Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-09-15
To Be Erected at a Cost
Of 100000
There viii Be More Than a
Score Of Buildings.
Old Site 10 Be Sold Wasn NV One Is
All Completed.

Boston. Sept. 14.-About one millior
dollars will he spent by the United
States Government in paying for the
site and erecting buildings for the new
Naval Magazine on the banks of tho
Weymouth Back River. in bingham
and Weymouth. Few people have any
conception of the magnitude of tho
undertaking, the putting through OF
the condemnation proceedings. in
charge of First Assistant United States
Attorney William Garland. in the
United States Courts. the development
of the site and the erection of more
than a score Of buildings. some of them
very large and of the most solid con-
struction. The plant may not be
finished for several years and actual
work on the site probably will not be-
gin before next summer.
BY an act Of Congress passed in 1904
an appropriation of $4,000 was made
for the purchase of the site, which
comprises more than one hundred
separate parcels of land of varying
size. and which the Board of Survey
reported was valued at about $4,000
and might be purchased by the
Government for $4,000. Since then it
has become evident that the site
which has been increased about one
third over the first estimates, will cost
upwards of $150.00O. The expense of
acquiring title to the land may be even
greater, the amount depending en-
tlrely upon the extent to which the
United States is involved in litigation
no ,,f
the claims have been adjusted and a
few of the owners have actually been
paid by the Government. As most of
the holdings are small and the prices
offered in the condemnation proceed
inSS liberal il is expected the ma iority
of the owners will be perfectly willing
to settle without trouble There are
one or two of the large tracts over
which there may be some controversy
as to price. The two largest are
owned by Lewis Bass. Jr who has
1887 acres above the high tide mark
ana 2l.5S acres Of flats. and Reuben
Hers"y who owns 1925 acres of dry
land and 1874 acres Of flats.
Since the first approximation was
made Congress has set aside $2OO. 900
additional for the acquisition of the
site, enclosing the grounds. garding the
land and building roads and walks. IN.
provement of the water front. con-
Structlon of wharves, building and
railroad, installing fire and
water services and the employment of
experts and laborcrs for carving on
the work. This act makes the total so
Tar appropriated by Government for
the Naval Magazine s270.OOO. but this
is only a start on what will actually be
required to finish everything contem-
plated.
The site as at first planned called for
about five hundred acres on the Hing
ham side and half as much on the
Weymouth side of the river. II has
since been extended by the addition of
ABOUT $50 acres in bingham. making
the total now being condemned about a
thousand acres.
Inc board having In charge the
selection Of a site for the new
magazine reported to the Navy De-
partment at Washington that it had
examined the coast from Plymouth,
Mass, to Yarmouth, Me, and that the
land on the Weymouth Back River was
the best adapted Of any. They said
mat the site is surrounded by range
81 bluffs, isolating il 80 that there IS
ittle danger from an explosion 1t is
TAR enough from tho sea to render
by a foreign foe futile.
and the area and boundaries forbid the
proximity of objectionable ueighbors.
The site is well adapted for present
necessities and for. any future needs
mat may arise. There are abundant
springs. which may be tapped for
additional water supply. The site is
said to be generally firm and dry, and
will not require much filling. and there
ire several rock lodges which will
supply stone for some of the buildings.
The water front can easily be dc.
'eloped. and it Is planned to have q
'erles Oh wharves and retaining walls. |
Inc site Is seven miles distant nv,
water from the Charlestown Nav
ara and four miles from Nantasixe
toaus. Lighters may be worked he
ween half and half full tides as n g
low, but small amount OF dret,g;ra
VII De done later to make it accessi-
ne at low water. The New York. New
haven & Hartford Railroad skirts ono
orner OF the tract on the Hineha M
ioe and switches will be mt
u 10 give connection with the svstarn |
tracks which is to be built within
ne reservation. Other advantages
men We're especially cited by the
oard are the fact that boats and
enters with Ammunition oho,s 70,