Smyrna times., 1915-11-24
WORK IS ACTIVELY BEGUN
Nm SMYRNA POSTOFFICE
,os7wAsreR cUMMlNs TURNS
e,esT SPADE OF EARTH
-,,rceremonies on Postoffice Site
o..sided Over by B A. Hazell-His-
,orv Of POsiOffice Movement

tory Of PostOrUCe Wo'S''SiN
With appropriate exercises and in
..,.sence Of an enthusiastic crowd
- sitizens. ground was broken at
. On o'clock last Thursday morning
e.. S,,vrna's new S3O 600 POstofiee
:. ,be old Smvrna House site on Main
.,,sst Former Congressman Brock
.on was the only member of the in
,i,ed Congressional delegation pres
ant Owing to the early hour and
0,bsr reason none Of the other distin-
suisbed meli could be present. The
Ssv was ideal and despite the early
bonr most OF the crowd had assembled
and were If readiness when Mr.. Ben
iamin A. Hazell. chairman of exer-
eises. mounted the platform and in
few we'll chosen words pointed with
priie 10 the beginning of actual work
on the Federal Building. He gave
cred il 10 the progressive citizens of
SMYRNA for their untiring interest in
the enterprise ard to former post
master Thomas Jefferson and the
uresent postmaster A. Lee Cummins.
for their activity IN keeping the pro-
iect ever before the delegation in
Congress, both in getting the origi-
nal DILL calling for S25. 600 through
Congress and in getting amendments
thereto for additional appropriation
Of $40, 900. He also commended
the public spirit Of the Committee of
Fifteen for going down in their poek-
cts to provide the site. which he
said was in an ideal location where
il would be seen by hundreds of
tourists passing through Smyrna on
their way down the peninsula.
PostofFce vs.. Hotel With Saloon
"The site it will occupy. was a
few years ago. Z" Mr.. Hszell said. "a
hotel with bar dealing out its dead
ly poison. This has given way in
the march Of progress and Postoffice
will soon be dealing out perfumed let
ters Of love. Of friendship and Of
business. " In comparison with the
saloon. Mr.. Hazel drew out the strong
point that the United States Govern
ment would be better off if in place
Of a saloon in every town in the Unit
ed States. il would erect a Federal
Building. After expressing the JOY
Of the citizens Of Smyrna and vicinity
in the prOspe:t Of having a handsome
PostOIiice building. which he sale
would fll long felt need. he intro
duced Postmaster A. Lee Cummins,
who with a gilded spade, especially
secured for the occasion. turned the
first furrow Of earth. With thii
ceremony completed. Superintendent
Of Construction Charles T Rhodes
Of the King Lumber Company, con
tractors. with a force Of men AM
teams, began the work Of excaVatinI
and soon had the dirt flying.
Interesting Congressional Record Dat
Former Congressman Frankli
Broekson. collected this interestin
data from the records of Congress:
June - l9lO-Congress passed an act authoriziu
lhe purchase of a site and a contract for n
smyrna Posiofice building and equipment
March g. lgil-Congress passed an act sppropT
sung sauo0 for site and commencement
building
December 20 i9ll-The title 10 the site was vesis
10 The T. Government
June q. igl3-Congress passed an act appropri
ung $500 ior continuation Of building.
Ju.y y seli-Congress passed an act increasii
lAc 4lmii 90 cost from $1,000 10 $4,000.
august l. lsli-CunEress passed an act apr
pnaung sllo0 for building.
March lqli-Cougrcss passed an act approp
aAug $4,000 ior completion Of building
The Government price for site WI
limited TO $4,000. The price for si
ard the old Smyrna House buildir
which was on il. at the time san
was purchased from Cyrus p. Gear
was So. 700. Considering this 81
the best obtainable location. citize
oi Smyrna known as the Commit
oi Fifteen, contributed out Of the
own pockets 81. 700 on the purcha
price OF the site ard the other S5. On
oi The purchase price was paid by {
United States Government.
government Inspector Of Building He
William H. Oliver, United Stat
government Inspector, arrived frC
washington Monday and will be
me JOB more or less until the Smyr
FEDERAL Building is completed.
mas rented the property Of Samuel
reynolds en- Market street. former
'1e old Adam. Express Office. a
aseaoy Is taking up the many deta
Ouiioing construction. Work sir
'ne excavation begun has progress
,ap'aiy and it is hoped to get /
basement Of the building started a
~s'l under way before the rigors
inter weather sets in. The exca'
"On VIII provide for 10 foot he,