Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-03-05
COMMUNICATED.
THE CONFEDERATE VETERANS
BUILDING.

THE CONFEDERATE VETERANS
BUILDING.
A few years ago it was deemed sdvis-
able by R. Z. Lee Camp, No. 2, Z. V f,
to secure a permanent home, so the
Woman's Auxiliary was requested 10
'look around" and suggest suitable
place. Mrs. J. Marriott Hill conceived
The idea Of purchasing the deLagnel
property, NO. SOC Prince street At
first the suggestion seemed absurd, but
when il was learned cash donation oil
one thousand dollars would be made, it
assumed different phase; accordingly
committee Of three ladies was appointed,
the proper persons interviewed, the cost
of the properly asceriained, and when
the camp next met they were present,
stated what had been done and asked
that committee from the camp be ap-
pointed to cooperate with them and
look after the business part OF the trans
action. The members were much en-
thused, heartily endorsed the PROJECT,
worked with will 10 obtain the desired
end, and the property was purchased al
ccst OF five thousand seven hum
drei and fifty dollars. The Wo-
mans Auxiliary asked the corporation
of the United Daughters of the Couied-
cracy; this was promptly responded
to, aud a member from each Chapter
was appointed to serve on this COM
mitlee. ihas increasing it to fVe-Mrs.
Wm. A. Smoot from the II h Virginia
regiment; Mrs. VIM. +. Creighton from
Mary Gusts Lee; Mrs. j. Marriott Hill,
Mrs. Thomas Perry and Mrs. + II.
O'Brien Of the Woman's Auxiliary.
These ladies met, and, with the assistance
of Mr. Lawrence Perry, mapped out a
plan of action, and elected Mrs. O'Brien
chairman and treasurer Of the building
fund. Each lady, armed with "a lllt'e
red book" in which was written author
ity from Mr.. X Kemper, commander OF
the camp waited on those person sasslgned
to her, and thus a subscription list was
started. Through Mr.. j. Marriott Hill
our well known, en- rgetic and generous
citizen. five hundred dollars was receiv'
ed the from Alexandria Gentlemen's
Driving Park Association, J. Nj. Hill,
president and five hundred d' HRS from
Grange Camp Association OF Northern
Virginia, ]. b. Jones, president. Various
sums. from one to one hundred dollars,
quickly followed, many OF our good clli'
zen, pledging sums from one to five
dollars annually for term Of five years;
in most instances these pledges have
been red, eme1 year by year. several
having been paid in full. The two Chap
ters OF U. D. Q. each pledged fifty dollars,
the ID. A. r. ten dollars, r. E Lee
Camp the sum OF seventy-fve dollars,
each to be paid annually. All this was
begun in the spring of 1903, and now
from contributions, a bazaar, la"p,
parties, oyster suppers, concerts, lectures
&c. &C., tie sum of four thousand, and
two hundred and fifty dollars has been
paid, the Indebtedness now being
fifteen hundred dollars The Alexan-
dria Library is located on the second
floor of this building. AS this is an insti
tuition of which our city is justly proud
i; is seemly that it, jointly with Lee
Camp, should be housed in the Confed-
crate Veterans building. The Junior
Daughters determined they would look
after the interior of the building as fer
as possible; so, as their first effort, hand
some shades were put to each window in
the building. Last spring it was de-
termined to improve the entire building,
and by concerted action many cOntribut-
ions we're received, both in money and
material. Mrs. E. E. Padgett, wife Of
the well-known decorator OF our city,
received a large lot of exquisite wall
paper from the satisfactory, reliable,
wholesale wall paper dealer, E. n.
Richards, of Washington, ID. o., as
well as the beautiful hall paper from
"the largest wall paper factory in the
world" The Syracuse Paper and Pulp
Co., OF Philadelphia, Pa. Through the
efforts of another member, two hundred
pounds of the celebrated Lewis white
lead we're received from the John l.
Lewis & Bros. Company, Philadelphia,
Pa, which has made the beautiful white
paint 10 the building the admiration Of
the entire community; when this was
further embellishtd by a coat of hard
white enamel, six gallons of which were
given by the F. w. Devoe & c. I. Rey'
nolds Company, ofNew York, it became
"a thing of beauty" May it "be a JOY
forever. Our people, generally, are noti'
fed that for white work nothing sur
passes Lewis white lead and DevOe'i
hard white enamel. Witness the interior
| of he Confederate Veterans building
of Alexandria, Virginia. We take Thu
opportunity to publicly thank thes'
firms for their generous contributions
also their good wishes. The two par
lors, Lee Camp Hall, we're most elegant
/ ly papered BY Mr.. Webb, so we'll know'
to our people as a courteous, reliable an'
conscientious paper-hanger and decora
tor; while any one who looks at the mn
work in the east psrlor and the artistic
hallway will recognize the well-knowI
handiwork of Mr. Padgett; the painting
, in Lee Camp Hall and hallway beini
beautifully done by Mr.. Latham an'
Mr. Roland. The handsome chandelier
have been rebufnished and are now tn