The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-09-01
POST OFFICE
LOCATION
The Government Inspector Ex-
amineS Sites and Listens
to Suggestions.
LITTLE INTEREST MANIFESTED.

prospect OF the post Office proposition
being indefinitely postponed. inspect
or Field Of the post Office department.
came to town Wednesday afternoon
and with Postmaster Clarke inspected
the various sites offered and met a
number of persons. To afford oppor-
tunity for general expression of opin-
ion public meeting was called in the
county hall on Thursday morning aud
although but short notice could be
given some thirty or more representa-
tive citizens were present.
The meeting was called to order by
George @. Smith, and Mr.. Fields stated
that many of the places offered could
not be considered because not corner
lots on streets dedicated to the city
and accepted by it. This was abso-
lutte. He also expressed surprise that
so many bids were made at such wide
variance with the conditions imposed
by the government in the advertise
ment for proposals.
The size proposed, 150x140, as sta
ted was approximate, but he did not
believe that SO little as 100 frontage
would be accepted, but the attorney
general would pass on this. The chan
ces were nine out of ten against it,
He said that this eliminated all con
sideration of the Park House as If a
street were laid out alongside, to COM
ply with the conditions, only sc to 76
feet would be left.
1t appeared very evident from the
views of those present and their state
ments of what others had said that the
Park House had been the first choice
of a great majority of the business
men.
Mr.. Fields stated that If the desire,
as he supposed it to be, was to have
the postoffice on the green, this left
the property to the east of The Record
building as the only one to consider.
He understood that Dumont Place
would be dedicated to the city and the
frontage increased so that it would
come within the requirements. He
could, if he desired, approve the site
subject to the street being dedicated
and accepted before the government
bought it,
E. X. Mills Esq. spoke in favor of
the Brandegee lot, known as the Twin
ing property on South street. 1t was
a fiat piece of land on the towns most
prominent street and he believed a
street could be laid out there also Al
3Q-foot street would leave SO foot
front He did not know whether more
property could be acquired or not to
give more frontage if necessary. He
is the attorney who put in the bid for
this property. Mr.. Bonsall also spoke
in its favor.
Objection was made to the property
east of The Record building as being
on hillside, but Mr.. Fields stated
that there was no grade there to make
it in any way Objectionable.
Elmer King, Esq. speaking for G. F
Wilson, Esq, one of the. owners Of
this property, said for it that the lot
was conveniently situated for the car
rying of mails and that it was where
visitors would see it. These were the
two great points. All the public streets
lead to the park, the commercial life
OF the town was around it and the
greatest good and the greatest con-
venience would be accomplished by
placing it there He took exception to
Mr.. Mills statement that business was
going down South street; also to his
statement that the trolley company
could not condemn right of way.
He said Dumont Place was not be-
ing opened, as might be thought, to
get the postoffice there, but as the
route chosen by the trolley company.
1t was the most logical and best place
for the postoffice.
w. A. Lauenstein said everybody
wanted to get the postofice near his
own place and he favored the Farm
ers' Hotel property, but several
thought it could not be made to COM
ply with the conditions.
MIR, Reynolds, for the trolley compa-
ny, said he would like to see it on the
tract east of The Record building.
Mr.. Fields assented to his conten-
tion that it would be desirable to have
it located along the trolley line.
Mr.. W. K. Muchmore and Mr.. Phil
lips, of Philips & Day, spoke for the
site, as did Mr.. P. H. Hoffman, who
said that in the 60 years he had been
ir business in Morristown the post
office had always been on the green
except for two snort terms, during one
of which 1t was on South street, near
the Hibler building, and during the
other 1t was on Market street near the
Mission building
On motion of l. r. Pierson it was
adopted without dissenting vote as
the sense of the meeting that the post
office should go on the site East of
The Record building, Mr.. Mills CON
tenting himself with objecting to
vote being taken on the ground that
it was not a representative meeting
after sufficient call.
Although not mentioned at the meet
ing the Reilly property corner of Nor
ris and King streets, opposite the rail
way station, was inspected and will be
reported upon by the inspector.
We are informed by Mr.. Field that
the appropriation would not lapse if
site is not determined upon now.
The building to be erected here would
be one-StOry structure but the walls
would he carried uD a little hfvher than