The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-16

treasury: BldS VIII De received Y
 on Birmingham postoffice site un- <
 til final action is taken <
 < This means that bids will be <
 ' received after July 27. and Con- <
 gressman Underwood believes that < ' ample time will be given for the ' ' property owners to submit their <
 < bids and that Birmingham will be <
 < given a square deal in the matter. < Representative Oscar w. Underwood on his return home yesterday from short visit to South Alabama, received the fol- lowing letter from the Assistant Secretary
 of the Treasury in reference to the pro- posals for bids for the purchase Of suit able site for postoffice building in Bir-
 mingham:
 Treasury Department,
 Washington, D. C., July 12, 1910.
 Honorable Oscar w. Underwood, Bir- mingham, Ala:
 Sir: This department has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Sth instant relative to the adver- | tisement which it has caused to be pub lshed soliciting proposals for the sale to the United States of land for a new Fed eral building site at Birmingham. Ala. Based upon data on file in this depart | ment, It is~ estimated that a building of three stories and basement, having 25,000 | square feet ground area, will be required. | The most suitable site for building of | this character, if bounded on only two sides by streets. and allowing for the | necessary 4O-foot fire limit on the other | two sides, and for sufficient room for the | future extension of the building, would be l of the approximate dimensions named in | departments advertisement. In its adver- | tisement the department stated that the | dimensions named were approximate. and | that If properties offered were bounded on | three sides by streets, one dimension could | be reduced 40 feet, and if bounded on all | sides by streets a site 40 feet less in | length and breadth would be suitable. | It Is understood that there are suitable properties to be had, consisting of half blocks with frontages of from 250 to 30d | feet by 40 feet in depth to 20-foot alleys. The alleys can be counted in the fire limit | These properties are of sufficint size. Properties of the size indicated by you, viz. 200 by 190 feet to an alley, would be available. In fact, consideration will be given to any properties offered which are of a sufficient size for the purpose, and | there is nothing to prevent owners from | submitting proposals. The advertisement | indicates merely the departments prefer I ence ana uOeS nOl c0Cluut DluuCEo nay III s properties of other dimensions from bid | ding.
 | Reasons for Action
 The department is aware that no appro- priatio has been provided for the acquisi ton of new federal building site at Bir-
 mingham, but as an appropriation which provides specifically for the cost of ad- vertising for and the expenses of site agents was made during the recent ses- I ,x,t.~ 1.l | that 1t was your wish to have this matter put forward as far as could be done with | in the authority possessed by it. While. | as you point out, the department cannot make contract at this time to pay for l any land which may be selected for a site. l 1t is authorized by Congress to acquire | land for this purpose at Birmingham by purchase, condemnation or otherwise. and under this authority may accept the pro- posal of the owner of such land as may | be selected, subject to appropriations to | be made by Congress.
 | It will be some time before the depart ment can send an agent to Birmingham | to examine and report upon the properties | offered Several months are usually re- quired by the Attorney General for the examination and report upon the title to l the properties acquired for federal build ing sites. Therefore, 1t Is believed that by the time matters are in such shape that payment flor a site can be made. Con- gross win have had an opportunity to ap- propriate the necessary money for the purpose. Whether such appropriation Is made by the sundry civil act, or in an act
 providing appropriations to carry into eff feet the provisions of the public building act, or in a deficiency bill. the appropria- tion under the provisions of section 1884, Revised Statutes, would be amply avail able.
 When the department sends it's agent to Birmingham he will be instructed to ex- anime every parcel offered and such others as may be deemed specially suit
 able for the purpose. The department will
 endeavor to secure site which will be
 suitable for the purpose and satisfactory
 to the people of Birmingham. Respect fully C. D. HlLLES, Assistant Secretary. Wants Time Extended
 In MT Tnderwood's former letter to the the time for filing bids should be post
 poned and also that persons having lots only 40 feet deep should have an oppor-
 tunity to file bids under the proposals of fered by the government The Secretary
 of the Treasury conceded the second prop
 ositon, and in the letter states that pro-
 posals will be received on lots running
 back only 40 feet deep to the alley, but
 MT. Underwood still thinks tt is advisable
 that longer time should be allowed for
 persons to file bids than the 27th day of
 this month, and yesterday wired the Sec.
 retary of the Treasury requesting further
 extension of the time in which bids may be filed.
 Mir. Underwood stated that he was very
 anxious that as many bids should be filed as possible in order that Birmingham might have the fullest opportunity te SC, cure "a desirable site, and that as 1t re- l'uured combination of property holders to make bid and as there was no great haste in determining the matter, he thought that an extension of time was