Evening journal., 1916-08-04
No BID FOR CITY
HALL PROPERTY
Offer OF S47,553 for Sixth
and King Streets Corner
Rejected
GOVERNOR MILLER
APPEALS FOR DELAY

proposed sale Of the historic City /
Hall. erected over 12S years ago. .
Council, some weeks ago. authorized
the finance committee to advertise for
bids for the sale OF the city property
recently vacated on Market street
and at Sixth and King streets. Gov
ernor Miller, who occupied seat to
the right Of President of Council !
Henry c. Downward, asked that
Council defer action on the proposed
sale of the old City Hall until Oc-
.ober /.
Only one bid was received last night,
that being for the Sixth and King streets
property, consisting OF JOG feet on King
street and los feet on sixth street.
Nathan Barsky submitted this bid,
which was for S47 563. Following the
opening of this bid the finance commit
tee too ka recess to consider the bid.
At the conclusion of the recess. the bid
was rejected as being Inadequate.
Mr. Barsky, after the adjournment OF
Council informed members Of the Old
Town Hall Association that he was will
in the rear of the City Hall to the as
sociation, give 81 600 in cash towards Sc
curing the City Hall for the association,
and 70 pledge himself TO raise 5000
additional FOR the same purpose. Just
what he proposed to do with the prop
ertv in case it was awarded him. Mr.
Barsky refused To state, but he init
mated that he would submit another
bid on the properties in the near future
Previous to the opening of the bid
a communication was received from
the Democratic League. endorsing the
plan to sell the City Hall and the
Central Labor Union also sent a
similar communication in the form OF
a resolution passed by that body
some time ago. Both were received
by Council without comment
Considerable comment was made
after the opening of the one bid, II
being surprising to many Of the coun-
cilmen that the bid should be so low.
II was said by several Of the city
solons that the matter would be al
lowed to rest for a while and then the
city property would be sold at public
auction This it was said. would
make it more interesting for the city,
- llOAt lnOANf WOu-Q NC lNeAAIN0s
Governor Miller who attended the
session Of Council with John P.
Nields. who addressed members Of
Council last week on the subject, was
granted the privilege of the floor and
in speaking on the subject said he
represented the Old Town Hall Asso-
citation. a new organization with many
members, representing citizens and
Na eofd
had no concrete proposition TO pre-
sent at this time, but they did desire
Council to defer action until October
/ Governor Miller. said that on or
before that date. the association would
present to Council a plan for the dis
posal of the historic building. which
he felt would be satisfactory TO
Council and one in which the city
would not lose anything. Governor
Miller also said that il was recog-
nized that the land in question had
considerable hpancial worth.
The Governor said there was no
need 10 discourse on the historical
associations and value Of the ancient
structure The only reason the new
organization could not offer definite
proposition last night, he said was
away on their vacations at the pres
ent time. He expressed the conf
dence of all concerned that the mat
ter would be accorded the best iudg-
ment OF the Councilmen He again
asked that the matter be held in
abeyance until the association could
formulate and present its PROPOSE
ton
Mayor James F. Price said II was
all a matter for the Council 10 de-
eide but he did not think there collc
be any harm done by delaying the
sale
Councilman Draper. chairman oi
the finance committee. said last might
was the time advertised for receiving
and opening the bids, and he did moi
sec how they could delay this par
of the procedure. He explained tha
the city's land had been offered II
two sections. the city hall itself and
the other property at Sixth and Kins
streets. He explained they could no
tell from sealed bids whether thel
were on apart or all Of ele property
and he saw no reason why the bid
should not be opened.
Councilman Kane said the openin
OF the bids would make no differenc
. as any or all OF them could be re
jected
Councilman McGoldrick said II the
opened the bids and then held up th
sale II would not be right toward tn
men doing the bidding. He did nc
think it was good business 10 do tha
II they wanted to hold M the s'le h
said. they should return the bid
sealed and readvertise az the tim
they were ready to sell He insiste
II was unfair TO the bidders to do any
thing with the bids and then hold u
the matter.
Il was decided however, 10 ope
the estimates and il was then foun
that only one had been received Tn
was Mr., Barsky's II was on tbs
plot Of ground 1o6 feet ZIP inchs
along King street and los feet
inches along King street, with ii
city buildings thereon. II was r
ferred 70 the finance committee, ar
after considering the matter in reces
this committee recommended that
be rejected which was done.