Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-31
MAY TEAR IT DOWN.
PROPOSITION TO DESTROY WASH
INCTON HALL.
Handsome and Modern firc Department
Headquarters Wanted by the bosr"-
No Increased Appropriation Asked

Al the meeting OF the Common COUNCIL
on Monday night next. Messrs. Johh III.
Frischkorn, president OF the Boaru VI
Fire Commissioners. and Charles r. lay
Ior and L. c. Jenkins. members or tha'
body. will be present to request the auop-
ton by the city fathers Of n resoiu''oh
authorizing the Fire Commissioners 70 pun
down the old structure known as WASH
ington Hall. on Broad street pe'"ee"
Ninth and Tenth. and to erect IN us sou
a handsome new and commodious ou"u-
ing to be used as the headquarters Vi
the department.
The board at its last meeting discussed
the expediency OF this change. anu ap-
polnted n committee. consisting Oh theae
gentlemen, to urge upon the Couhci "a.
granting of such power. In this i.',,..
the commissioners contemplate
an the ground the handsomest hre ue
nartment headquarters south OF New
YORK without asking the Council 10 APP
nronriate one dollar more than Is always
oct apart for this important brahch u
the city government. .u
During the days OF the Reform Counci'
the city charter was 80 amendeu ."as
no smaller appropriation than that .i1l
being made to the Fire Department CUM
he made. consequently the charter s.a,eo
MAINLY what sum shall be set apart Wy
tho city for this arm OF service. Inc poaiu
has nv business sagacty and strict
ooonorov bu,lt several handsome statloh-
housos purchased splendid new hfe-
oryines. and a number Of pieces or Vaiu,
able apparatus. as well as largely auuen
TO and perfected the usefulness u INC
Fire Alarm Department.
GET IT BY ECONOMY.
7, ,s by the continuance OF business
oCoromv that the board expects 10 oe
oh,e IN accumulate $4,000 or $1,000 WIN
in the next two years TO pay for teaIlhS
dawn the old Washington Han anu pu''u
ing a handsome structure which VIII coi'-
Il in all necessary room Tor appai 80
stables for the horses that shouiu DC
ni;artered there. apartments lol-
.,'e ch,or and the fire-alarns
department thereby Vacauns IN
~ tho rooms now used In the cry HAN
While plans for the new house nave ~.
os vet been prepared, it Is proposed Una,
II shall be thoroughly modern ana sna'
be constructed so as to provide ior tns
concentration OF such factors in the ue
nsrfment as should be close 10
ntter. The board has authority aheaIs
=. ,,,,,,o c,,cb improvements at Washing
ton Hall as II deems necessary, put II -
not fitted for the use TO wnlch IL - ~"
Ieinc, nut. and the board Is desirous W
mixing lust such changes as VIII NV 49,.
the erection of a new mouse 10y -,
the city will save an anhudl -
81 now being paid for stables ~ 60
the new building is put up me o'I ,no
bells will not be used any ione''' -,
structure will contain a large tower W..
1'htch viii hang one large bell when
can 10 heard all over the city. Inc oen
IN no operated by electricity ana "iHO"
confusion will be avoided.
HISTORY OF THE HALL.
Washington Hall. to begin with. Is uli
safe. 1t has long been cohdeihneu,
"a largely supported by iron ana WOO"
cor,mns and into one OF these a valuable
horse Of the department recently ran
and was thereby permanently dlsapieh'
Tho hall. while an old house. has no MS
tory of special interest. 1t was erecled
soon after the war for municipal purposes
and has since been used by the CITY, De
fore the opening of the new Clty nan
the ground floor was occupied by bhsihc
Company No. and the water Depart
rnant. on the second floor was the Counch
Chamber. and on the third the headquar-
ters Of the Fire Department. Now the
structure Is used only by the engine COM
pany and a hook-and-ladder ana truck
company. except that the Electrical Board
is temporarily quartered in the old Coun-
ell Chamber. Soon after the hall was
completed several Masonic lodges met
there and the Council Chamber served
for some time the purposes of Jewish
synagogue. The building occupies the site
of the residence Of Colonel Thomas Bell
Bigger, father Of Colonel John Bell Big
ger.
II the board IS given authority to make
the improvement, temporary shed IN
some convenient place will be put up 10
quarter the fire apparatus while the old
structure is being removed and the new
one erected