The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-16
CITY IN QUANDARY
OVER old BUILDING
Main Street Store Menace to
Residents, but Apparently
Nothing Can Be Done.
LONG CHASE AFTER OWNER
Man Refuses to Pay Taxes, Re
pair Property, or Give Atten-
ton to Matter III Any Way.

With public menace to the well.
fare and safety of a number OF res
idents staring itiin the face the city,
according to high authority Is power
less to remedy the evil existing. IN me
dangerous condition ofsthe ramshackle
building at No. 1928 East Main Stree,
which has for many years been an eye
sore and ground for complaint In that
part Of Richmond. The building has
gone to rack and ruin; most OF the
ceiling is down; the floor Is in the last
stages of decay: the walls are totter-
ing daily to their final fall, and in It
ali manner of beasts. fowls of the
air and vermin find a nesting place,
with an occasional tramp, who. wearied
out with his wanderings, seeks Its shell
ter as a last resort.
In Quundnry.
According to Mayor Mccarthy. Build
ing Inspector Beck and others. the city
authorities may do no more than stand
Idly by, watching Its gradual decay,
fearful of injury to some passer-by or
damage to adjoining property, yet with
stands, OF remedying these evil condi-
tions. The building is the property Of
| Johnson Sands, formerly a well known
| figure IN Richmond, upon whose trail
| city officers have followed with dogged
feet and untiring energy for many
years. in order to serve on him notice
that his property must be sold for de-
lipuuency. and to summon him to APP
pear in court to show cause why re
/ should not repair his property. that
! 1t may no longer be a public menace.
After a long, wearying chase, John
son Sands was finally located In Wash
ington by Sergeant Wren. and two
months ago by Captain Tomlinson, OF
/ the city detective force. both Of whom
served papers on him. Mr. Sands has
1 never de tgned tn answer either OF them,
and twenty-five other summonses, more
4 or less, have been flied away in some
4 dark pigeon-hole because of the fu-
4 tility Of attempting to serve them upon
1.-The man. who Is more elusive than
llRockefeller himself Why the proper
4 ty has never been sold for delinquency
II is explained only through the state
/. ment that no one can be found willing
|io take the risk necessary to be as
]. sumcd in purchasing what would 9TH
4 erwisn appear to be valuable piece
II OF land
4 The property Is idle, having had fol
4 years no tenant with the exception Q
4 those who occa sionally sought refuge
from storm or wern only too glad t
seek 1t as refuge at night; It's door
& IRE altar or broken from their hinges
. its windows agape, and its outward
4 structure fallen to decay. Some tim
ago the police broke off swinging door
and shutters, for fear that they Nigh
llnjure some street passenger. and thu
has been the only precaution taken t
insure tho public safety.
Z Mayor is Powcrless.
The whole matter, In regard to It
Illegal aspects is so hopelessly in
volved that the owner has given tn
building UP to tho care OF rats an
|. would be purchasers are afraid to bu'
Slit, and the city cannot oblitevate 1t
ideeaying structure from the street
NlrsSands cannot be compelled to rNpai
#Iit--if, Indeed, repair would not noN
Alcome too late-because it would b
Q necessnry first to have the court [