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To: Quahog who wrote (2944)	11/27/2001 4:14:02 PM
From: mr.mark	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12669

Black Landmark Demolished for Clinton Library Marc Morano, CNSNews.com Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2001 A historically important freight depot built by former slaves and located on the grounds where Bill Clinton plans to build his presidential library has been demolished. Arkansas preservationist Gregory Ferguson told CNSNews.com that the building's demolition was done in an "underhanded" and "reprehensible" manner. Ferguson was at the federal courthouse in Little Rock, filing a legal challenge to the demolition of the freight depot Wednesday, when a city representative informed the court that the building had just been destroyed. "We had a hearing set for 1:45 p.m., but by that time a witness for the city who was on site testified that the Choctaw Freight Depot was essentially destroyed," he said. "While I was in the process of filling out my [legal challenge], the demolition contractor's huge front-end loader machines were tearing out the heart of the Choctaw Freight Depot." The freight depot was built at the end of the 19th century by former slaves. The structure is a showpiece for at least two African-American stone and brick craft skills, according to Ferguson. Clinton Says Black Heritage Site Is Useless Clinton told CNSNews.com in September that the depot was "of no use to anybody." African-American preservationist Susan Branch told CNSNews.com earlier this month that Clinton must have been "misinformed," and she called the planned demolition a "disgrace." "The city has very few identified black historic properties," she said. Skip Rutherford, the president of William J. Clinton Presidential Library Foundation, apologized earlier this month for the planned demolition. "I am just sorry," he told CNSNews.com. He acknowledged that the depot's demolition could cause controversy among blacks, but he defended Clinton's record with regard to African Americans. "I don't think there is any question of Clinton's commitment to civil rights. His administration was the most inclusive in history. He has probably done more to save structures than anyone. I think he is doing his part and then some," Rutherford said. Another Underhanded Action Ferguson says the demolition occurred without notice and "despite the fact that the city comptroller told us that very morning that he had not approved the contract for demolition." He said the Little Rock city comptroller had assured him the building could not be demolished yet because "there had been no performance bond posted as required by the city and other preliminaries required under the contract had not been fulfilled." He explained that the demolition crew "went directly for the historic part of the structure and didn't bother with the surrounding part first. "As soon as they had done their dirty deed, the workman left, and have not returned Thursday, Friday or Saturday, and won't be back until Monday." Ferguson said the process by which the Clinton library foundation and the city handled this issue have left him with "bitter taste in my mouth." "Through this process, I was witness to some of the most underhanded, reprehensible, dirty and immoral conduct I have ever had the misfortune to observe." He hopes to continue the legal challenge surrounding the "section 106 review," which is part of the National Historic Preservation Act. The library foundation has not yet conducted the required review, which calls for an examination of the property for any items of archeological, tribal, or historical significance. He hopes to be able to subpoena Rutherford and city officials "to get them under oath to tell not only what happened regarding this, but also to ask questions as to the funding sources." If the library foundation is found to have intentionally circumvented the required section 106 review, that could lead to the "federal death knell" for the construction project, according to Ferguson. Copyright CNSNews.com newsmax.com