The New York herald., 1922-01-14
Postmaster General to Set
tie on Terms and Select
Substitute Site.
LONG FIGHT NEAR FINISH
Demolition of Architectural
Eyesore in City Hall Park
Is Now Inevitable.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. c., Jan. 13.
President Harding to-day instructed
Postmaster-Genera Hays to take up
Immediately with the New York city
authorities proposals for the removal
of the old Post Office Building in City
Hall Park. This action followed a
Cabinet meeting at which the re-
moval Of the building and the selec-
tion of new site were discussed.
Postmaster-Genera Hays is al
lowed to make the settlement with
the New York city government from
the standpoint of post Office efficiency
and in conformity with the wishes
of those who have been urging the
change.
The city will be asked to provide a
site for the one given up. Whether
it will be on the new court house site
or elsewhere will rest with Mr.. Hays.
Nearing End of Long Fight.
The Presidents Instructions to Mr..
Hays are regarded here as the begin
ming of the end of a long fight to clear
City Hall Park of the Post office, an
oyesore for years. Not until Postmas-
ter-General Hays took office did the
prospect begin to approach reality. Las
August In response TO the pleas ad-
dressed to him. he appointed citizens
committee. The matter was pressed
upon the city government. and public
hearings were held at which definite
proposal for an exchange of sites was
advanced finally by the city adminis-
tration.
Since the hearings of last September.
howsver. little had been heard from
Washington. On December IA. however.
Attorney-General Daugherty, on an Of
ficial visit here. announced that archi-
tects were at work on plans FOR a new
building to house the United States
courts, offices and agencies in Man
haitian now using the old Post Office
Building
Word of the Administrators decision
was welcomed by members of the Citi-
zens' Postal Committee, which includes
William Fellowes Morgan. Michael Fried
sam, Alfred Il. Smith. Darwin p. Kings
ley and Clarence Kelsey. William Fell
loves Morgan, while he had not learned
OF the decision, said that he had hoped
for some such action. Postmaster Ed
ward NJ. Morgan declined to make any
comment
Greatly Pleased with Order.
Henry Collins Brown, publisher Of
Valentines Manual, and who was one
of the most energetic leaders i'm the
movement to have the old post office
removed for esthetic reasons was I'm
Washington on Thursday, but had no
intimation that a decision was likely to
be made soon.
He said: 'It is exactly what we were
aiming at, and / am greatly pleased"
Tho proposals made by the city at the
time the Board of Estimate held a
hearing on the question were for the
exchange for the old site of the block
bounded by Center. Worth. Leonard and
Baxter streets. This property was taken
by the city under condemnation pro-
ceedings at the same time II condemned
the site of the new Court House, which
extends eastward from Center street and
south from Worth street to Pearl. The
laying of the foundations for the new
Court House has been practically COM
pleted. Mayor Hylan at that time de-
MED that the city had any intention OF
giving up the Court House site
Whether the Government accepts this
site. or whether he selects another else
where than in the group of civic build
ings which will surround the new Court
House will rest entirely with Mr.. Hays
May &c Combination Building.
In the Governments plans, IL was re-
vealed by Attorney-Gene Daugherty
L.. .t.sA L.. q
coordination in this city of the judiciary
and branches OF the Department OF Jus
tice. the bankruptcy courts. the Federal
prohibition enforcement agency. various
branches OF the Treasury, Public Health
Service and military departments, with
possibly the Inclusion of Brooklyn Fed
eral offices.
Whether new postal facilities will be
made n part OF this coordinative scheme
Mr.. Daugherty refused to reveal. En-
largement OF the midtown general post
office by the acquisition OF space be-
tween Ninth avenue and the present
post office, and another sit In Thir-
tieth street. between Ninth and Tenth
avenues, where a distribution building Is
proposed. have been indorsed by n Joint
Congress committee.
The City Hall Post Office. from a
business point of view. has been highly
valuable TO the Post Office Department
doing business larger than the total
postal business OF the city OF st. Louis.
which is the nth In postal rank In the
United states. Before the movement
TO tear down the city Hall Station be-
came SO sweeping the Postmaster-Gcn-
cral was considering the erection OF
new building on the same site but was
Informed that the city would not permit
tall building 10 be put up there
The city received $500. 900 for tho site
when the General Post office was put
up I'm City Hall Park. but the deed
provided that when the Government
ceased TO use the building sor postal
purposes the site should revert to the
city free and clear.
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