Settled: The Fair City of the Valley Gets the Government Building
“We are all happy.”
“”We’ve got the Government building. The President didn’t sign the bill, for the same objections he had to the former bill existed to this one; but realized that Portsmouth was a darling of a place and that nothing was too good for her, and that she should have a public building, or anything else she wanted; hence he let the bill go by default, and it became a law its own self.”
“All other kinds of business being closed up on Sunday the day was given over to discussing the building and picking out a place of location. The Owen law does not prohibit the talking of politics on Sunday, the erecting of Government buildings, or the playing of brass bands, hence a vast amount of work was done on the building last Sunday, in people’s minds. The work was renewed early Monday morning, and wherever Engineer Bryan and his clerk, Sam Harper, went, the people were sure to go, thinking for a certainty they were about to run the lines for the foundation. They took their instruments and went over to Brunner’s corner to give the grade for a new sidewalk, and could scarcely work for the populace, who thronged around them asking questions, while those in the rear rank thrust their heads forward to hear what the wild waves were saying. All this was greatly to the disgust of Mr. Fox, the paving artist, and his partner in business, Mr. McCloud.”
“Mart Micklethwait procured a tape line and a small boy and began measuring from Court street down toward Market, with a look of mystery in his face quite tantalizing to his fellow citizens, who crowded around to ask questions and tred on the tape line.”
“About every citizen of the place had a location picked out at the time of our going to press. When the agents of the Government come here to select grounds, if they cannot find a suitable site it will not be fore want of able and intelligent suggestions. The Damarin property at Second and Court is mentioned, so is the McDowell corner on Front street, the John Neill premises, Third and Market, the ‘Goose Nest’ property, at Chillicothe and Gallia, the premises at Gay and Gallia, the lot at the southwest corner of Ninth and Chillicothe, and many other. So far as the writer of this article is concerned (and in this case the paper is not responsible for his opinion) he is in favor of the Washington plan, that of occupying the waste places, thereby enhancing the value of the property in such places and causing the city to grow in beauty and extend her borders. He would not be in favor of placing it in Clay township, as a friend he suggested, neither is he in favor of tearing down good houses in the already solidly built portion of the city, for the purpose of erecting another building on the site.”
“As soon as the bill becomes a law the Secretary of Treasury will send persons to Portsmouth authorizes to select and purchase a site. Of course the price will have something to do with it, and owners of property must not expect that because they are dealing with the Government that they can put the price as high as they please, and that the Government is as fond of a good bargain as an individual, and a good deal harder to bilk.”
“The ground on which the building is erected must be high, and it must be a certain number of feet from any other building. The Government is careful of its property; and this is done to avoid fires.”
“The time from the breaking of ground until the completion of the building need not necessarily be long. The Columbus building is a much larger one than this will be, and was finished inside of three years. This included much delay over minor details such as plastering and interior finish caused by contractors failing to get materials, and other trivial matters. Much depends on contractors, as in private buildings. If there is no unnecessary delay the building should be completed within eighteen months from the date of beginning.”1
The Government Building Location: It will Go Where the Agent Deems Best
“While the two sections of the city, the upper and lower end business men are championing their portions of the city as the most desirable place for location, the Times sits proudly upon the fence facing the music, and not saying a word.”
“It is friendly rivalry, and if the locating officer submits it to the voice of the people it must certainly terminate in a compromise. With this result in view we have heard of many favorable sites, centrally located between upper and lower business centers.”
“One is at the corner of Sixth and Court streets, and the other the corner of Fourth and Washington streets. The latter place would face two streets, with an alley on the south side. The only buildings of any consequence on the site to be condemned would be two frame residences.”
“But then even the reference to these places will go for naught. We have nearly come to the conclusion and it is plausible reasoning, that the government agent will listen to all the arguments, weigh them in the balance, and finally locate just where he thinks the building should properly go.”2
Site for Government Building
“The bids for the sale of a site in this city for the Government building will close next Tuesday, the 4th inst. Person who desire to offer property should see that their proposals are in. We trust there will be no struggle for fancy prices, but that good eligible sites will be offered at regular and natural prices. The building should be erected at some point to best accommodate the entire community, but if exorbitant prices are put upon the most desirable locations it may result in the construction of the building at some inconvenient point. For this reason the general public are interested in the character of the bids.”
“The general impression is that the government building should be located on or near Second or Sixth streets on account of the elevation. The corner of Second and Chillicothe street, and the corner of Sixth and Chillicothe streets, including the square to Gallia where the Central Hotel stands, are the points to which attention has been more generally paid. There are other sites that would well answer the purpose further down Second or in the vicinity of the upper market space. The Times represents no local interests and wishes the building located where it will secure the greatest good to the greatest number.”3
Portsmouth Public Building: Report of the Government Agent Recommending a Site.
“The Secretary of the Treasury today approved the following report on the matter of a site for a public building at Portsmouth, Ohio.”
“Treasury Department, Office of the Supervising Architect, Washington, DC, February 12, 1889. Honorable William A Freret, Supervising Architect”
“Sir- In accordance with you instructions contained in office letter of November 17, 1888, I have visited Portsmouth, Ohio, and after opening all the bids that had been received by the Postmaster, in answer to the public advertisement therefor, I carefully examined each piece of property offered, inspecting the most desireable sites three different times, twice in company with members of a committee representing the Board of Trade. The bids were as follows:”
No. 1 proposal, lot corner of Second and North Waller streets, 168 feet on Second street, $6325; lot corner Third and Waller streets, 177 feet on Third. $3776; lot corner Fourth and Waller streets, 150 feet o Fourth, $4000.
No. 2 proposal, northeast corner Fourth and Waller streets, 193 by 290 (feet), $10000.
No. 3 proposal, lot corner Market and Third streets, $10000.
No. 4 proposal, lot on Front street, 165 by 132 (feet), $11000
No. 5 proposal, lots 43 and 33, fronting on Fourth street, 165 by 107 (feet), $10000; same modified, 107.25 by 130 (feet), $13500.
No. 6 proposal, lot Sixth and Chillicothe, (see plat), $7800; lot on Gallia and Chillicothe, $8200; both of the above lots (modified), $12000.
No. 7 proposal, lot corner Gallia and Findlay, $3000; lot corner Seventh and Findlay, $4500; modified lot, corner Gallia and Findlay, $4000; lot corner Seventh and Findlay, $3200.
No. 8 proposal, lot northeast corner Gallia and FIndlay, $4500.
No. 9 proposal, lots corner Second and Court, 130 by 123 (feet), $17656.
No. 10 proposal, on Chillicothe and Ninth, 100 by 115 (feet), $5500.
No. 11 proposal, lot on Sixth and Court, 110 by 107 (feet), $7200.
No. 12 proposal, lot corner Second and Chillicothe, 92 by 115 (feet), $9000; 37 feet on Second street, additional, $10000.
No. 13 proposal, Lots 60 and 79 on Second street, 105 by 132, $16500; modified, $13800.
No. 14 proposal, Lots 43 and part of Lot 38 on Fourth and Court, $15000; modified, same lot, $14000; entire block, $15000
No. 15 proposal, lot o Gallia and Gay streets, 136 by 180 (feet), $11500.
No. 16 proposal, lots on Second, Front and Chillicothe streets, $11000.
No. 17 proposal, lot corner Fourth and Washington streets, $6000.
Two sites were strongly endorsed by citizens, at a public meeting called to discuss the matter, one located on Second street, between Washington and Court streets, being No. 13 on the list, and the other on Chillicothe (No. 6), bounded by Fifth and Sixth streets on the north and south. The former is no offered at $13,800, and the latter at $12000.”4
“The Commercial Gazette of yesterday contained a long dispatch from Washington containing the report of Irwin B Linton, the special government agent sent to the city to examine and report on the various sites for the proposed government building. The report has been approved by the Secretary of Treasury, and fixes the site at the ‘Goose Nest’ between Sixth and Gallia on Chillicothe street.”
“After reciting the various proposals the report concludes substantially as follows:
“‘While perhaps the majority of business men favored the acceptance of the property covered by Proposal No. 13, (Lots 60 and 79 on Second street, the Davis property among others)5 because of the proximity to the present wholesale business, banks, hotels, factories, etc., it was plainly apparent that the movement of business is toward the north and east, and will reach far beyond the point where the site covered by No. 6 is located, and which is now about the center of the retail trade, and beyond which I believe the center of population has already passed.'”
“‘It is four squares from said site No. 13, and far superior in point of situation, being bounded by three prominent streets, and is about the same elevation above high water, which in 1884 covered the entire city, with the exception of these two sites and several others which are ineligible on account of location. It is also removed sufficiently far from the large rolling mill on Front street, (which runs immediately back of Site No. 13) to be free from its smoke and noise when in operation. The fact that this latter lot is located in the center of a square also operates against it seriously from an architectural standpoint.'”
“‘In view of the above I have the honor to recommend the acceptance of modified proposal No. 6, being about 122 feet on Chillicothe street and 100 feet each on Gallia and Sixth streets, for $12,000.'”
“In view of the jubilation that this publication would create among the enterprising citizens that have championed the accepted site, a Time reporter visited a few of the leaders.”
“The first victim was WA Connolley6: ‘Mr. Connelley what do you think of the site selected?'”
“‘My, dear sir, it’s a lasting memorial to the good judgment of the party that located it, and a noble improvement for our city and especially for this end,’ -with a facial contortion, suggestive of a wink.”
“‘Mr. George Fisher7, you have seen Comm…'”
“‘Yes, sir, I have and that’s just what I’ve been working for. We have all been combined, have kept our powder dry, and our own counsel, and worked constantly. We even went so far as to send a man on with maps of the locality. To the victors belong the spoils.'”
“When the Time accosted Mr. Frank Martin, a broad smile suffused his countenance and was an outward indication of the sunshine within:”
“‘This business started in the upstairs of our place of business. I think I can claim the credit for first suggesting united action, although the credit for the most effective work is due Mr. Connelley, who made a reduction of the price of $4000 on his own responsibility. I think, of course, property will advance on this account.”
“‘Mr. Winter8 they say you have contributed actively to the securing of the Government building in this locality. How is that?'”
“‘Well, I haven’t rolled anything in the road. Of course I wanted the building here. It’s the best location. That’s admitted by every man with the least common sense. Good-day.'”
“Dr. McKerrihan9 was not come-at-able. He is now away on business connected with the building. Mr. Adams, also, another active worker, was absent.”11, have not determined where to go. They will, however, locate somewhere in the immediate neighborhood.”
“MB Staiger12, the tailor, will move to the Charley Wertz property on east side of Chillicothe street between Second and Third.”
“John Gansley has removed his family to the Herder property on John street. He will occupy the shop recently vacated by ‘Billy’ Watkins, on Ninth street.”
“Conrad Heid says the government isn’t powerful enough to remove him. He is a Democrat, and will bend the knee at the edict of no hostile administration. Mr. Heid has been in his present location thirteen years, and wherever Uncle Sam may land him, his many friends, patrons and those indebted to him, can find him. He had a doomed site better light out, ere the bricks begin to fall, and the roof-tree tumbles amid the wreck.”13
- Settled. (1888, May 19). Portsmouth Times, p. 2.
- The Government Building Location. (1888, November 24). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
- Site for Government Building. (1888, December 1). Portsmouth Times, p. 2.
- Portsmouth Public Building. (1889, February 15). Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, p. 3.
- The parenthesized statement is most likely a missprint as Lots 60 and 79 do not adjoin. However, Lots 50 and 49 do adjoin, front 2nd Street, and in 1868 was the location of the post office.
- William A Connolley, partner in Hass, Swartz & Company, a clothing retailer located at 5th and Gallia Streets
- George Fisher, a partner and druggist of Fisher & Streich Pharmacy, was located at 6th and Chillicothe Streets
- Charles Winter, former Scioto County Commissioner, and owner of a men’s shoes and furnishings store on Chillicothe Street
- Dr. Sample Bell McKerrihan
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Doomed: The “Goose Nest” and Adjoining Structures to Make Way for the Government Building. Thirty Days Respite.
“Notice has been received by the owners of buildings, on the government building site, to remove all structures within the next thirty days.”
“This will necessitate some hustling among the tenants, some of whom know not whither they will lay their head or rest the soles of their feet.”
“Thomas Conroy has already removed to 422 Chillicothe street.”
“McCarty, the barber, has flitted to the Herms property east side of Chillicothe street, between Seventh and Eighth.”
“Sam Levi, will move first door above his present place of business, in the room now occupied by Jacob Hoerr, the confectioner, Mr. Hoerr will occupy the building vacated by John Gansley.”
Messieurs Thompson and Kricker, the live insurance firm and GW Huggins10George W. Huggins
- Mariah Barbara Herder Staiger
- Doomed. (1889, July 27). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.
