The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08
'MAYNOT benefit BY
REGENT ACT. OF CONGRESS
Unless Government and Property
sc Owners Get Together, Money
May Lapse.
PROVIDED FOR SPECIFIC SITE
Congressman Montague and Treasury
Officials Doubtful of Authority to
5 Use Money Elscwhere-Will Be
Hard to Get New Act.

There is n strong probability that
Richmond will not benefit by the $3.50.
Congress to purchase n site. adjoining
the. present Federal Building. upon
which II WAS proposed to erect IN an
mex to increase the facilities of the
post-office.y Treasury officials have
been unable to complete negotiations
with the owners of the property. and
are now trying to stretch the nppro-
priation to cover the purchase Of
site in another place 1t Is believed,
however. that, the department will be
powerless to act in the absence of spe-
cific authorization from Congress-.
No decision In regard to the pur-
chase of a site has yet been made by
the Treasury Department. Assistant
Secretary Byron Newton Is the only
man who is authorized to speak on
the matter. and he has been absent
from Washington for several days. The
Times Dispatch correspondent was in
formed yesterday that there was no
one authorized to speak for Mr.. Now
ton, and that all reports stating that
n site would be purchased elsewhere
than adjoining the post-offlce were
mere speculation.
NO DECISION REACHED
BY TREASURY OFFICIALS
81 nm confident that Mr.. Newton had
reached no decision in this natter when
lie left Washington few days ago"
said Confidential Secretary Fitzpatrick.
II do not believe any decision has been
reached In this case If it had been,
i think would know som citing about
IT." s-'.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Newton
AMI post-otfce officials hnvo given the
question of buying another site con-
sideratton. Any one. however. attempt
ing guess Is doing so without either
authority or information to. substan-
tinte his guess. The act authorizing
the appropriation gives the Treasury
Department some leeway, but II is not
ut all certain that the Laws will per-
nit the purchase of site other than
the one specified. There certainly will
he no action until the question Is for
mally passed upon by Comptroller of
the Treasury Downey.
Congressman A. ]. Montague, who
engineered the appropriation bill
through Congress. is doubtful that the
money could be used for the purcho Sc
Of any other than the specified prop
crty, even IL 1t was for the best inter-
ests of the public.
BILL WAS FOR SPECIFIC ,r
PURPOSE, SAYS MONTAGUE
F"1 have not read the bill recently"
hC said last night. but II .is"my i'm
preston that II was for. n specific pur-
pose, the purchase Of ground adjoining
the present building. Like every other
appropriation bill. u clause Is Inserted
giving the Secretary of the Treasury
the right to use his Judgment In maxi
ing the purchase. do not think, how
ever 1T could be used to purchase an
other site. This. however, Is ques-
tfon for the legal department of the
government to decide. l merely worked
! te secureNtho passage,sof the bill. ahd
not toNselect, u site for the building"
If tho appropriation is not available
for the purchase OF an additional site.
AID the ground adjoining the Federal
Euilding cannot be secured at n reas-
enable figure. 1t is doubtful that Con-
Eress Will pass another appropriation
bill The next session will be short
cne, and with the cry OF economy that
is sweeping through the legislative
halls. 1t is doubtful that Richmond
would be given money during the next
two years, no matter how badly the
Eostoffice is crowded.
Mr.. Montague said last night:
THE appropriation Of $4,000 from
the last Congress was II remarkable
achievement TO make. and doubt very
much II 1t could be repeated. certainly
under the present conditions"
HOPE GOVERNMENT AND
OWNERS MAY GET TOGETHER
The Chamber of Commerce the Bust
ness Mems Club, the Real Estate Ex-
change and other civic organizations
have gone on record as favoring an an
ueN W inc present DullulnS, ana IL Is
not known how they stand on this new
proposition. Beyond advocating the
appropriation, these organizations have
done nothing. There has been abso-
lutely no effort made to Induce the
owners of the two parcels OF property
TO come to terms. 49,.
A. Beirne Blair. head of the syndicate
controlling the Main Street frontage
on the proposed site for the annex.
said yesterday that he and his asso-
ciates we're extremely anxious TO have
tho government make Its decision. /.
~ understand that some decision Will
be made In short WHILE" he said.
when the decision is reached we will
be ready TO act. We have been ready
to build on our property. but our plans
have been halted pending negotiations"
The owners of the Eleventh and
Main Streets property are holding out
for S6l2.500. The government appro-
priaticn Is $4,000.