Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-16
posToFr1cE SITE.

There is no questioning the. fact that
in influential quarters at washington inc
opinion prevails that Congress would pet
ter appropriate enough money to put up
a new Federal building here than attempt
to remodel the present one. In that case
a million dollars would have to be expend-
ed.
A site would hardly be designated In the
appropria ton bill. The selection Of one
more probably would be left to commits
eioners. It Is known, however that the
policy adopted by the government In such
circumstances favors the selection OF
building sites in the. growing parts Of the
cities and spacious lots on high ground
usually are sought.
Some experts have given it az their
opinion that the present Federal building
here never could be remodelled and en-
larged 80 as to make it an imposing, up
to.date. and comfortable home for the
postoff1ce custom house, and Federal
Courts.
We presume that If the government re-
moved the postof1ce uptown, a sub-of1ce
always would be maintained at or near the
present stand.
It may be sarcastically remarked that
that is remote contingency; but we are
not SO sure-it may not be! We shall see
soon. At the coming session Of Congress
report will be submitted by the super
visipg architect OF the Treasury Depart
ment which will bring the whole subject
up for discussion and give Congress the
opportunity to say whether it will adhere
to it's expressed purpose Of remodelling
and charging the present building, or will
provide for new one.
The first city directory published here
appeared in 1919. and we learn from it that
the postoffice was then on E Cary street,
between Thirteenth and Fourteenth. We
have heard that later on it was removed
one square higher up the street. About
1874 or 1876 1t was removed to the base
it remained until 1852 when the present
building was finished and occupied.
Until then the post-of1ice, the Federal
courts and the custom house were sepa-
rated. The new building, however, Of
forded quarters for them all. The Gus
tom house had been a rented building on
the west side of Fifteenth street, be-
tween Main and Cary. There 1t was that
the office-safe was blown open by robbers,
who came In the night and carried off
large sum Of money, most Of which they
concealed under the Broad-street arch
p,,f IN,
few days they were captured, and one
of them confessed everything, enabling
the government to recover most Of the
money stolen and convict the thieves.
About 1862 or 63 the Confederate Gov
eminent used the main floor Of the post
Treasury Department. while one of the
stores under the Spotswood Hotel was
rented for the postoffice. But the Federal
forces upon entering the city in April,
1865, re-established the postoffice in its
former home, where it has been ever since.
except for about a year or two, when the
work Of repairing and enlarging the old
building was going on. That was during
the administration of Postmaster Culing-
worth, when the second floor of the spa
cious warehouse at the northwest corner
Of Cary and Eleventh streets was rented
for postoffice purposes-and a very con-
venient and well arranged postof11ce it
made The Federal Courts found tenn
porary quarters in the Grant house on
Twelfth street. adjoining President Davis's
old house. and on the spot where the Cen
trail school building is located now.