The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-07
FOR THE FAIR GROUNDS,
AN OFrER UHfCH mas BEEN RE-.
JKcTED BY TBL SOCIETY.
proposition Made nv Mcssrs. y. Thompson
Browns Co.. which Col. Murphy Re.
ported on unfavorably.

Broad street. the property being fami.
nariy known as Tho Fair Grounds. and
the yos,poncmcn Of the sale, brings tc
Tho recollection Of some business men OF
Richmond. am ofcr which the society
had IN connection with this property.
This Offer which came from we'll
known real estate firm OF Richmond. was
made 10 tho society several months since
when the question Of sale of the prop
erty was first asitatcd ana WIS actd.ued
by the society.
Mr. Leroy T.. Brown. represented j.
Thompson Brown q CO.. aud Colonel
John Murphy was the representative Of
the Virginia Agricultural ana Mechani-
cal Society IN this attempted deal wm,h
never maturcd.
Tn the course OF an interview haG with
Mr. Leroy Brown on yesterday. ne said
that several months ago. when the qucs-
tion OF the sale Of the west Broad street
property, better known as the Fair
Grounds. and Exposition Grounds. was
mentioned first. he called on Colonel
John Murphy representing the Virginia
state Agricultural and Mechanical So
Ciety.
THE PROPOSITION.
Acting as the representative o. j..
Thompson Brown q Co, for themselves
and their associates he made this pro-
position 10 Colonel Murphy, with The p'o-
vision that the necessary arrangements
with the bondhoidcrs could be made.
J. Thompson Brown & Co, were 10 as
sumo the entire indebtedness Of the Viz
Einia Agricultural and Mechanical So
Ciety. and give the society seventy acres
OF land ON the line Of the Richmond
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad.
three miles west Of Richmond, in eN-
change for tie property Of tho Virginia
Agricultural and Mechanical Society.
afterwards offered for sale on May 9Th.
and Withdrawn the same day.
Mr. Brown further said that Mr.. =. T.
j. Myers president OF the Richmond.
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad.
had promised II this proposition Of Brown
& Go. 10 Colonel Murphy was accepted
that his railroad would transport free
Of charge 10 the society all the material
in the buildings now on the societys
grounds 10 the place offered by Brown &
Co. there 10 be regretted by the So
Ciety.
Everything. OF whatever kind. I'm the
way Of buildings there was included in
this offer said Mr. Brown. houses, fences.
grand stand az the race track. and any
thing else they wished TO remove 10 the
proposed new site for the Fair Grounds.
III this offer had been accepted. Mr..
Brown continued the society would have
had a new and permanent home and a
place and site on which 10 build and add
10 their present buildings as they were
able. The cost 20 Il of putting back the
houses, grand stand. stables cattle pens
and other buildings wo, Ia have been very
little I'm comparison with the benefits
hur ~
site and home for the society.
In this new place offered 10 the soci-
ETY.. 10 would have had seventy ceres Of
ground the same number Of acres as are
IN its old site on the same railroad and
besides the railroad facilities an ex-
tension Of tho track Of the Richmond
Railway and Electric Company to that
point was also promised them.
These seventy acres arc part Of a tract
OF five hundred acres owned by j.
Thompson Brown & Co.. I'M fee simple
and free Of an encumbrances. said Mr.
Brown.
Concluding he said he had several
talks with Colonel Murphy and that
gentleman reported that he had submit
ted the whole matter To- the Executive
COMMITTEE OF the Society and had given
as his Judgment am unfavOable recon-
iaend ltinn of Mr. Browns proposition.
COLONEL MURpHYS REASON.
colonel John Murphy was seen at his
hotel last evening and asked ii hc wish
"a 10 say anything after having the
statement OF Mr. Brown read 10 him
colonel Murphy said that the state
ment Of Mr. Brown was a correct one.
and that there was no objection on PTS
part 20 telling the public WHY he mad
reported unfav1rably on the proposition
from air. Brown TO the Society
ln ue irst place. said he the timtcrs
in ah Inc buildings. OF whatever kind
ana allure now on the grounds OF the
Society are not worth the expense and
trouble it would take TO build them up
again anywhere.
He could not only see no wisdom or
common sense whatever I'm the adoption
" Messrs. Brown & COS, proposition.
hnt thought 20 would have been entirely
.tainst me best Interests OF the Society
10 have adopted IT,
Tho property of the Society ie worth
$4,000. he thought or 10000 more than
SIS necessary 90 pay the debts of the So
Clety. which, are in round figures about
5000
lie was not surprised thot the sale ala
not bring out any better offers for
everybody knows the depres ion I'm real
estate just at this present tine.
The Society has the offer Of and choice
from several good sites. for fair-eroinds
at az distances of easy access from Rich
mona. and which are offered 10 the So
ciety free
one of the sites is on The Manchester
SIDE or the river and all Of them are east
IN reached by existing car lines I'm Rich
mond. DE continued
one offer alone whioh the Society had
or $4,000 for their property would enable
u TO pay IFS debt and have $500 as can't
i.i TO begin work on. upon any of the
sites offered 70.
hut we believe by waiting a much bet
yer price than that il not the vah,e Of
$4,000 could DE obtained.
IF the Society had accented the Offer
or proposition OF Messrs. Brown e. O..
IL would have found Itself upon q new
ana distant Site without a building ar
materials available for buildings ANA
"ilnout dollar with which 10 begin anv
operations 7''' ""y
mis- statement from me tells fbe u.bole
tiory said be. and do not think thero h.
business man who VIII not agree WIN
me IA my conception OF what w. ~
Tor the interests Of the Scciet,-
The sale Of the property was nostnonod
yesterday until a date 10 be sci and
VIII DC advertised for thirty DAVIS eret
ANOTHER NdRROW ESCAPE.