Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1906-07-26
BUILDINGS FOR
POST OFFICE.

ested 1T may be instructive to glance
over the modus operandi of acquiring
sites for such structures,
When the Treasury Department is
ready to take up the question of site
where the purchase has been author.
lied the Supervising Architect will
notify the Secretary of the Treasury.
who will cause to be inserted in the
various newspapers published in the
city selected an advertisement which
Will announce that proposals we bill
received for the sale to the JTnited
States of suitable site, centrally
and conveniently located, for the
Federal building to be located in the
said town. The advertisement will
note that the Department. prefers a
corner lot, giving the dimensions as
decided upon by the Department 1t
Is required that each proposal shall be
accompanied by diagram of the
Land. showing the widths of adjacent
streets and alleys, the grades and
character of the foundations obtain
able, etc. Any improvements on the
land must be removed by the vendor
within thirty days after written no.
tlce, and the vendor shall pay all ex-
penses connected with furnishing evi.
dence Of title and deeds of convey.
ance. These proposals are received
sealed, and the law is very severe in
Furnishing anyone who opens such pro-
posals until the hour appointed, when
they are opened in the office of the
Supervising Architect in the presence
of duly appointed committee. The
proposals must be marked Proposal
for Federal building site at Blank.
ville," and addressed to the Secretary
Of the Treasury, Supervising Arohi.
tect's Office, Washington, D. q.
Many considerations enter into the
question OF selecting site. OF pri-
mary Importance is the location. The
Post Office Department prefers sites
near the depot in large cities, and
near the center of business in the
smaller ones. Corner lots are pre-.
ferred, as the law stipulates that
there must be clear space around all
Federal buiIdingss of at least forty
feet, including streets and alleys. The
Secretary of the Treasury, however,
is permitted in his discretion to waive
this requirement. when satisfied that
it will not Interfere with ample fire
protection. While the matter of cost
is not predominant factor, in that it
is by no means the lowest bidder that
carries off the plum, ..the Treasury is
not disposed to be gouged. and insists
that the lots offered shall be at price
which is fair in connection with the
price of surrounding property, looa.
tion, character of foundations, etc.,
all considered. To prevent combina.
tion or any other effort to hold up the
Government, the Treasury reserve
the right to reject any or all proposals.
Sometimes it happens that practical
site cannot be purchased under the
first proposals received, when other
proposals are asked for. In all cases
the purchase price of the site must be
within the limit of the appropriation
when specifically made for the acquir.
ing of a site. When bulk appropri-
alton is made for site and building,
the Treasury Department. is expected
to set aside enough of this appropria-
tion to secure the construction of a
practical building, and the remainder
is then available tor site. Some
times the Department makes a mis-
take, and when it goes to erect
building finds it has not enough
money because of the amount expend-
ed for the site. and then it is com.
pelled to ask Oongress.to make up the
deficiency. which Congress does not
like to do. Congress prefers first to
appropriate for the site, and when
that is acquired to make another for
the building.
When the bids are opened and prop
erly tabulated, the Treasury Depart
ment sends an inspector to examine
the sites offered and report thereon.
1t there is no active contest the Su-
pervising Architect makes his report
and recommendations to the Assistant
Secretary OF the Treasury under whom
his division comes, at present Assist.
ant Secretary j, Fl. Edwards. The
report of the supervising architect is
usually based on the report of the in.
spector and the other papers in the
case, although sometimes the architect
personally inspeots the various sites
offered as there often happens to be
bitter contest. Assistant Secretary
Edwards will review the papers in the
case and send them to the Secretary of
the Treasury, who will have final say
in the matter.