The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-14
CITY MOVES TO GET
OLD P. 0. SITE BACK
Estimate Board Will Offer to
Government Land Near
Court House.

Two important matters Of city plan
ming were considered by the Board Of
Estimate yesterday. One was the re-
movl Of the old Post office Building
and the acquisition OF a site Cor a new
Federal court on part Of che land now
held by the city for q new structure
for the State courts. The other was
the disposition of the site Of the old
Grand Union Hotel.
On motion by Comptroller Craig the
special committee on court house was
directed to communicate with the proper
arrangement be made whereby the
Treasury Department could 6s induced
20 give back the site OF the Post Ofics
to the city for park purposss- In re-
turn for this an arrangement would be
entered into whereby tho Government
could get room for a new court build
ing on the extensive cite north of the
Municipal Building.
1t is believed that II the Federal Gov
eminent should put up building at the
same time that the city did 1t would
start civic centre. watch would In
crease the value OF the excess land to
the point where IL could be disposed Of
advantageously.
The judges and lawyers practising in
the Federal courts believe that the
present quarters are entirely inadequate
and unsanitary and It u understood
they are to PRESENT a bill to Congress.
which will carry out the plan that Comp
troller Craig has in mind.
In 1860 the Government acquired a
title from the city to the old Post once
Building site. which gives them the right
to hold it so long as Il n usrd for
Iyada n
the land reverts TO the city. Experts on
city planning long have looked forward
10 the time when this land could be
returned to park use. as II was originally.
II IL specifically stated In the resolu-
ton that negotiations with the Federal
Government should not be permitted to
Interfere with the speedy provtsion by
the city OF a new court house building
for the State courts.
The suggestion that the site of the old
| Grand Union Hotel, at Park avenue and
Forty-second street. be turned into q
| park In honor of Gen Pershing was defl-
| nitsly turned down. Gen. George w.
Wingate asked that the disposition of
the property be postponed until Septem-
Der in order that he might raise 81 ,000,-
| 600 for the soldiers and sailors memorial
| hall that he has suggested for the site.
| II II was sold, as the city Is required
| by law to do. II having been acquired
| for the purpose of getting q rapid tran
sit easement, 1t would kill his project,
| the General said.
Wen sell II at a time when you have
| your 10000 and you can bid II In
remarked Comptroller Craig. do you
know that we are losing 800 a day on
| this property now?"
Mayor Hylan said that the wingate
| project had bean referred to Rodman
| Wanamaker. head OF the memorial COM
! mlttee. and that when a report was re-
ceived Gen. Wingate would have an OPP
portunity to be heard further. The
General said he did not think II would
| be difficult TO get the 81 100000.
The first action under the opinion of
the Corporation Counsel that nine votes
were sufficient to change the terms OF
the budget instead OF Twelve was taken
when Borough President Rlegelmann OF
| Brooklyn got a number Of salary In
cresseS. The Mayor and Comptroller
alone voted In the negative. President
Riegelmann said he had lost two men
to pay them more money.
zone OF my commissioners told m,
| that II he could not give increases somt
| of his men would quit 1 replied thai
he had better let them quit" remarked
the Mayor.
When Riegelmann insisted that salar,
increases were being put through ir
every department, the Mayor denied tina,
any such thing was happening in his de
| partment.
at is being done by jockeyins." re,
piled Riegelmann. 1T could probably gel
| this through in some other way by call
Ing II q raise in grade or a transfer OF
promotion or something"
'-rhere's no jocLeying In my depart
ment, and I don't want you 70 say 20,
snapped the Mayor.