The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-10
EUSIIS EXPLAINS
POSTOFFICE SITE.
FAvoRs BLOCK SO RATHER THAN
40 If.
Man Who AL but Cinched Government
g All by Himself Returns from Wash
! ington with His Credentials
. Progress Was Easy Until Gardner
Telegram Reached Secretary Shaw.

: William Henry Eustis, the innocent
bystaader' in the postoffice matter, has
returned from Washington. ' &
70 urnal reporter, who saw
him today, Mr.. Eustis smilingly said:
."Yes, I have come home and brought
my credentials with me. I still consid-
cr them as good as those of Mr.. OWN
nell. l went to Washington in perfect
good faith and have tried at least to
ings. ..-.- ~.... H.
= ''There have been some insinuations
that in representing block 40 [ repre-
sented my own interests. 1 represented
a petition containing 700 or 800 names.
1t has on it some of the strongest
banks and many of the leading bust
ness houses, wholesale and. retail, in
the city. l took it up at the request of
the men on this petition. AS to the
site, am free to admit that block 3S
is the best site for the postoffice, pro-
block 40 is the best site within the ap-
preparation. If the gentlemen who are
interested in block 50 can secure it all
for the government, I believe they will
have made a good beginning toward a
civic center. L don't think o-thirds
of the block, with buildings higher than
the postoffias sticking up back Of it In
the same, block, constitutes such an al
Turing beginning. ...
"Block 40 has many strong friends.
It is within 800 or 400 feet of block
3S, on the same street, and it is within
the appropriation. If the block 80 peo-
have a better site. That is all I have
to say.
"Secretary Shaw's letterlof Nov -
to the Commercial club lays down the
conditions pretty definitely. What he
wants is immediate action toward get
ting an eligible site within the $780,
900 appropriated
His washington Trip.
How near the postoffce came to be-
ing located on block 40 is an interest
ing story. Mr.. Eustis reached Wash
ington on Saturday and went to see
the secretary, who turned him over to
Edwards, the assistant secretary. He
day morning and there met J. X. Tay-
lor, the supervising architect, and
turned in his options. They went over
the whole matter. At that time there
was not a definite proposition from any
other source in Minneapolis. At the
conclusion of the interview Edwards
said, "That IS all right, block 40 it is. -
just as they were separating mes
sage came down from Secretary Shaw's
office that the whole thing was off,
having been held up for thirty days.
Mr.. Eustis went back to the secretary's
office and was shown the Gardner tele-
gram from the Commercial club. Mr.
,Eustis remarked that it seemed rather
hard to have men travelling back and
forth without definite aim, that he had
come in good faith and had presented
a site which practically had been ac-
cepted by the department.. :
= $3.50 ~ Willing to Wait. s"@& %.
He suggested that the people who op-
posed block 40 be invited to appear on
Wednesday and make their statements as
to what they could do. Secretary Shaw
thought that proper and suggested Thurs
day instead of "Wednesday. ~ That was
agreed upon and Secretary Shaw sent
out kilograms to everybody who could
be, expected to have an interest in the
matter. The result was the hearing at
which the secretary agreed to wait un-
til Feb. Is for definite offer of two
thirds of block 38 within the amount
appropriated by congress. That is the
present status of the postoffice matter.
Mr.. Eustis wanted to make it clear
that Secretary Shaw had put it up to
the delegation that what he wanted was
two-thirds Of block 50 at price within
the appropriation and that this was
what the delegation had promised him.
In his opinion Secretary Shaw has
treated the delegation handsomely, and
he is perfectly satisfied to see the dele
cation have fair chance to produce re-
suits. >.".~.