The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-20
RICHMOND WILL
HAVE AUDITORIUM.
Various Plans That Have.
Been Suggested BY
Various Ones.
81 # -------.. ii6@N
ACTION NEEDS TO
BE TAKEN AT ONCE
Councils M oven1cnt seems.to Be
Too Slow for Progressive
Richmond, and Other
Plans Are Under
Earnest Dis
cussion.

. Il = ! i 4
A great auditorium for Richmond Is
now subject that is under universal
discussion.
Mayor Mccarthy, who knows q good
thing when he sees 1t. lid not hesitate
to recommend 10 the Council that tho
building OF MI auditorium that would be
credit and a big advertisement to the
city be undertaken by the lily itself
The Common Council was disposed to
look favorably upon the Mayors schenie
and referred his trOpOsition 70 Il COM
Inittee. The Board of Aldermen. how
ever came along nnl threw IL damper
on the whole business by refusing 10
consider the Mayors propositions Eiow-
ever the Board can sometimes be, read
between the lines. and It Is possible that
its action meant only temporary delay.
The night the Board was called upon to
hear Mayor sMcCarthy's auditorium rec
oinmendaGon 1t had some other very
big appropriations before It.. The prDpo-
sitlon to give the State Fair project
10000 was up that night and some o:Ecr
appropriations OF considerable dimensions
had to be made. 10 have added a hum
dred or two hundred thousand dollars
forgnn auditorium, and all IN one and
:
than the aldermen coula stand for, and
they proceeded to blaek-eye the whole
auditorium scheme insofar rs city owner
ship OF the same was concerned.
It is the oIinia.i Of great many that
this action on the part OF the Board was
only temporary work, and that the MEM
bers will amble up, to the scratch little
later on In a much more favorable
humor.
Battle Abbey Scheme.
In this connection 1t should not be for
gotten that the City Fathers are in favor
or an auditorium in the ownership Of
which the city Is to be at least a
partner ss
1T will be remembered that a very
liberal appropriation was made. the pay
ment OF which has been provided for 20
the Confederate Battle Abbey. a condi-
ton understood in. this appropriation WAS
that the abbey must have big room, OF
ten thousand seating capacity. that may
be--lndeed, shall be-lsed rs IN audi-
,or<um. The Battle Abbey is getting
along ali right, and In due time will be
here with Its auditorium, but It will not
be here this year, or next year either,
and next year, above all other times, Is
the very time when Richmond will need
an auditorium OF great dimensions.
Richmond must have jus. erch house
for the PRECAUTIONARY year. even.
though 1t be temporary makeshlft.
This is the general opinion; this seems
to be the mind of Richmond. and The
mind of Richmond hnYin. been l;adc
known. there Is. nothing to do but buill
an auditorium.
There are numerous suggestions and
not few plans on foot for an ardltoriuma
Third Market Scheme ~
Some time ago Mr.. Umlauf, strictly,
business member of tho Common COun !
Gil. offered a resolution providing that.
with an expenditure OF several thousand
dollars, the Third Market. located on
Cary Street, between Linden and Cherry
Streets, be converted into an auditorium
capable OF seating not less than 5000
peS)le. This proposition was defeated,
hut It is understood that since tl,a C:olri-
ell sat down upon 1t several members
who voted against II have undergone g.
change OF heart. SO 10 speak, and Mr.,
Lmlauf feels encouraged to renew his
proposition and will do so. probably at
the next meeting OF the Council.
In the meantime, knowing that great
bodies like city councils. sntLils ana some
other things, are proverbal for moving
with calm deiberation which the pros
fame nre too prone 10 stignnatlse as sui
pidhl slowness, private individuals and
men Of large means arc becoming intense
ly Interested In the aud.torium subject,
There Is undoubtedly a movement on foot
ia have an auditorium In time for the
big convention and the big Ter-Centennary
crowds OF next year. Whether It be a
Temporary affair or a permanent struc-
ture depends largely upon what shape inc
movement assumes the next two or threa
weeks There Is a much deeper public
interest In this matter than has Nyet
appeared on the surface 4'he dilltory
tactics of the Council may have had
much to do with awakening this public
interest.
Feasible Plans.
BE all this MS 1t may, the fact remains
that plans have been fornln; ana enter
prsing real estate agents ana pubic
spirited capitalists have been qnletly q
work on both site and building. The plan
at least by those In the secret IS rue one
brought out by Mr., Leroy Il, Brown, q
the firm of J. Thompson Brown " 20
Briefly stated, his plan Is to utilize INC
present Y. NJ. G. A. lot at Sixth and s.illFl
Streets, and that adjoining on the west
front together 1872 feet on Main Street by
depth of 165 feet on Sixth street, and
they are most admirably adapted for this
purpose, being In the Typographical center
of the city and accessible to all street car
lines. j, Thompson Brown 4 CO. abso,
lutely control the splendid lot adjoining
Tie Y. NJ. G, A., fronting 66 * 1G fee,
on Main Street. the key to the situation
and while the present owner bought the
lot not many months ago as a permanent
Investment and not for speculative pur-
noses, vet consented to sell In conjunc-
lion with tho Y, NJ, e.. A., for auditorium
MI. Charles r. Dewey, an exper
architect from New York, who has re
Gently located in this city, and who ha'
already made many friends and not {
few clients, has prepared q plan for al