The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-31

swered many legal questions raised by tho
conferees.
Mccarthy to the Rescue.
After having voted down every propo-
sition offered, and when disagreement
seemed hopeless, Mayor Mccarthy was
accorded the floor and made one of those
direct, clear and incisive statements of
the situation for which he Is noted, and
which clarified the atmosphere and stimu-
lated the committee to action. 1t was
heart to heart talk, and before he re-
sumed his seat he had said some things
that made the committeeman think. He
declared that he had heard all the pro-
ceed!ngs and that he was convinced that
there was no question of principle in
any way involved. Yet somebody must
quit quibbling over non-essentials and
permit an agreement on one plan or the
other.
Unless some plan were agreed to by the
committee, acted upon by both branches
of the Council and signed by the Mayor
the appropriation would be dead and the
purpose Of providing for an auditorium
would be dead also. He warned the COM
nittee that the people We're in earnest In
the demand for an auditorium. and that
they would certainly hold them to nc-
count for failure to provide 1t. He did
not care which plan was adopted; but
SOME plan must be agreed upon or the
members Of the committee must stand
the onus and the odium.
A Startling Statement.
1t was in commencing the site selected
for the auditorium that the Mayor made
some startling statements. He declared
that such an auditorium was imperative
for holding high school commandments.
IL for no otter reason. ut would be
criminal to allow another commencement
to be held in tho Academy" said the
Mayor with impressive emphasis In sup
port of the statement he declared that he
had trembled when he saw the 1900 to
400 people In that building year ago,
and that he was uneasy until the last
one was out.
A few years ago he had visited the
Academy, and on inspection found the
basement stacked up with old scenery,
lumber, oil and other inflammable mat
ter, and he had ordered that If this was
not all cleared out he would close the
place. 1t was removed, but even then
it was a criminal risk to allow that
building to be packed to the peanut gal
lery. with only narrow wooden stair
way as exit in case Of fire or panic.
The Mayor reminded the committee that
the Episcopal Council, an international
body, was also to meet here; that great
expenditures and preparations We're be-
ing made therefor and that unless q
building was provided there would be
great Inconvenience. He appealed to
the COMMITTEES to quit quibbling and
standing on the dignity Of their respec-
tive bodies and to get together in time.
Wood Broke Deadlock.
after some further talk in the nature
OF disclaimers by members of any in
tention to prevent or retard action. Alder
man Wood, the chairman of the commit
tee, called Mr.. Mills to the chair anu
made q statement He clearly presented
the situation, which he said called for
some sacrifice on the part OF some one
Thereupon he declared that the impor-
tant matter was to provide an auditorium,
and that no would yield his own PREFER
ences and accept the plan of tho Com
mon Council members In order to bring
about agreement
This broke the deadlock, and the awar1
of the contract to Mr.. Chesternan for
building with vestibulo annex and wood
en- benches. at his bid of S1i,S30, Was
recommended to the Council.