The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-25
MAY LOSE BUILDING
WORK SUSPENDED ON N. J. BELLS
 NEW STRUCTURE.
Negotiations fn Progress, 1t is An- nounced, to Have Contract An- nuI1ed Because of the Pre-
 hsbffion Agitation.

Montgomery is about to lose s40o,- 900 office building. The cancellation of the N. ]. Bell contract for the erection of tweIve-story sky scraper corner of Montgomery and Lee Streets. Is tot tering in the balance.
 Mir. Bell declares that the recently developed prohibition agitation Is re- sponsiblee for his desire to abandon the project.
 With the ground cleared. the excavh- tion completed. work houses and fences up, a part of the steel orderd. and everything in readiness for laying the foundation of the proposed office struc- ture. work has been temporarily sus- pended on the building operations. pending the result of the prohibition movement in Montgomery County, while N. J. Bell is negotiating with the con tractors, Wells Brothers Company, for the revocation of the contract at fair figure.
 MT. Bell let the contract for the. of- fee structure several weeks ago. and the Wells Brothers Company. who had just completed the First National Bank building. immediately began operations looking to the quick erection of the proposed handsome building.
 The structure was to have measured 100 feet on Montgomery Street and the same frontage on Lee Street. It was to have contained twelve stories above ground. beside an attic and Q basement, making fourteen stories in all. i, It was to have had sos offices and 1t was to have been one of the most modern. up-to-date, fire-proof buildings of It's kind in the State.
 Without hesitation MT. Bell declared last evening that his wish to abandon the buNding was caused entirely by khh x~1klkfftn~ o~itatinA xrhtoh h "a considred, would be detrimental to the busiiess and real estate interests of Montgomery if carried.
 Had known earlier that this move ment was going to be started" said Mfr. Bell. T would not have let the contract for the building. Since the agitation Is on I have entered into negotiations with Wells Brothers with view to setting out of the contract at any reasonable figures. Being largely interested in business and real estate in Montgomery. firm- 1 ly believe that the prohibition agita- tio6 tends to the detriment of such | interests. The effects of the movement are already evidenced in the unsettled condition of affairs. The market in all I lines is inactive and real estate trans fers are practically at standstill. | 'Tf matters rock on and the crisiE | Is brfoged all fiBnt, ne adaeu. U high licenses should prove satisfactory and a normal business condition is re- stored, the work of putting up the of. l flee building will be resumed" | P. A. Wells. member of the firm Nof Wells Brothers' Company, freely
 admitted yesterday that negotiations
 were pending for the cancellation ol the contract. The matter. he said. had
 been taken up with the New York Of.
 flee. and he was not at liberty to talk He, said, however that operations had
 been suspended.
 Though Mir. Bell has not given out what am3fint he has offered for ths i cancellation of the contract, rumor ha, I 1t that he has offered from $20.000 tC 1 s25.eoo to be released from the pro | ject.
 The building. exclusive of the archi
 tect's fee. was to have cost approxi mately S375,0 900.