Las Vegas optic., 1914-10-05

lnr Cunningham and Mr.. Harris, ad-
; dressed to Senator Catron, Congress-
. man Ferguson and Senator Fall, with
repard TO securing action looking to
the early acquiring of site and the
lcoustruction of a postoffico building
at Las Vegas or e. Las Vegas, is re-
ceived during the absence of the SEN
ator from the city.
am sorry to say that the prospects
iare not very encouraging. Senator
Fall worked hard and successfully for
1.-The appropriation-$12 ,00-and which
lis included in the public buildings bill,
approved March 4, 1918. Since secur-
ling the appropriation he has Interested
himself in having the department take
action in the selection Of a site and 1t
was, in part at least, due to his In
sigtence that the inspector was sent
there in February for that purpose, but
owing to the nature of the report made
| by the inspector as to the site submit
tee regarding prices, the inability OF
the people to agree on any particular
site and the congested condition of
the office of the assistant treasurer,
having matter of this kind in charge,
tho department has failed to take ac-
ticn
II the people there could all agree
as to location and the price fixed so
as to come within the amount deemed
reasonable by the department, it would
not be a hard matter for your repre-
sentatives here to close up the matter
of the purchase of a site, but 1t would
be difficult matter to have plans and
specifications prepared, contract let
and construction commenced on the
building at any near future date. You
will understand how difficult this will
be when you consider the fact that
public buildings located all over the
country have already been appropriat-
ed for which will take at least three
or four years to construct with the
present treasury force to prepare
plans, let contracts and oversee work.
An additional appropriation was
asked for to carry out this work but
| has not been granted.
r This matter will be taken up with
the treasury department. by Senator
Fail and am sure that Senator Catron
land Congressman Ferguson will also
do likewise and it may be possible
that the necessities of the people of
Las Vegas may be impressed upon the
treasury officials AMI in some way
your federal building may be made
Special" Senator Fall is fully aware
of conditions there and you can count
on him to advance your interests in
regard to your building in every way
possible.
With kind regards, 7 am
Sincerely,
c. V. Stafford,
T9f Secretary.
May Make Exception
Washington. D. c.. Sept 30
Mr. H. Reynolds, Cashier, First Ma
tional Bank.
Mr.. J. M Cunningham, President, San
Miguel National Bank,
Mr.. John w Harris, President, Peo-
pies Bank and Trust Co.
Las Vegas. N. M.
Gentlemen:
Your letter addressed Jointly to
Senators Catron and Fall and myself
under date of September 90. 1914, has
been received together with enclo
. sures bearing upon question of the
purchase of site fors and, expediting
the building of the federal building
at Las Vegas, New Mexico.
assure you that I shall at once
give this matter my careful attention
and do all that | can by personal eff
fort to bring about what you desire
am, of course, alread yadvised OF
the whole situation. and have been
persistent in my efforts to accom-
p.ish what is so necessary to the
people of Las Vegas and East Las
Vegas. OF course, you are fully ad-
vised as to the general situation about
all public buildings authorized to be
built by the Sixty-second congress,
that the government is three to four
years behind with all such buildings.
However, as the situation is peculiar
TO Las Vegas, in that a consolidation
of the postoffices for the two towns
into one in the new federal building
proposed gives, as a right to demand
that special action shall be taken in