The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-05-09
Treasury Officials Ask City OFF,
Gals to Make Proposition for
Postoffice on Market Square
MORE DELAY FOR BUILDING
No Decision on Site is Made on the Date
Set BY the Secretary of Treasury
on Account of Plans to Use
Market Square"

PldCC All The lOCdllOu u luG PIOpOSGu
postoffice building for the city and
this morning Henry B Robinson,
president of the Merchants and Saw
| ings Bank, who has taken an interest
in locating the postoffice near the
business districts, received a letter
from the assistant secretary of the
treasury asking that plans and maps
be su omitted to the officials for COM
sideration in connection with the
selection of site for the building.
| The officials also ask that the city of
Kenosha make a formal proposition
to the department for the sale or
lease of the ground needed for the
postcffice building
| The letter came as surprise as few
people in the city believed that the
government would seriously consider
the plan advanced by a few business
men to make the Square the location
for the postofice. Mayor German
was interviewed in regard to the letter
and he stated that the matter had not
been formally placed before him and
that it would be hard matter to
tell what the City Council could or
would do in the matter. Mayor Cor
man has been anxious to secure the
improvement of the Square and the
demand Of the government for
proposition from the city seems to
open the way for the improvement of
the Square without cost to the city.
Mayor German insisted that if the
city could and did find way TO give
the government the use Of the proper
ty owned by the city all of the i'm
provements would have to be done
by the treasury department.
A short time ago Secretary Cortel-
You of the Treasury Department sent
out notice to the Postmaster and
other interested parties that the de-
cision in regard to the site for the Ke-
nosha building would be made on May
1st, but notwithstanding flood of
kilograms sent to the department
from people having sites and in other
ways interested no response from the
department was received until this
morning when Mr. Robinson received
the letter asking for the proposition
from the city. Many people contend
that the square is not large enough to
furnish site for the building and
that if it is the city would have no
right to vacate the property even to
the government. Others seem to be-
lieve that the square could be con-
verted into a place of beauty if the
government took charge.
There is one thing certain and that
is that the decision in the matter will
not be made until after the PROPOSE.
ton of the city is sent to the govern
ment.
Mayor German, in speaking of the
matter this morning, suggested that
it might be good plan to build a
com bination building to be used both
as postoffice and as city hall, but
it is hardly possible that such plan
would have the sanction of the gov
eminent.
The department would save little in
securing the square from the city if
the government paid for the improve
ments, as it is pretty certain that the
improvements necessary would cost
nearly as much as the amount set
aside for the purchase of the site for
the building. The letter from the de-
partment follows:
Treasury Department,
Office of the Secretary,
/ Wa 9 hiyar fOr1 nril an 1907 \
Mr.. H. B. Robinson, President Mer-
chants and Savings Bank, Kenosha,
Wisconsin.
/ Sir:-Referring further to.your COM
munication of the 10Th instant, sug-
j costing the possibility that lthe City
of Kenosha might donate portion of
/ Market Square as Federal building
site, and to your letter of the 18th
instant, giving the dimensions of
said Square from curb to curb, you
are advised that if an offer is made
4 by the city of site in Market Square
for the purpose indicated, it will be
/ given consideration.
The offer should be accompanied by
a plat showing the exact location and
| dimensions OF that portion of Market
Square intended to be donated to the
/ United States and giving the width of
streets remaining on each side be-
tween the lines Of said proposed site
and the street curbs; the distance
from said proposed site to Chicago
and Main streets, and the width of
Market street between lot lines and
between curb lines at the corner OF
i Chicago street; also the dimensions
across Market Square between build
ing lines and between curb lines.
i Please advise the department at the
earliest practicable date oil the result
Of such effort as may be made to Sc
cure the offer of donation suggested
by you. Respectfully,
i BEEKMAN WINTHROP,
Assistant Sec'y.
0ASToREA.