The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-07-26
Washington Correspondent Tells
Of Action Of Treasury Officials
in Selecting Building Sites
LOWEST BID NOT THE BEST
Future Needs of the City Determine to
Great Extent Where Govern
ment Buildings Are to be
Located in Kenosha

William Wolff Smith, a Washington
correspondent, writes at some length
on the procedure of the government
in the matter Of procuring postof1ce
sites after appropriations have been
made. Although some of the facts he
brings out have already been touched
upon, there are some phases of the
question that have not been hereto
fore dwelt upon and which are of in
terest to Kenosha just now. Ndr
Smiths letter is in part as follows:
sWhen he treasury department is
ready to take up the question of a
site where the purchase has been au-
thorized, the supervising architect
will notify the secretary Of the treas
ury who will cause to be inserted in
the various newspapers published in
the city selected, an advertisement
which will announce that proposals
will be received for the sale to the
United States of suitable site, CEN
tra1ly and conveniently located, for
the federal building to be located in
lAAC So1N LOW H. I1S Cl(1SCA1 Gilt w Ill
note that the department prefers a
corner lot, giving the dimensions as
decided upon by the department. It
is required that each proposal shall
be accompanied by a diagram of the
land, showing the widths and 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.
tice and the vendor shall pay all ex-
penses connected with furnishing evil
dence oil title and deeds of convey
ance.
'sThe proposals are received sealed
and the law is very severe in punish
ing anyone who opens such proposals
until the hour appointed when they
are opened in the Office of the super
vising architect in the presence of a
duly appointed committee. The pro-
posa1s must be marked Proposals for
federal building site at Kenosha Wis
consin" and addressed to the secre-
tary of the treasury, supervising archi-
tect's Office, Washington. d. c. Many
considerations enter into the question
of selecting site. OF primary i'm
portance is the location. The postof-
fee department prefers sites near the
depot in large cities and near the cen
ter of business in the smaller ones.
Corner lots are preferred as the law
stipulates that there must be a clear
space around all federal buildings 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 inter
fere with ample fire protection.
"While the matter of cost is not
predominating factor in that it is by
no means the lowest bidder that car
ries off the plum, the treasury is not
disposed to be gouged and insists that
the lots offered shall be at a price
which is fair in connection with the
price of surrounding property, loca-
ton, character of foundations. etc. all
considered. To prevent combinations
against the government in this matter
appropriation is made for a site
and the treasury reserves the
right to reject any or all pro-
posa1s. Sometimes it happens that a
practical site cannot be purchased I'M
der 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 APP
preparation when specifically made for
the acquiring Of site. When bulk