The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-01

.HHraL
running from Tenth to Eleventh Street.
and passing the Bank Street front OF
the present postoffne building. is In the
form OF q bent bow and ought To IL cul
down for Improvement. This cannot be
done. however, because tho present Gus
tom-house building has great vaults un-
der the street which would be destroyed
by the Improvement.
3. The state OF Virginia has recently.
at great expense. reconstructed the old
State Capitol and made it one of the
most beautiful structures in America. and
contemplatcs great improvements in The
near future by the widening and i'm
provcment of Bank Street. which lies
between the state Capitol and tho Gus
tom house. This Improvement of Bari,
Street mo be made until the obstru>-
tons placed in the street by the govsrn-
nent have been removed.
g.. 1t is the earnest desire OF the State
authorities, II especially OF the city
authorities, 10 open the space now occu-
pied by the custom house and the re-
Gently purchased Shafer building, from
Bank Street through to Main, so as to
give a clear view Of and an approach TO
the State Capitol from Main Street
through. This would be an immense am
provement. and would make the State
Capitol, Its location and approach, one
of the most beautiful in his country. To
accomplish this Improvement, the present
custom house and Shafer building ought
10 be removed. / am satisfied that the
State and the city would combine to pay
for the property at any reasonable price.
l should regret exceedingly 10 see any
permanent structure located on the pres
ent site of the postoffice and the Shafer
building, because / think the ground they
occupy ought to be opened up for a great
approach e the State Capitol.
Now, as to the question OF a different
| site, L would like to say a few things IN
numerical order. as follows:
/. When the postofice was first erected
ii. Richmond. Richmond was in a bus
iress sense. east OF Ninth Street, and IN
q residential sense was limited by about
First or Foushee Streets. The city was
expected to grow n~orthwardly along
Church. 1Iill and had only Just mounted
tho heights of Shockoe lIlll. Now the
situation is entirely changed, and the
business of the city las extended up
Main Street far beyond Ninth and ON
Broad Street for q mile from the post
office IL the busiest retail street In the
city. The residential section of the city
has grown westwardly rapidly and beau
tiftlly until the residential portion OF
The city stretches for two miles west of
the, postolfice.
:. 1t Is a fact which ought 10 be con-
a!dercd that in these days the postofiice
Is not so much the servant OF business
alone ms 1t IS OF the social. political and
literary life OF the city. ana it Is the
fountain from which spring social, poll
teal, scientific and literary streams, The
| Irnpln (. .- q r,aaa nc tt.. ,.,p,r ~ - a.
an enormous extent and greatly in cx-
cess OF the ordinary buslness use, get
ting their daily papers, their weekly
papers and magazines and their social
correspondence through this means.
q. Tho location Of tho postonicc with
reference to business houses only is a
mistake which ought mol to be repeated
In this city. The truth IL that there Is
very little necessity for visiting the post
ONCE now as the mail boxes all oycI
the city TAKE the mail from every neigh
borhood, and the carriers deliver tho
mail in every nelghborhood.
business houses whose mail Is so heavy
as 10 necessitate sending to the office for
II, have servants, or employees, or wng-
ons TO do that, and could reach the post
once as easily In one Place, practically,
ms in another,
q me logical place for the poatohice OF
lhe city OF Richmond. convenient alike
10 the eastern and Western cxtrcmities
OF me city and 10 the business on Main
street ard ON Broad Street. is on the cen
tral part OF Broad Street, extending from
the extreme eastern TO the extreme west
crn limits of the city, and accessible on
me south readily from Mnin ana Cary
streets. and also easily accessible on the
hofthside to the city limits. Tho idenl
sltesf FOR the postoiilce would be the blocl,
bounded by Eleventh. and Twelfth. Broad
ana capitol Streets, near The Governor
AsHlslon. near the state Capitol, and onlS
! stone THROW removed from the present
ppstoiiiee site, but nt the Same fine en-
Tie elevation Of tho hill, instead u ,t the
loot OF IT, The next iaeSt desirable vito