The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-18
1T WILL MOVE SLOWLY
PRELIMINARY STEPS IN FEDERAL
BUILDING SITE BY FALL.
Representative Overstreet Describes
the Governments steps in
This Matter.

are destined to be disappointed, for Repre-
sentative Overstreet said last evening that
If the preliminary steps shall be completed
by fall he will consider it work quickly
done. Explaining the steps he had taken,
Mr.. Overstreet said:
THE history OF the erection Of public
buildings shows that the government is slow
in these matters. / called Secretary
Gage shortly before / left and urged upon
him the Importance of proceeding as rapid
ly as possible, and he assured me that he
would give the matter his personal atten-
ton, as he was interested in the city and
considered it neighboring city to Chicago.
There is much to be done in preliminary
work. In the first place the government
will advertise for proposals for a site. l rec
commended that this advertisement be insert
ed in the four daily papers of the city, so
that all people might see it. The depart
ment rather expected TO begin advertising
about March 20, but 1 believe it will begin
about April !. This advertisement will give
the amount of land it is estimated will be
required and it will also call for bids on
land adjacent 10 the present site. The ad-
vertisement will run for three weeks, and
any one can submit proposals for the sale
of any land in any part of the city. These
proposals can come from owners, guardians,
trustees, those who may have options on
any land-in fact, from any one authorized
to sell the land. The proposals are sent to
Washington and will be opened and tabu-
lated there. After the tabulation is made
the department will send some one here to
look over the sites offered. / talked with
Secretary Gage on this subject, and he
sured me that he would not send any I'M
derling here to look over the land. He
rather intimated that he would send the
assistant secretary, in whose department
the supervising architects office is, to make
the examination. This man is a new APP
pointee. and is Assistant Secretary Taylor,
OF Wisconsin. He is said to be a broad,
practical man. He was appointed to sue
coed Mr.. Howells, but some changes were
made in the duties of the assistant secre-
taries, and one of the divisions assigned to
him was the supervising architects office.
He, or whoever may be sent here, will have
full authority to examine the site and to
make up his mind. after considering every
thing pertaining to the site of the building
lie will consider the general deSirability of
the site, its convenience to the business por-
ton of the city, the direction in which the
city is growing, the desra bility in its rela-
ton TO the residence portion of the city, the
SeHeFdl eject. from the STANDPOINT or beau
ty, or from any other point which may oc-
cur to him. He is absolutely free and I'M
trammeled in his observations the grounds
on which he may base his report and the re-
port itself My impression is that there will
be no notification of the time when this off,
c1al will be here, but that he will come
quietly and look over the sites offered.
MAY APPOINT COMMISSION.
His report may or may not be final. If
the department accepts it then the next step
-
desire to accept it the secretary will appoint
a commission of three to come here and look
over the sites One Of this commission will
be an official of the department, but the
other two may be appointed from anywhere
in the United States. They may be from this
city or they may be from Boston or San
Francisco. This commission, If appointed.
will make its report, and then a site will
be selected by the department.. After the
site has been chosen. that is the site for in
vestigation. for this selection is not final the
district attorney here Will be instructed to
examine the titles to the land and see if the
titles are perfect in those who make the
proposal of sale. The district attorney will
make his report to the attorney general,
who will pass on IL and then make his re-
port to the secretary of the treasury. In
the case of the Indianapolis building, this
would be the last link in the chain of for
nalitieS to be complied with, but ordinarily
there would be another step TO ne taken.
That would be for the State to cede TO the
United States jurisdiction over the land
The Legislature of this State ceded to the
United States in 1888 jurisdiction over all
land then held or thereafter TO be acquired
so that there VIII be no delay for this step
here.
After the attorney general declares the
titles TO the land perfect, then the general
government will proceed, either by nego-
tiating for the purchase or by beginning
proceedings for the condemnation of the
land desired 10 secure possession of the land
wanted. Then the style of building and
plans will be in order. 1t will require time
to do all OF this. and / shall devote my time,
so far as possible, TO getting the reports
made promptly but the people must not be
impatient / shall feel well satisfied If we
get through this preliminary work by fall.
II the people VIII recall the length of time
we have been in getting this building, now
that il is authorized they can afford to have
patience and not to expect 1T to be put up at
once;
to the selection of the site. | have had
many requests to urge the selection of this
site or that site, and TO recommend one site
or another. / am told that Postmaster Hess
has received petitions to locate the building
at certain places. and that petitions adj
dressed TO him are now in circulation. This
question is determined entirely by the treas
ury officials. and no one else has anything
to do with it. Petitions and requests will
do no good, for the department will do eX-
actly as it pleases without regard to petit
tons, requests or anything or that nature,
and ii will be done in Washington. Another
misrepresentation seems TO exist in regard TO
the bill. That bill is not faulty in any re-
spect whatever. The third section, which
has been criticised by some of the papers.
is drawn in the interest of the city, for /
drew 1t myself. and the supervising archi-
tect of the Treasury Department told me
that il was the smoOthest section that had
come into his office. He told your Wash
ington correspondent the same thing. and
instead of that section any part of the
bill being faulty, il is strongly in favor OF
the city. in fact much more so than any
similar bill that has passed: We got this
bin through so that the contracts could be
made for the full amount authorized, in
stead of in small parts, as has been done
under former bills. and this will save time
and make the erection OF the building
cheaper. and so we cen get a better building