The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
NEW HEADQUARTERS.
THE STRUCTURE THAT WILL So.
PERSEDE WASHINGTON HALL.
Details of the Plan Q ID Cost of the Bald
ipg-History OF the Old Building-For-
msr Home OF Masonic re carnations.

| now kept at headquarters. on Broad
1 street. while that building is TO be torn
| down. H. was originally the idea OF the
| commissioners that they could close up
/ Tenth street from Broad TO Marshall
streets during the rebuilding OF their
| headquarters. They intended TO erect d
| temporary building on the roadbed 10
| house the apparatus and stable the Morse.
| The City Engineer did not see any OBJ
| lection on the part of the city 10 such
/ use of the street. but the city Attorney
| decided that II would he necessary for
| the commissioners to first secure the con-
sent of all the property owners on That
| thoroughfare, and the plan was therefore
| given up.
The board next considered a PROPOSE
1 ton giving them the use Of whatever
| space they needed I'm the coal-yard OF
| Mr.. s. II. Cottrell. on the north side of
Broad, between Eighth and Ninth streets.
| but in view OF the fact that a rental for
four or five months at the rate of so per
month would have to be paid, besides the
| sum OF about 500 for the construction
of a temporary building. this problem was
also dropped. Then the armories for the
Stuart Horse Guards and the Howtzers,
on north Seventh and Eighth streets.
were thought OF. II appeared that north
Seventh street was not wide enough to
admit a turning Of the hook and ladder
truck and the cavalry armory was there
fore out of the question.
TIE HowrTLEns CONSENTED.
The consent Of the officers and men Of
the Richmond Howitzers having been OBJ
tanned. and there being hardly any doubt
that the Committee on Grounds and
Buildings Will give its permission, the
temporary headquarters Of the fire de-
! L.
moved to the new armory on north
Eighth street The different apparatus
will be stationed on the ground floor. and
improvised sleeping accommodations Will
be secured on the same floor in the room
set aside for the use of the quartermas-
ter. The only structures to be erected
by the department will be the necessary
stalls for the horses that will be con-
structed in the yard
The plans and Specifications for the
new building that IS to be erected where
Washington Hall now stands. on Broad
near Tenth street. and which are drawn
by Mr.. Walter Il. Higham. the supervis-
ing architect Of the Hotel jefferson. were
adopted by the Board of Fire Commits
sioners at their meeting last Monday
evening. Proposals Will be opened on
April Sth. and the cost of the building is
estimated not 10 exceed $500 or 5000.
The building is 10 be erected of brick,
with granite and terra-cOtta trimmings.
1t will be about 20 feet high, and is 10
be surmounted by a tower, the top OF
which will be so feet from the Sidewalk.
THE NEW BUILDING.
The new building will have a frontage
of 80 feet on Broad street by a depth OF
70 feet, and It will be three stories in
height The first floor will be divided
into two portions. as the present one
That on the east side will be used for the
quarters of the hook and ladder truck
while the other one will be for the ac-
commodation Of the steam and chemical
engines, the hose wagon and the chiefs
buggy. The second floor will be divided
up along the east side and in the rear
into three large sleeping rooms. a toilet
room, store room, and the chiefs Office
i'm the front, with staircases I'm the front
and rear. The remaining portion OF this
floor on the west side will be a clear
story over the engine room below. with
galleries running across the front and
along the east and west sides TO the rear
that on the west side to be suspended by
means of iron rods from the third floor
above.
The third story is to be kept open for
use as hall. or il can be divided up
in any convenient manner. the plan being
TO provide il with side lights and a stair
case i'm the rear. Provision will also be
made for an enclosed shaft which can
be used at any future time for an electric
elevator. while for the present ii will
probably be used as a hose tower The
third floor will be carried on cast-iron
columns and steel beams. The tower will
be provided with an alarm bell that is to
be sounded and regulated from the fire.
alarm department i'm the City Hall.
The first floor is to be covered with
granolithic pavement, and i'm the hook
and ladder department three horse stalls
will be erected. while in the engine de-
partment accommodations for five horses
will be secured. The interior of the
building will be equipped with the very
latest appliances as to plumbing. gas and
water fixtures, electric wiring, etc.
HISTORY OF THE LOT.
The lot on which the new structure Is
TO be erected. and which is covered at
present by Washington Hall. was ac-
uuired by the city as early as 1866. one
norton OF ii was purchased from John
II. Williams and f. Victoria, his wife. by
deed. bearing date of February q, 1866
and of record in the Office of the clerk
of the Hastings Court. II consists OF
parts of lots No. IA and 49, fronts on the
north side Of Broad street, and runs back
1877 IL feet. The other portion was ac-
quired little later from Thomas y.
Bigger and wife, parents of Colonel John
Bell Bigger, but the deed Of transfer IS
not recorded. The entire lot has a front
age of 80 feet The building was COM
menced in 1867. and It was completed
during the following year. The contrac-
tors were Messrs. William Davis &
Sons, and Mr.. Ed. l.. Bates. OF the
City Engineers Office was I'm charge of
the work. The entire cost Of the struc-
ture was s17,337.9S. The building was de-
signed for two stories, the lower floor OF
which was to accommodate an engine
company and the Office Of the city water
works.
TO ACCOMMODATE THE MAsoEs.
At the request of the Masonic organi-
cations, however. the city authorities
agreed to strengthen the walls and add
a third story 10 the structure 10 furnish
meeting rooms for Lodges No. 81, No. 81.
No. 30 and Chapter No. IS OF the Masons.
who were to pay rent 10 the city for
the accommodations furnished. The cor
ner-stone of the building was laid by
Metropolitan Lodge. No. II, and Mayor
Joe Mayo delivered an address on that
occasion.
In 1873 when the Council chamber in
the old City Hall was condemned by the
committee appointed by Judge A. b. Gut
gon. OF the Hastings Court, the second
floor of Washington Habitat being the
name given the building by the Masons-
was fitted up as Council chamber, and
the City Council occupied that floor until
the new city Hall was completed
The Masonic organizations retained
their lodge rooms in Washington Hall
until st. Adams Hall was erected I'm 1877.