The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-30
Birmingham Stands 94th on List to be Reached
 July 1, 1915
ARCHITECTS LETTER
 IS RECEIVED HERE
Explains Why Bids on Structure Probably Cannot be Advertised for Until Spring or Sum-
 mer of 1917

B. R. Newton, assistant Secretary of the Treasury at Washington in a let ter to Congressman Underwood declares that work on the group of public. buildings in which Birmingharn's post office is included. would be begun July 1, 1915. Birmingham's building, he said, stands ninety fourth on the list and the general impression is that actual work will not be begun prior to 1917.
 MT. Underwood enclosed the letter of the assistant secretary in a private communication to 3, local friend. It is in accord with the interview printed by The "Age-Herald with MT. Under- wood when he was last in Birmingham
 The letter of MT. Newton follows: "Hon. Oscar ". Underwood, House of
 Representatives, Washington, D. c.
 My Dear gressman-Reference is made to your personal inquiry of the Supervising architect of this depart ment on the 18th inst, relative 70 the federal building to be erected at Br- mingham, Ala.
 Public building projects are taken up, first, according to the acts au- thorizing them, and, second, according to the dates of acquisition of the, sites. The building at Birmingham was au- thorized in the 1913 act, on a site the original of which was authorized In the 1910 act The 1913 act authorized the enlargement of the original site. Had the department taken the date upon which the enlarged portion of the site was acquired instead of the date upon which the original portion was acquired, the construction of the building would have been postponed for several years later than the time upon which it will now be placed under con tract. Taking it's place according to the date of acquisition of the original portion of the site. which was October IS, 1911, the building at Birmingham becomes No. 9f on a list of extensions and buildings for which the prepar- alton of plans will commence about July 1, 1915. These buildings will not be taken up until the date mentioned, because the plans for buildings au- thorized in prior acts will not be com pleted before that time.
 Ask Bids for 1917
 The office of the supervising archi- tect has at present a capacity of from 70 to 80 buildings year, from which it would appear that the plans for the building at Birmingham could not be commenced before the fall of the calendar year 1916. and bids would not be advertised until the spring or summer of ,he calendar year 1917
 "1'he place of the various projects in the programme of work is deter mined according to a rule to which the department is adhering, and which is explained in detail in the enclosed cir cular. The difficulty, of course is that the House committee on public build ings and grounds reports bills which carry a great many more projects than the office of the supervising architect may place under contract with the funds for it's support provided in bills reported by the committee on appro- priations. The condition is one which is beyond the control of the depart ment and because the demands to place work under contract are so insistent it becomes necessary to fall back on a programme and adhere to it. For this reason there is no manner in which the building at Birmingham could be given precedence.
 "Answering your specific request, especial consideration has been given to the Immigration stations at Boston and Baltimore, the quarantine station at Portland, Me, and mine rescue sta tions at Norton, Va, and Jellico. Tenn. These projects all involve what might be called humanitarian elements and the department has felt justified in giv-