Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-23

OO3NO AIN 1nLANDo L " 111A
SOUTH-A PERTINENT INTER-
VIEW.
AS is well known to newspaper read
ers, Congressman Dovener has intro
duced bill into the House of Repre-
sentatives, appropriating half million
dollars for the purchase of a new site
and erection OF new postof1ice and
custom house for Wheeling.
A new building for governmental
purposes in this city is, perhaps, desir-
able, particularly as far as the post
Office business is concerned, for there
has been complaint for years that the
present postal facilities in this city
were inadequate to the proper transac
ton of that branch of the public bus
mess. A new and handsome building,
of modern architecture, would be an
ornament to the city, and would be
welcomed by a majority of our people.
During a recent visit by Congressman
Dovener to this city, he exhibited
copy of the bill and let fall some re-
marks which indicates there is some
little Improperly concealed in the
measure, as far as the new site is con-
cerned. A reporter for the Register
heard some inkling of the matter, and
yesterday asked very prominent and
well-known Citizen about it. He said:
1.-The proposed new Federal building
bill, in my opinion, contains gold
brick provision. 1t is an attempt to
remove the postoffice and Federal Of
fees from the present desirable loca
tion to one not so convenient for the
majority of the people, and not in line
with the progress of the business cen
ire south. Business has been drifting
steadily from Tenth street south, first
to Twelfth, then to Fourteenth and
now to Sixteenth, for forty or fifty
years The next ten or fifteen years
will see this movement decidedly ac-
centuated. The business of the city is
already largely south of Twelfth street.
In fifteen ye,rs it will be mostly south
OF Fourteenth Those who selected
the present site of the pOstofflce build
ed we'll, and it's location is in every
way proper and desirable. I suspected
when [ heard of the introduction of
the bill that there was something in
side of it not apparent upon the sur
face. A recent interview with Captain
Dovener confirmed this view. l spoke
to him about the matter, intimating
that l knew it was proposed to locate
the proposed new building at Chapline
and Twelfth streets, and he fell into
the trap; but almost at once he saw
his error, and attempted to correct it
by saying that officials would have to
be sent here to look up sites and re-
ceive proposals, and that any site
might be chosen. That is true, in a
measure; but who has sufficient de-
sirable ground, in the business portion
of the city for the purpose, aside from
the old court house property? You
can not find a location containing as
many square feet as the government
now owns, between Tenth street and
Sixteenth and Eoff street and the river,
with the one exception l have noted.
Who, then, would make proposals.
Certainly no individual. The govern
ment at present has two full city lots,
close to railway depOts, and con-
venient to the business centre. To re-
move the Office to a back street up
town would mean that we would have
to be cursed with an inconvenience for
at least half a century to come. A
new building may be a necessity; a
new location most assuredly is not,
and that feature of the bill should be
promptly protested against and strick-
en- out Captain DOvener told me he
did not hold to the idea that the bill
would pass at the present session, but
that he was merely laying the founda
lions for positive action at the coming
session of Congress. If this be so,
there should be public protest against
a removal of the postotfice from it's
present location. There is ample room
at Sixteenth and Market streets for the
erection of a building which will ac-
commodate any possible amount Of
government business, and that location
will suit our people better than any
other site which might be selected,
and certainly no one piece of property
is of adequate area, either on Main or
Market streets. Business men should
take an interest in project which APP
pears to contain a matter calculated to
benefit certain gentlemen at the ex-
pense of the community, and halt
should be called on Captain Dovener
until we can see where we are at "