The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-04

nation to report in favor OF going 10 work
on the City Hall. After that will come
WestEnd market, an elegant uptown
hotel, and a union passenger depot; but
preceding these somewhat will be n new
census showing our population over 10000.
extension Of strect-car tracks TO. Hollywood
and the old reservoir, and reduction OF
gas from q to S1.5O--possibly to Sl.40.
Good things are in store for us!
THE CITY HALL.
We have been without City Hall nine
or ten years. The old one was pulled
down to give room for n new one. The
present hall, built in the livery-stable arch
| itecture OF the XIXth century, was erected
to serve temporary purpose only; but the
panic came, and times got tight, and the
new City Hall was not commenced. The
debt of the city, however, went straight
along up all the same. Last year the sub
ject Of a new City Hall was agitated with
great activity. The City Council resolved
10 submit the question 10 the people whe-
| ther or no they would authorize the issue
of 100000 in city bonds for the pur-
pose. The people, almost with one voice,
said "Yes." That was May, 1882. This
| is March, 1888. and the Council is about to
move.
NEEDLESS FEAR.
Hundreds Of good citizens have been
heard to say, " oh, well, / wouldn't mind
apprOpriatng 100000 to this object; but
that will be only the beginning" In the
! first place. the City Council will have no
right to exceed this sum; in the second
place, they will have no need to do IT.
We have the site. 1t is very handsome
one. It fronts Broad street-wbich is to
.be the great thoroughfare OF the future
and 1t fronts the Capitol Square. 1t is on
a high elevation and yet on plane. The
| city may grow far westward, but 1t can
never leave this section. our lot Is good
enough for anything. But some say IL
isn't large enough. Well. it will be ii DIR.
Tupper's property is acquired. The Doc
tor has a handsome place, and is comforta-
blv settled down. and doubtless would not
care to move, nut being patriotic gentle
man would probably not care TO stand in
the way OF such n great improvement.
With that additional territory, we would
have front on Broad street o. lSS feet and
a depth from Broad to Capitol OF 1865 feet.
TOR PoSTEEITY.
There Is very little sentiment in the
/
westward. The Swan-Taern lot north
side OF Broad between Eighth and NINTH
is regarded as an eligible location; and so
IL il. But the downtown men will not
vote TO 90 further westward than the pre-
sent site. On the Swan-Tayern lot the hall
could have three fronts-on Ninth, on
Broad. and on Eighth street. At she ciiy's
own lot il could have three alsO-on Broad.
on Twelfth, and on Capitol, and a plan
could be adopted with fourth front-on
Eleventh street. To buy Ihschnrch pro-
perty and to build that front might be q
good work to leave to posterity. Posterity
always wants something TO do. That would
be a good job.
WHAT WILL A BUILDING COST?
Look At the Pace Block the next time
YOU pass il. II is solid and handsome,
Two of the most costly stories are in TIE
ground. Well, a building like that and
tlrice it, size can be put up for sl25, 1000
But 'tisn't fire-proof, you say. No, It l.
not; but wouldn't about $4,000 more IRE
proof il? No doubt it would.
TheI1 is a prevailing idea that the City
Hall ought to be built OF granite II 1t is e
be fire-pro0f. The experience in the Chi
cae0 and Boston fires was that granite die
not stand rs well rs brick; but il the mrs
story were OF beautiful James-river granite
and the upper ones Of our nice pressed
, brick each such portion would set of tn,
, other. The Western Union and the Irt
. b,,ne buildings in New York are after tina
| style.
! I We will have 10 have large building
: No doubt an elevator will be necessary
II so, some of the court-rooms could b.
p mt high up in the building, and thus b
: Iar out of the reach OF noise. The Unte'
states courts in New York are away up II
,. the post-ofice building. No noise reache
/ them, and the lazy man has only TO 81
down in the elevator, and up he goes TO ID
/ right iioor.
: THE ROOM NEEDED.
il We have the City Council and thre
o courts 10 provide for certain-the Circuit
' tbe Chancery. aud the Hastings. As 10
d tbe Police Court, the propriety OF puttln
}, il in the City Hall might well be left {
!, the sound sense Of the excellent Polio
Y Justice we have. There are reasons 10
and against II. -
The Mayor, Chief OF Police, High. Con
stable. Coroner, and President Oh IN
e Board of Health, and several other olhcer'
p ought TO have rooms in the Ciiy iial
!, They are now scattered; and DO 20
Y know that the present Arrangement mas
= far cost III rent and other expenditure
e over n. 600 wear: while (SS00,00 at 5pf
? cent? the new hall VIII only co7l SIo,uu
n or $4,000 per annum more than the PR
d sent diScreditable STYLE in which we liY'
J. UPTOWN HOTEL.
II The desirabiIity Of having an' elegar
- rn.town hotel here has so impressed son
~ of orr citizens that they have been talkin
" 10 their moneyed friends in the Mort
I, about IL. Even now great hotel-manag,
- of tbe North Is revolving the whole SUI
1, iect In his mind. He has his hands iul
:, Int he Is so convinced that II VIII pay IN
y 30 bas a mind 10 take hold Of II any way.
~ :, Int TO think that Richmond has few'
IN hotels now than it did in lS5V!
{, rNIoN DEPOT.
This Is our greatest want. The railroad
a men confess il; but II viii De some yea
e before we get il supplied. me loss 10 u
CT Richmond and Petersburg hailroau ooil
pany by the burning Of their bridge was
misfortune in this respect IL postpone
~ the union depot. =,
10 However, General-Manager smith, OF u
ia Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, has Decon
10 heartily ashamed OF bis passenger depot
iy and there are Others here just as bad-ar
III will shortly .et TO work 10 improve II. III
" comnany would prefer TO Join In praci
col sebems1or union depot, but as the
IL l. no immediate prospect OF that. they "
ID SET IN work 70 better their own aceomm
,g dations. Mr.. Smith does not promise
n elegant building, but he does promise
U. neat and clean one, ccnslliutea lh part
rd ,be ,1 nresent resi-, structure. There will be gal
ck ~ ,no ofter the northern style. There W
lr- Se @ tracks on each side of the building.
ry cominr 60 trains will use the present trac
or Outgoing trains i'll be run o, on a track