Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-23
Secretary Shaw Gives No Init.
nation as to Final POST
office Location
COMMITTEES MEET HIM MONDAY
Secretary Receives Both Committees
Central Site and East End Men
Situation Informally Discussed I'D
Shaw Has Never Turned Down
Agents First Report.

There will be nothing done in the
Marshalltown postoffice location until
1 the secretary for the final disposition of
the site matter. Messrs George r. Is
tabrook ano C. H. Smith, representing
the central site committee. and Messrs.
+. Thaddeus Isinford and I. ]. Fletcher,
/. champions ,,f q Main street location for
/ the federal building met the secretary
in Chicago Monday, where on informal
| talk was had. Nothing was decided
| upon, one way or another, and Secre-
/ tary Shaw lid not intimate what would
| be done.
!! Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Estabrook called
upon Secretary Shaw at his room at
| the Virginia at 8 O'Clock. The secre-
tary was busy with his correspondence
| and the postoffice matter was not
preached until Mr.. Binford and Mr..
Fletcher arrived, q short time after
wards.
Mr.. Binford acted as spokesman for
the Main street committee. and called
| the secret,lry's attention to the fact
that IL the federal building was located
on Main street it would have the ad-
vantage OF street car line passing 1t.
| He also said that the greater number
OF the factories and wholesale houses
favored tile Main street location, and
that the bulk Of the mail business was
- ut, E1S. n RI
not attempt to present any new argu-
ments or propose new site.
This statement was refuted by Mr..
Smith, who referred the secretary TO
the fact that Mr.. Wheaton held signed
statements favoring the public square
site from every factory but two east OF
Center street.
The east end men admitted that they
had but two sites to offer, that known
as the Boardman corner and the Abel
site. The matter Of Joint petitions,
which the secretary had asked for, was
referred to only casually. Mr.. Binford
stating that petitions didn't amount to
much and that he could get petition
to hang the best man in Marshalltown
il he should try. Mr.. Smith remarked
that the central site men had been
willing to circulate joint petition. but
said thatWlen one committee refused to
work the other either had to act indie
pendently or lie down. Mr.. Shaw drop
ped the matter OF petitions, not asking
for any further canvass, since the east
end committee failed to present their
petition at all.
Has Never Turned One Down.
Mr.. Shaw informed the committees,
during the course of his remarks about
public building locations generally,
that IN to this time Of all the buildings
that had been located in different parts
OF the country, he had always stood
nv his commissioners report and de-
cided the matter according to that re-
port. He did this because he had tc
decide some way and he considered thai
his agent, who had been in the field.
and was conyersant with the local stu
atoms. was the best competent judge.
He said that the evidence would have
to be overwhelming that the site Sc
lected by the commissioner was Inn
practicable and undesirable before he.
would reject the commissioners re-
port. He intimated, however. that II
was not impossible to adopt some site
The central site committee made no
effort to bother Mr.. Shaw with its
mass OF numerous petitions One only
of the fifty-three originals was shown
him, being the one signed by Central
shopmen, containing 20 signatures Of
residents living almost entirely in the
south and southeast part of the city,
Mr.. Shaw remarked that from the evil,
dences Of the petition it had been prop
erly circulated, as 1t bore the earmarks
Of toll. The petition was just as it
came from the shops after being signed,
begrimed with dirt and grease. AT
the request of Secretary Shaw the
whole bundle was forwarded to Wash
inEton where it will be carefully COM
sidered.
The central site committee will now
rest its caseson the evidence that is in
the secretafgr Office in Washington,
where thef Sre on file copies of the
original petitions, containing 2,1S4
names, asking that the public square
site selected by Mr.. Wheaton be APP
proved as the location for the new
federal building.
Mr.. Fletcher was asked about the
meeting and said that everything had
passed off tremendously and was very
informal. He said Secretary Shaw ex-
pressed the hope that the two factions
could get together. If change in
made from the recommendation of Mr..
Wheaton it will not be done until all
of the other buildings turnout the
country are located. The secretary
country are located. The secretary
does not wish to establish precedent
of turning down the agents report.
Mr.. Estabrook and Mr.. Smith said
that they did not expect to yet a final
decision from Mr.. Shaw, but were
pleased to learn that the opposition had
failed to present any arguments that
had not been fully impressed upon Mr..
Wheaton, and they came away firmly
convinced that the secretary was going
to decide this matter in a fair and i'm
partial manner.
Mr.. Binford, when asked about the
meeting, said that 1t was only a half
hour in length and very informal Mr.
Shaw gave no intimation one way or
another" he said, "as to what his final
action would be, just as we expected
We only spoke of the two sites, the
Boardman corner and the Aoel proper
ty. Mr.. Shaw said that he didn't like
to turn down the report of his repre-
sentative, Mr.. Wheaton, but said that it
would not be an imposslbility to do so
IL he decided another was better
a1anted n & q Siteo