Volume 10 , Issue 22

1946 News - Alva to Buy POW Land & Buildings

In 1946, priority was granted; a group underwrites project plan to purchase POW Camp land & buildings. It was described as the largest transaction since securing of the state college in Alva, OK.

The city was given written authority to purchase the buildings in the former prisoner of war camp and the land on which it was located a mile south of the city.

The city did not have sufficient funds to make the purchase and time was too short to call for a bond issue. A group of 22 Alva citizens agreed to underwrite the project by posting the money necessary to make the initial step in the transaction, purchase of the buildings on the site.

This transactions involved a sum of $55,563. Although the city had been granted the right to buy the land, no time had been set for its sale. Cost of the section of land was $83,000.

Quick action was necessary because of the city's priority expired December 26, 1946 and the Federal Works administration, which held a higher priority but filed an application to buy later than the City of Alva, will secure possession, it was pointed out.

Securing of the priority to buy climaxed intensive efforts on the part of the city which began in earnest July, 1946. A committee consisting of Mayor Pat Treece; Councilman Bill Hackett, Chairman; City Clerk Tom Keltch; City Attorney Fred Spellman and Mr. Woodward, city businessman, as worked steadily since July to obtain the priorities that would give the city possession of the property.

It was announced back then that the area was to be made into a Municipal airport and community center. An important phase of the transaction was that the present airport was to be returned to the original owner, who had agreed to buy it back at a price of $30,000. As the city also had between $13,000 and $14,000 toward the purchase of the POW camp land when it was available for sale.

As the area was to become an airport, the price for sale to the city was quoted lower than it would have been had any other purpose been intended it was pointed out.

Under the financing plan worked out i a called meeting Friday, December, 1946, the en who advance the money for purchase of the buildings were to name a five-man board of trustees, which would have complete charge of the salvaging of materials from the buildings.

Proceeds from the disposal of the property were to be used to repay the group who had posted the money, until all have been repaid at a reasonable rate of interest. At that time the material was to become the property of the city alone.

Under preliminary plans announced that Friday night many of the buildings were to be be retained by the city and made into hangars and other structures at the airport.

Returned veterans would have an opportunity to purchase buildings or materials as a housing project. much construction material of value was offered for sale by businesses and individuals, under the plan.

The agreement among the businessmen and the city officials was that the board of trustees would have charge of the salvage of materials and operate it on a fair basis until the returns were sufficient to repay them their money.

All of those participating in the program expressed their belief that the value of the property as salvaged exceeded the the government price.

The priority was issued by both the War Assets administration office, now located in Tulsa, and the Federal land Bank of Wichita, Kansas, which had jurisdiction of the property since the camp was inactivated.

The barracks buildings and other property set aside for Northwestern State college will not be affected by the sale. Members of the committee expressed their appreciation for the assistance during the past several months of Tom Moore, supervisor for this region, and Eldon Stout, assistant supervisor of the War Assets administration, who had advised and helped the city in it efforts to secure the property. -- December 22, 1946, Sunday, Alva, OK, The Alva Review-Courier
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