The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-07
FOR FEDERAL COURT
sELNrANss HOPE FOR PASSAGE or
 PETTUs BILL.
Disappointment over Award of Cdh- tract for ButIdfnw Before Action
 ep Measure Providing fer Additisnsi S7B,oo0.
Advertiser Bureau,

Advertiser Bureau, Selma, Jan. 6. The disappointing news that the con tract for the erection of the new post oHce has been awarded before the out come of the Pettus bill appealing for an additional appropriation of $75, ,00o, has been received in Selma. Hopes for the federal Court have not been blasted. On the contrary the awarding of the contract for the postohice building is
 regarded as an impetus to the move- rnent.
 Erection of the postoffice building VIII begin soon. The contract was giv-
 en to George Moore and Sons of Nash vliie Tenn, say advices from Wash l ington, and the building will cost s44,- o0o. With the original appropriation of sI6,0e0 there will be a surplus of $31,- oeo to pay for the lot and to furnish
 the building.
 The new postofice will be erected on lot at the corner of Alabama and | Iauderdale Streets opposite the new County Court House. It is undoubted- l iy the most ideal location that could De secured Unless the second appro- prfatfon asked for by Senator Pettus
 IS granted the building will be only one story. occupying a large ground space. It Is expected that representatives of
 
 come to Selma immediately and that l as soon as practicable erection will be | started. Stfpulations and conditions of | the contract are not known in Selma. The citizens of Selma through the Commercial and Industrial Association have been active in their efforts to | have the opening of the bids for the erection of the new postoffice postponed
 until Senator Pettus would get another appropriation. The success of the bill introduced a few days ago has been regarded as likely here. and as 1t would mean an expenditure of about $150,000
 it would have been much preferable to
 Selma people to have had the contract postponed in order that plans for tse postoffce and court building could have
 been contained, making 1t a two or three story structure. It is feared now
 that Senator Pettus will not be suc- successful in securing an additional | s75,0e0, and even if he does the build ing will cost more and will not be near so satisfactory as If the contract had been for the $125,000 building com plete.
 Just before Congress adjourned for
 the holidays when 1t was announced
 that the bids would be opened soon the Commercial and Industrial Association | wired Congressman Bowie to do all in I his power to have the awarding of the
 contract postponed until the bill could
 be introduced. Nothing has been heard from Bowie. but 1t is believed that he | has done everything he could to have | the associations request complied with. Next Tuesday night the Commercial and Industrial Association will hold a l meeting. and it Is probable that action will be taken on the matter. It is not
 known just what plans were submitted by the contractors, but 1t is believed that the postoff1ce will be built fin &C., | cordance> with the possibility of an ad- ditionai story or two in the near future without great cost.
 At any rate, new postofice for a not far distant day is assured, and it will be a great relief to Selma. The
 present quarters in The Times build. ing on Water Street are considered
 wholly inadequate. In fact. it is said ! that the eramped and eongested condi- tions in the present ofice greatly ham, dicap the mail distributing service.