The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-01-30
THE pARrY ARRIVES,

H
United States Senator Thomas s.. Mare
tin and Represena tive John Lamb arrived ]
in Richmond last night. With them
cana Mr.. Charles z. Kenper. Of this
Office Of the supervising architect OF tht
Treasury Department Mr. Kemzer canla (
down at the instance of Senator Martirt
and Captain Lamb to look over tho
ground. with a. View to recommending
III general terms Just what sort Of X
building should be erected for Federal
governmental purposes upon the site OF
the pres =nr Custom House and the ShafeA !.
Building, which have been bought bTS
the government.
Senator Martin, when seen at Murphy'A
Hotel. authorized atTimes-D Dispatch man
to quote him as saving that the matter
of the site for the Federal building waa
settled, and had been settled for SONG
time There is not the renorest possible.
.ity, not even the slightest probability. OF
any other site being acquired,
CONTRACT IS SIGNED.
The government has entered into n !
written agreement with Mr.. James A.
Moncure, representing the Shafer estate.
to buy the Shafer building, and the gov
ernment purposes to use this property
for its enlarged building There haa
already been appropriated s75,0 900 to pay
for the Shafer building. and the present
Congress will vote the remaining 100000.
@Ihis latter sum will be embraced in tho
sundry civil bill. which will be pass sd
before the 4th OF March.
The Federal Government acquires all
OF its properties for purposes Of this sort
by condemnation proceedings. District
Attorney L, L. Lewis Will conduct these
proceedings, and will make n motion
to-day befo.e Judge Waddill 10 appoint
commission to condemn Shafer build.
Ing, The Judge will, of course, appoint
such a commission, for this is merely Q,
matter OF formality. The commission
details have been arranged between the
seller and the purchaser OF the prop &
erty. the bale will be confirmed at ans
early date.
AS TO POSSESSION
Whatever damages. II any. any tenanA
In Shafer building has to suffer Will be- 4
reported by the commission and will
come out OF the purchase price. Thers
Will be no need for the government 90
take Immediate possession, and only a
few Of the tenants, some on the ground
floor, Will suffer damages.
Just when the work of tearing down9
Shafer building and breaking ground for
the new structure will begin no one can
tell, But this work will not commence
for one or two years NJ
After the details shall all slays been
arranged, ana as tEe seEeral oElceS arB 4
vacated. the government can take pos
session of them and use thsm until tho
rebuilding begins.
REGARDING DETAILS.
Mr., Remper vii! not report as to ds.
tailed plans for the new building. Hs
will make a careful inspection of tina
two properties OF all their environments
and recommend TO the Treasury Depart
n,ent the general character of such
structure as. In his Judgment, Is needed
here by the government The next step
will be for the supervising architect and
the Department to pass upon his report.
When this Is adopted. then an appropris-
ton will be made for the work 70 begir.3
and thess appropriations will be added
10 from time to time, as tho nscessities
OF the case may demand.
Tho goverfia u mt has made appropria-
t!ons for. perhaps. more than one hun.
dred buildings, and the one In Richmond
will have to wait It's turn. In other
words. 1t is a physical imposAbility Tor
tha Treasury Department. within tho 4
next year or TWO. 20 have nll the doe
tails arranged fnr tia work TO ha doasl
here n ss