The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-01
OF New POStOfficc Build
ing for This City.
Plan of the Exchange Place
Location Prepared.
Will Be Forwarded to Departme Mt
at Washington at Once.

The introduction of Congressman Bulls
bill for new postofiicc for this city Is
having "A good effect. A few days ago The
News printed lot of questions pro-
pounded by the chief of tho department.
at Washington relative to the bill for tho
new government building in n circular
forwarded to Postmaster Hayward. One
of the most important questions was re-
gartiing his opinion of the best place to
locate such a building, the probable cost
of the land and the amount Of land that
would be needed To make sufficient postal
accommodations in this city for tho next
10 wears To come.
Postmaster Hayward is i'm favor Of the
Exchange Place site, believing il is tho
best afforded in this city and being of the
opinion it will be of sufficient capacity to
cover all postofficc demands in this town
for 30 years TO come. He Is also OF the
opinion that with the hearty cooperation
of the city, one of the most interested par
ties in the proposed enterprise, the new To-
cation Will be as cheap for the govern
nent-as aux land in the heart OF the busi-
ness center where the postoffcc by right
belongs The Exchange Place site Is but
about $50 feet removed from the present
location and it will not be subjected to
conditions surrounding congested dis
triet. Exchange Place wi4-pefnfit of
approaches to the building on all sides,
and those having business on the premises
will be enabled to get to the various de-
partmcnts with remarkable facility.
As soon as the postmaster received the
official document Of inquiry he had q con-
ference with Mayor McGuinness, who
requested City Engineer Shedd to'prepare
| plan for that part of the city so that
| Postmaster Hayward could forward to
| Washington something that would show
that the locality was almost an ideal ono
| for the purpose. The plan was finished
today. One of the copies will be held
in this city, one forwarded to the treasury
department and one sent TO Congressman
Bull.
According to the plan the proposed
new postoilice will occupy $4,000 square
feet OF land, beginning from n line with
Exchange street and running toward the
Three Ones fire station, leaving "a road
way Co be a continuation Of Washington
Row. Fulton street is to be continued
i'm IA straight line from the City Hall to
the Burnside bridge or Washington Row.
Washington street Is to DO continued in
| a straight line from the City Hall TO the
bridge spanning the river to the east OF
the present railroad station. The new
| postoflicc will therefore be- bounded by
| Exchange street on the west, Fulton
street ON the south, Washington street ON
| the north, and Washington Row on the
east, and that territory will afford is, OOO
| square feet for the postoffcc.
| In order TO do this, however, IL Will 10
necessary To carry the Burnside monu-
| ment about 100 feet toward its sister mon
| ument in front of the City Hall The plan
| submitted also calls for "a plaza between
| the two monuments To be laid ont In u
| beautiful manner so that the city will
| have at least one beauty spot right in its
! heart. City Engineer Shcdd said that II
the plan is carried out il will make the
| most attractive center of any city i'm tho
| United States. Looking from Fulton
street across the plaza To the new railroad
| station and its attractive approaches "A
| visitor will form u high opinion of the
| city and its bcauty-loying citizens.
| Beyond, the white Capitol of the state
will show its handsome marble and the
heights of Capitol hill will make beail-
tiful landscape.
Mayor McGuinness says that he will
| recommend to the controllers Of the des-
tiny of the city that they be liberal in this
| matter. He will not suggest that the land
hc given free, but he Will impress the
importance of conveying IL to the govern
nent at the lowest possible cost. The city
will be greatly benefited in many ways
and il would bc good investment for the
municipality TO sell the land 80 that the
government would take it because it was
the cheapest and best.
Mayor Hayward says there l. not an
other place in the town that compares
with this a. II place for the postoilice.
The plans will bc forwarded TO Wash.
ington and then the government Will pro
| cccd to do as IL plcascs.