The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-05
HOW POSTOFF|CE
SITES ARE BOUGHT
Postmaster Carter Receives
Official Information
GOES INTO DETAILS
Government VIII Advertise For Bids
and Then Property For Sale Must
BE Described in the Most
Minute Manner
GOES INTO DETAILS

received from the treasury department
| information as to how bids for the sale
of postoffice sites should be submitted
to the government.
1t will be remembered that an appro-
priation of 100000 was recently made
for the purchase of postoffice site in
Birmingham. Information is sent out
| from the office of the supervising archi-
test for the benefit of those having prop
erty for sale as follows:
Upon the enactment of a law author
| izing the acquisition of a site for a
federal building the treasury department
| invites, through a local newspaper, pro-
posas for the sale or donation of a suit
able corner
1.-THE offers are opened in Washington
at the time stated in the advertisement,
and as soon thereafter as practicable
an agent of the department is sent to
make a personal examination of the pro-
posed locations and such others as he
deems desirable. Based on the agents
! report, together with representations in
| writing from other sources, the depart
ment selects the site and, if the property
10 W NC dNduii Cd ny PuiShoSc, otNtpto
the offer of the successful bidder, subject
to the conditions hereinafter stated and
the Attorney Generals approval of the
title No intermediary between the land
owner and the government is necessary
or desirable at any stage of this bus
| mess.
whenever the department is unable to
purchase an acceptable site at a reason
able price, or where acceptable title cam
not be secured by voluntary conveyance,
a selection Is made and the title ac-
quired by condemnation proceedings, in
| which the price to be paid is judicially
determined.
1.-The buildings df any on the site
should be reserved by the vendor, to be
removed upon notice after payment for
| the land has been made. Generally no.
| tice to clear the site Is not given until
| the construction of the federal building
is about to begin, If the vendor is will
ing, pending such removal, to pay a rea-
sonable ground rent.
There Is usually a large volume of site
business before the department, and while
such work receives unremitting attention
until finished, 1t is not always prac-
ticable to dispose of a particular case
as speedily as desired by the parties in
terested Bidders are at liberty (in case
of failure of the department to make a
selection within a reasonable time) to
withdraw their proposals, but will be
| expected by the department to give no.
| tice of such intention.
"Plans for public buildings are taken
up in the order in which the titles to
the sites therefor are vested In the United
| States, and the contracts for their con-
struction are let at as early date as
practicable.
mo special form of proposal is re-
quired, but the offer must be in writing,
addressed to the Secretary of the Treas
ury and should Indicate definitely the
location and dimensions of the property
and the price at which it is offered The
proposal must be accompanied by dia-
gram or plat on a sheet by 10h inches,
on which the following data must be
clearly indicated, viz:
81. An outline map of the land offered,
showing accurately its shape and the
dimensions in feet and inches of each
side.
go The width from lot line to lot line
of adjacent streets, width of sidewalks,
width of roadway between curbs and
whether or not paved and the character
of the paving.
80 The width and location of adjacent
alleys, and whether public or private,
paved or unpaved.
"a The location in adjacent streets or
alleys of gas, water and heating mains;
electric-light conduits OF overhead cleo
tric-light wires or cables; sewers, with
their depth below street levels and their
diameters, and whether they are sanitary
or storm-water sewers, or both.
where there are gas or heating mains
in the streets or alleys, the kind of gas
supplied natural or arfciaD and the
kind of heating (steam or hot water)
should be shown.
IS. If no sewers are in adjacent streets
a statement from the city engineer must
be secured and attached to the plat
showing the distance from the property
offered to the nearest sewer with which
connection could be made and the amount
of fall between the property offered and
the sewer to be connected with.
g. The plat or diagram must have in
dicated thereon the location of any right
of way, sewer conduit steam or water
pipes. cables or wires which may be
upon. under. or over the property. under
any easement or permit, and whether
their right to be there is subject to ter
mination.
THE plat must show with reasonable
accuracy the north point of the COM
pass.
mo title papers need be submitted
with proposals; but If the title to the
property Is in such condition that con-
veyance thereof can not be made by deed
the facts should be briefly stated.
Bidders should indicate whether they
bid as owners or agents.
when two or more parcels of adjacent
lands are required to make a site of the
required dimensions the department pre-
fers that the owners join in the proposal.
each indicating the portion of the total
price to be paid for his respective share.
Mineral Rights
IF the property is subject to the reser-
walton of mineral rights that fact must
be stated, and a plat furnished showing
approximately the depth below the street
level and the location and extent of any
excavation or workings under the prop
erty, together with a statement OF the
character of the soil from its natural
surface down to such excavations or
workings.
Title Papers and Abstracts
THE owner of the site finally selected
by the department will be advised in
writing of the acceptance of his proposal,