National Republican., 1888-02-12
THE CONVENTION HALL.
How the Interest In the Project Suddenly
Departed.

i DtphTeihs
| There seems to be great regret felt at the
failure of the Commissioners to call meet
ing of the citizens for the purpose of taking
action looking to the building u structure
suitable for convention purposes. Several
gentlemen, 1t is understood, having the in
tcrest of the city at heart had meeting, and
concluded that if the Commissioners would
call the meeting they would advance a propo-
sition to the effect that the stock in the pro-
posed building should be so fixed in price
that every man in the District, if he desired,
| could take a share in IL wishout trouble, and
thus relieve the minds of the people of it.
being an enterprise gotten up for the benefit
of few persons. The failure to call the
meeting so disheartened the gentlemen en-
thusiastC in the project that they abandoned
AL thought of taking any further interest in
the matter.
I'VE want snch building here" said one
OF the gentlemen, and If the Commission
ors had had the courage to call the meeting
when they were asked TO do so, there is
every reason to believe that the hall would
now be well under way. Outside of our
own little circle ] am told that there were
several well-known citizens who were very
eager and Jealous about the matter I
know one gentleman, refer to Mr.. Lawrence
Gardner, whose whole soul was in the un-
dertaking. am told by some of his friends
that he went to some expense to get up a
rough sketch of a building to be located on
The public square not far from the Center
market, and sent it to the Commissioners
merely TO show them what sort of q building
was really needed. The Commissioner who
received II gave the sketch and the letter ac-
companyng it u great snub.' When Mr..
Gardner heard of what had been done he
tlr Ia 10 Nr.y.. .i, Il
,ore thcm up and exclaimed: | will
nave nothing more to do with the
matter, He kept his word, and I
do not believe that he could be
coaNed TO take any more interest in that
direction at present. 1t was not because his
pontmcnt that he experienced ut their re-
lection but he felt only mucn aggrieved that
his name should be associated with n
scheme to get up II building in the interest
OF few persons for their own personal ends, |
can't understand how it is that when our
cltlIens are willing to come forward to do |
something for the citys benefit that the cry
of 1t is scheme is raised by people who If |
called pm would do nothing themselves but |
carp and criticize and break down the eff |
forts OF those who are honestly willing to do |
something for the cty's good Mr. Gardner
has a large circle of friends and il has be-
come known now the reason of his retire |
ment from the project and | doubt very |
much II meeting was held for the object |
stated If any of his friends, who are num- |
bered among the wealthy and business
classes, would come to the front. | think |
that the opportunity for raising the neces-
ssary money for big public hall has been al
lowed to slip by, and 1t will be long time
before 1t VIII come around again. Washing
ton enterprise is very tame and | have had |
an experience that makes me very 'chary' of
it. There is talk enough at all times of what
ought to be done, but when persons come
forward to do the things spoken of they are
cried down as schemers.' We will learn
better some day."