D. R. (BILLY) MATTHEW MEMBER
H L Wan SCOMMITI'TEE ON AGRICULTURE
8 sTH DIsRICT, FLRIDA

Congress of the initeb states
jouse of Repretentatibes
asbington, A. C.
June 26, 1964


Mr. Earle Newton, Secretary
National Quadricentennial Commission
P. 0. Box 484
St. Augustine, Florida


Dear Earle:

First of all, let me tell you how sick at
heart I am because of the tragic actions of outsiders
at beautiful St. Augustine. Believe me, I have tried
every way in the world I know how to be helpful and I
hope and pray ere long that the situation will improve.
I stand ready to do anything at any time that will be
helpful.

As I promised, I have tried to follow through
every few days with our Post Office and I want to give
you this confidential information. The Post Office people
up here believe that the property, which I understand is
called the Bennett property and which the Regional Office
has recommended, is too expensive. For the 72,275 square
feet, the cost of the land is $2.71 a square foot or a
total cost of about $110,000. The building is supposed
to cost $220,000; so the land acquisition represents
about 33% of the total cost, including the building and
furnishings.

The people here in the Post Office Department
told me they have asked their Atlanta Regional Office to
check on the possibility of another parcel that I believe
is called the Rofflow and Blackburn and the Margaret L.
Dunn property. This property can be purchased partly at
$1.63 per square foot and partly at 76 per square foot.
There will be a total of 63,000 square feet available in
these two properties, which is nearly 10,000 square feet
less than the other site, but which the Post Office Depart-
ment feels might be adequate.

So, Earle, I must hasten to say that we have a
problem because of expense. I pled with the Post Office
Department to push their negotiations in every way possible
and they asked me not to give this matter any publicity until
they had done some more consultation.





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Mr. Earle Newton
June 26, 1964
Page Two

With kind personal regards, I am
Sincerely,




D. R. MTHEWS, M. C.


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