The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-10
Technical Institute Promoters Re-
garded by the War Department
as the Certain Purchasers.
OMNIBUS BUILDING BILL
Report ON the Case of Cashier Leap
Received mt NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
After Naval Training Station.
tan Correspondence of the Journal.

Stah Correspondence OF the Journal
WASHINGTON. Feb. Elf there has
been doubt in the minds of any Indianap-
oils citizen as TO the sincerity of the War
Department in it's promise to establish a
military post at Indianapolis that doubt
may row be removed, for Secretary Root
has signed the order of sale necessary for
the disposal of the Arsenal property. an
act which looks to the ultimate establish
ment in Indiana OF one of the finest mill
tary posts in the country. BY the act of
the secretary of war the post is now as
sured and the promoters of the Technical
Institute may begin getting their money
ready to buy the Arsenal grounds.
After approving the order of sale with
his signature the secretary of war this
afternoon sent a document to Adjutant
General Corbin and that officer probably
will send it to the quartermaster general
tomorrow or within a few days at least.
General Corbin said this afternoon that
he would fix the time of selling the Ar
senai property at thirty days from to-mor-
row. The quartermaster general will ad-
vertise the property for sale in newspapers
at once. The order of sale simply pro-
vides that the property shall be sold at
the upset price of the ap-
as much more as the property will bring.
II cannot be sold for less than s154.OO0. 1t
Is the understanding of the secretary of
war and other officers of the War Depart
ment that the property is to be sold for
sl5i.Q00. and that il is to be purchased by
the technical institute people. In accord
hnce with the law, however. it must be
sold to the highest bidder An officer from
he fer ferfe will RI
indianapolis to conduct the sale.
When the sundry civil appropriation bill
up in the House for passage, which
may be tomorrow or almost any day this
week. Mr.. Overstreet will be prepared with
two amendments. He will first ask for
$1,000. with which to complete the pur-
chase price OF the site recommended, and
IL this is secured he will ask for $4,000 to
carry on improvements on the tract next
summer. IL was the original intention to
ask for $4,000 in a lump sum, but it was
later decided to introduce two amendments,
the first one being very modest. 1t is al
most assured that the first amendment will
get through all right III the second one
fails In the House. or If both should fail
there. 1t is felt that Senator Fairbanks will
be able to take care OF them in the Senate
They must necessarily come up in the
House first. as all appropriation bills must
originate there.
Should the effort to procure the $4,000
fail there is a general fund at the disposal
of the War Department which can be
drawn on to pay for the preliminary i'm
provements OF the tract, such as building
roadways. rifle ranges, etc.
Chairman Mercer. of the House committee
ra,thl h,,fId
from New Orleans to-day with other MEM
bers of the committee. and tonight is busy
at home with the work of the committee.
he Is trying TO get the omnibus bill recon-
mending appropriations for different pub
lie buildings I'm readiness to be sent 70 the
House this week. The bill will contain an
item OF $400,OO0 which, Mr.. Mercer said to-
night. would be recommended for COM
pleting the Indianapolis federal building
This Is the amount asked for by Senator
Fairbanks and Representative Overstreet
in the respective bills they introduced
The first assistant postmaster general to-
day received a report from the postmaster
at Indianapolis in regard to the case of AS
s:stant Cashier Leap. who was dismissed
for alleged incompetency and reinstated at
the request of the department. The report
charges that Leap guilty of careless
ness in making up his accounts. The first
the report carefully. but in looking over the
papers forwarded in general way he has
reached the conclusion that Leap Is an ex-
cellent penman, and taking all the facts
into consideration and accepting them as
true without weighing them deliberately 1t
appears 10 him that Leap has probably been
careless However, the first assistant has
given no official opinion as yet and will not
until he thoroughly examines the report.
The postmaster still differs with the de-
partment on the question of his right TO
dismiss Leap and asserts that the DEPART
ment should have nothing 10 saw about IL
However, said the first assistant to-day,
the Indianapolis postmaster confesSes we
had right to take hand in the case by
putting the man back TO work
Xxx
At meeting OF Ohio congressman TODAY
II was planned 90 make a fight for the To-
cation OF the navl. training station the
government intends b-ilding on one of the
great lakes. The Ohio delegation decided
TO undertake 10 amend the item in the naval
OF a site. This amendment, il was decided
will take the form OF provision To locate
the station upon Lake Erie" This action
means that the Indiana people will have ~
fight II they get the station on Lake Nichi
gan In asking for Lake Erie location
port OF the New York PennsvIvania and =
part OF the Michigan delegations.
Indiana congressman to-day received let
ters from Admiral George Brown, OF In
dianapolis. inviting them to attend the ex-
ercises incident TO the presentation of a
sword to Admiral Taylor by the State
Legislature Feb. q. IL Is not probable that
many OF the congressman will take the time
10 go to Indianapolis for these exercises
as IL will be I'm the midst OF the busiest time
Of Congress.
The House committee on printing will
hold meeting on Wednesday. The resolu-