The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-12
CHARLEST0N'S NAVAL SITE.
NAVY DEPARTMENT OBJECTS TO
BEING GOUGED.

Has Onered 5000 an Acre for Land
That Previously Brought Only $40
Per Acre-AnOther site Under Con-
sideration-More Than Quarter
of "a Million Dollars Annually to
BE spent in Charleston Until Naval
station and Dry Dock Are Com
pIeted-The Appropriation Avail
able July I.
Washington. March 11.-There seems to
be a hitch between the officials of the
Navy Department and the property own
ers in Charleston, over the terms for
the site of the proposed naval station.
Rear Admiral Endicott stated to-day
that since he had received the report
of the Board of Survey, which recently
visited Charleston to consider a reason
able price to be paid for the Lawton
property, he had not submitted any fur
ther proposition to the representatives
of Mrs, Lawton.
In the first place" said he $500 an
acre was the price We offered for the
property. Members of the board are of
the opinion that that is more than the
ter of record that only short time ago,
property in that immediate vicinity was
sold for about twenty dollars per acre.
Under the circumstances the government
is not disposed 20 be unrea sonable in
driving the bargain, but in view of the
discretionary powers vested in the Sec
rotary of the Navy by law, the secretary
does not intend to be imposed upon. Thus
far no steps have been taken to in
stitute condemnation proceedings because
the department has under consideration
another available site for the naval sta
ton in the vicinity of Charleston, where
the conditions are equally as desirable
with the exception that at present it is
lacking in railroad facilities. We are
assured that railroad facilities will be
provided Immediately upon the selection
OF the latter site.
The Subject is now under serious con-
sideration, and for that reason l have not
made any further propositions to Mrs.
Lawton or her representatives.
While we are anxious to have a first
class naval station located at Charles
ton" said the Admiral, lit must not be
forgotten that the law under which we
are acting does not direct the Secretary
of the Navy to spend a single dollar. 1t
simply authorizes him to exercise his dis
erection in the location of a site, the es-
adjustment of a naval station and the
construction of a dry dock capa BILE of ac-
commodating the largest battleship of the
navy. it, in his discretion, he deems it of
the best interest to the government TO
make the expenditure Under a strict
construction of the language of the law,
he is not commanded to expend a single
dollar. unless he deems it advisable to do
so. When negotiations were first COM
menced we were of the impression that
there would be no delay or contention
over the agreement of terms. The money
for the purchase of the site was made
Immediately available. so that the mo-
ment satisfactory terms are reached the
propriated for the establishment of the
naval station proper-that is the buildings
and approaches, will not be available
until July l. 1t is to the interest of all
concerned that the matter be adjusted at
once, so that the legal transfer of the
site may be fully completed. so that the
work on the station may be commenced
at the beginning of the new fiscal year"
Admiral Endicott expressed his sincere
regrets that the Charleston Exposition
was deprived of government aid through
the failure of Congress to make the de-
sired appropriation. He remarked. how
ever. that Charleston will receive much
greater benefits by the establishment of
naval station than would result from
an appropriation of $25O,COo for an expo
sitSon.
THE government" said he, Twill spend
good deal more than a quarter of a
million dollars annually in Charleston
until the naval station and dry dock is
completed. As between the naval sta
ton and the exposition, Charleston is TO
he congratulated upon securing the ma
val station"