Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-17
BUY THE sHAFER SITE.
Rival Delegations Agree to Accept
1t for Po.tofIicc.

1t ZOE Eos lOAASCs
The two opposing post-ofice site dele
cations which wen emit t fb M Hana
tee on Public Buildings and Grounds d !.
have agreed on one. thing, namely. me ne
Shafer site. if it can be purchased WITHIN
the appropriation OF $4,000. =,
favor the site at Main and Tenth streets.
as 1T is known. that q large number or
representative citizens do not. out me ne
need of new quarters for me p1 hat ~ 3
concession is made in order to nave some
action taken. In case this proposed site
cannot be bought within the approprla-
ton, the money is to be used 70 get some
other.
AS the situation is made clear, there e,
is much doubt expressed whether the
new post-office building will ever go up on
ported. wants s145, 900 for the building; the
Whitlock estate owns the ground rent.
valued at not less than $1,000; and besides
this, q condemnation OF the tenant leases,
some Of which have IN three bs years 81 ssl 70
This is the hope OF some of the Broad
street contingent, who trust that the
Secretary of the Treasury will name
proposed is given up. Wray T. knight.
the present postmaster. said last night
that he did not favor the Shafer site I'M
der the bill, but was thinking more OF the
forced to work by artificial light than he
was about a Broad street site.
OF the Same Opinion Still.
While there is now apparently con-
certed action between the two delegations,
it is known that the Broad street. dele
cation, which went to Washington favor
ing the Broad street site. is still Of the
Sans mind The Main street people, who
show considerable strength. will probably
not abandon a Main street site without
a struggle.
street contingent to keep the post-oflice
where it is, because it will attract people
to the neighborhood; it will enhance val
ues in the downtown section. and will
facilitate the mail delivery in the business
section
Some of the Broad street committee.
however. are against the Main street site,
for many reasons. They claim tat the
bottom of hill is no place for an in1pos-
ing public structure: the light will al
ways be bad, the electric light bill for
the last month in the old structure be-
ing s175- Far-sighted people. they claim.
have seen the trend Of the city westward.
At the present time, according to Mr..
Wray T. Knight, there are fifty-four mail
carriers. tl1irty-seven OF these deliver mail
called business section: taking into ae-
count the box deliveries the mail still
going west is more than sixty-fve per
cent. of the whole. 4 mis- in itself, say
Tic bIOdd street. peop!Sa ilulCdteS tlIdt TIE
site should be more westerly, or at least
on level ground above the hill.
Facilitate the Work.
Those opposing Main street, or the
Shafer site. state that Mr.. knight him
self says that with the post-office upon
the hill mail can be delivered into the
Main street section full twenty minutes
sooner than it is now, because there will
be enough light and floor space.
Should the post-office be erected upon
the hill, it is said, the present building
will De kept as sub-station. while the
new government building will be a dis
tinct gain for the city.
Whatever is to be done should be done
quickly, 1t argued. for the conditions at
intolerable; the chief mailing clerk has
been forced to move out Of the building;
the internal revenue agent has gone to
Lynchburg; there is no room for the court
library. and the four circuit judges are
thinking of transferring the courts to Bal.
timore: the w Gather Bureau is forced into
another building, and the departments re-
naming within the old structure are SO
congested that they are seriously handi-
capped in the conduct Of the government
business.
Since 1t has become known that the
Shafer site has not become settled there
are many sites being offered. It is fact
that Mr.. J. Thompson Brown headed q
delegation in favor of removing the post.
office to the site of the Raab spropert-9
a.. the northeast corner of Main and SeV-
enth streets.
This lest-named site is the dark horse
IN the controversy. It Is understood that
IT. would be acceptable to some, at least,
OF the Broad street merchants. and while
possessing a II the ma tural advantages OF
the proposed Broad street site. would
include none Of the disadvantages of the
present site with its lack OF light. ;