, after they shall have properly
examined all such proposed sites TO
| select and secure such a site for the
capitol building of Minnesota, which
shall include the present capitol site, as
shall, i'll their Judgment, be most adj
VantageouS to the state for the purpose
contemplated in this act and for that
| purpose said board are hereby authur--
Ized and empowered i'll the name and
| on behalf of the state to enter upon,
! purchase, take and acquire any lands
and premises, public or private, that
| may be necessary, convenient or proper
| for the purpose of such site, or any plrt
thereof, and in case the owner of any
such lands or grounds and said board
cannot agree as to the value of the
premises taken or to be taken
for such use, the value thereof
shall be determined by the appraisal
of three reputable free holders of the
state, not directly or Indirectly inter
eSted in the premises to be taken, and
TO be appointed on the application of
said board by any judge of the district
court of any judicial district of this
state. And said commissioners in their
assessment of damages shall appraise
such premises and the respective eS-
tateS and interests therein at their
actual market value, and upon return
into court of such appraiSement, and
upon payment into the same of the ap-
praised vaiue of the premises so taken,
said premises shall be deemed to be
and shall become the property of the
state, save as herein otherwise pro-
vided, all provisions of title l, of chap
ter "a, of the general statutes of one
thousand eight hundred and seventy
eight, so far as reasonably applicable,
shall apply to and govern proceedings
undeG this act.
Ii will be seen from reading the above
that Alr. Seabury has correctly stated
the case. And it may further be said
that he has no hesitation in expressing
the opinion that the commission Will
secure a suitable site in good time, and
at reasonable figure. The GLOBE is
Informed from another source that sew
eral of the owners of sites offered have
recently evinced disposition to come
down conSiderable-in one or two cases
almost half-ou the figures named IN
their bids.
Hon. George Du Toit, of Chaska, who
is a member of the capitol commission,
was seen by GLOBE reporter yester-
day, and readily gave his views ON the
subject. Il do not assume to speak for
the committee to whom the bids were
referred, nor for the board itseIf,' said
he, ''but my personal opinion is that all
the offers received will be rejected.
They are certainly much too high, eX-
cept probably the Bass tract, and that
would require great deal of grading.
l look for some definite action blythe
commission at its meeting Aug, l. Of
this fact you can rest assured, however,
no eXhOrbitant price will be paid for a
site for the new capitol when it is
selected
MISS SMITH FORFEITED.