Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-14
As 10 BUILDING SITES
Manner and Methods OF Select
ing Sites for the Govern.
ment Buildings.
Lowest Bid Does Not Determine
Location -. Adaptability the
Prime Requisite.
Agent of Government Will Visit
the City and Make the
Selection.
Special to Times Republican.

within a few weeks agents represent
ing the treasury department will visit
the towns in Iowa for which provision
was made in the last public buildings
land grounds appropriation bill.
The bids offered by property owners
shalltown and Iowa City have been
|opened and a preliminary record made.
Bids for sites for Atlantic and Center-
vile will be opened Wednesday of this
week. and the Des Mcines bids will be
opened the 21st of July. The Atlantic
and Centerville bids are what the
treasury officials term dollar" bids, the
site being conveyed to the United
States government upon payment OF
only 81 by the government, the ground
| being practically a donation.
Some information concerning the
manner in which the government will
proceed in selecting sites in the various
towns may be of general interest.
| 1t does not appear to be generally
known that the scheme of advertising
for bids and the requesting of mail
| propositions is merely to facilitate
matters The form or style or wording
| of the bid is of no Importance. Neither
| is the question of time Important. OF
course day is set, but this does not
mean that bids may not be submitted
at subsequent date.
Naturally it simplifies matters and
makes the work of the agent easier If
he has a memorandum of all sites in
the town that are available and suita-
BILE for the building. With the data in
| his possession the agent enters the
/! town and proceeds to make a survey of
| the situation. He examines this site
| and that and then asks ii anybody else
has any property suitable for the pur-
pose desired. There is no possibility
of snap judgment The eleventh hour
bidder is on the same level with the
bidder whose bid has been on file for
month.
What the government wants is the
very best available site; the one that
will serve the interests of the govern
ment and the people best. 1t IS ms
take for property owners to bid sll'3oo.
They will get $4,000 just as quickly.
Uncle sam does not split hairs over
such matters; he wants the best ana
will, nav we'll for it. The man who
holds a deed to the property that IS
clearly the most desirable will not nave
tn shave his figures, he will get all the
lot is worth
had talk Saturday with Supervis-
;no Architect TAYLOR and he remarked
that he had had many letters from
Iowa people who seemed to fear they
would Inv some hook or crook, be de-
priyed of an opportunity to get theif
nronerty before the government agent.
They need have no such fears. Ihere
will be ample chances for everybody.
Mr. Taylor sometimes goes out MN
self and visits towns in which bullaihss
40 70 ha erected. He related some
amusing experiences had by MN. ne
smoke of going a few years ago "
GAINESVILLE, Wis.,, to determine the ques-
tion of site. The town was very
much exercised over the matter. Nu'
merous individuals had property 10 Oh
fer and everybody seemed 10 DE aifalo
there was a screw loose somewhere ana
that the other fellow was planning
coup or had a pull or other leverage.
If annears that Mr.. Taylor had ar
rived in the morning on an early tram,
thrown his grip into the bus ana theh
started on foot to see what the town
looked like. He had a plat of the city
and bids of a dozen parties in his coat
nocket. All the sites were examined
and in the course of his rambles MIR.
Taylor discovered a site that had not
anneared upon any plat and for which
no bid was made. This site struck him
in, 10 all
things considered. Arrived upon the
business street Mr.. Taylor hunted UP
real estate man and asked II such ana
such a piece of ground was ON the mar
ket. The agent thought 1t was; he
would see
al! right" said Taylor you look the
matter up and get the lowest price In
the form of an option you can for spot
cash purchaser" The real estate man
went to work.
During the forenoon Mr.. Taylor in
troduced himself as the agent of the
government who had come to decide the
matter of site for the public building.
Then something was doing. There was
il hurryng and scurryng about and at
an appointed hour the hearing was had.
The merits of the various sites were
duly presented, and Mr.. Taylor was
driven hither and thither. He saw them
all again. He had examined all ear
ier i'm the day. but the people did not
know that. After the general survey
ing had been accomplished the negotia
tons were carried on in a public room,
where various propositions We're dis
cussed While this was in progress the
real estate agent slipped in and handed
the supervising architect note. The
latter read 1t and said to the real es-
tate man: "Close the deal; I'll take it,"
Then he informed the numerous prop
erty vendors that he had selected a site
and closed deal, at the same time in
forming the people of the location.
Strange as it may appear the selection
was pronounced an excellent one and
the public was pleased.
MIR. TAYLOR mentioned this incident |
merely to show that even after the ar
rival of the government agent there
would be time for bids. Upon his ar
rival the agent would do just as Mr.
TAYLOR did. If he found a site better
adapted for the purposes of the govern
n.ent than any offered he would buy
that ii ii could be had
Mr. Taylor gave me to understand
IL. y.