Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-18
Y. M. c. A. WANTS It.
Offers Fair Price for the
School Building,
ODD FELLOWS MAY BID
Board Of Trustees VIII Have no Difficulty
to Dispose of the Property Twenty
Eighth Street. Meeting
Last Night.

The Twenty-elghth street school
building may become the headquarters
OF the Y. NJ. c. A. or 1t may give place
10 en- Odd Fellows He'll.
When the present session closes the
barilding wild be aba ndoned for school
purposes, as the central school building
will then be ready Dor occupancy. and
1T will be offered for sale. The two lots
on which the building stands belong
to the Old Dominion Land Company.
The city was allowed to erect school
building on the site, but the compnn ny
retained the title TO the land. Rec1titly
negotiations were commenced by the
board of school trustees for the pur-
chase OF the lots and the deal Will lie
closed in a few days. when the deed of
sale is spread on the conveyance book
at the clerks Office. When this is done
the board will dispose II the property
to the best advantage.
Last night special meeting OF the
board OF school trustees was beid for
the purpose OF receiving a committee
FROM the Y. NJ. c. A Those who COM
posed the committee from the Y. NJ.
c. A were Judge T. J. Barharn, Hiessrs.
L. B Man ville0 w. E. COttreh and J..
A. Wiuett-
These gentlemen stated That they un-
derstoof the board intended to dispose
OIL the property, and they wished to
purchase it for the association. No III
Ter was made, but the committeeman
stated they were willing to pay fair
price for the property, and asked that
a price be fixed. and the assoca-
tion De given the first opportunity to
accept or reject the terms.
The committee was assured that the
members of the board Were deeply in
terested in the Y. NJ. c. A. and its
work. but in disposing Of public prop
erty they wcslld have to be governed
by The policy that brought the most
revenue. In the near future the erec-
ton Of school buildings wrud be COM
Inenced. and Che board needed all the
money it could get. No promises were
Ena de, as the deal between the board
and the Old Dominion Land Company
had not been closed. and the members
could not bind themselves. The co1n-
nittee then, left
The board remained in session u snort
while longer to consider the matter
further,
A letter from Mr. l. b Manville. gu
perintendent of the Old Dominion Lana
Company. was read. in which it was
stated that the company would release
its claims on the hyts on which the
Twenty eighth street school building
s sd as esn g. t. oa f. 4 e ana Il
On block No 142, and lots Nos. rs, Is. IL.
IS. So. Sc, 81 and So in block No. 81.
These are the sites the hhard selected
respectively. and for which it was
agreed that the sum OF $500 should b.
paid. The East End site is situated on
Twenty-e: g1lth street between Marshall
and Wickha m avenues. and the colored
school is to be ho*>a ted on Twenty
second street, between Jefferson and
Marshall avenues. The board decided
to close the deal az soon as the money
was realized from the sale OF the bonds.
Then the city Will own the Twenty
eighth street property. situated be-
tween Washingo and lafayette ave-
nues in fe- simple. and can dispose Of
1t a 1t sees proper.
1t was slated that the local lodge OF
Odd Fellows had deterDine,i' TO bid on
the property when it was offered for
sale, as the order contemplated the
erection Of a hall. Being in the centre
OF the business section sf the city sew
eral members thought the property
would be desirable for business pur-
poses. and so it was finaMy decided to
cali for sealed bids and sell the Duild-
ing to the Brightest bidder.
The board then ad tuurned