The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-20
THE NEW POST-OFFICE.
An Open Letter to Hon. John Lamb.
My Dear slr.--My attention Ias been
called to certain statements made w

III All \/kIAAA A-ASAsSA -
My Dear slr.--My attention LAS been
called to certain statements made w
you to the Washington correspondent
/ of Tho Times-Dispntch,. reported In its
issue Of February go, IN w ldna yoa
not located on Broad Street instead OF
OH tho old slte;" and after declaring
that all the inconvenience and delay
Cor moving into temporary quarters,
l5ctc) would have been obviatcd had
! the usual course In such proceedings
been obtained and the business LETT 10
grcss. you state your opinion that the
present site Is innowise suitcd---that IT
will be impossible to bring ont finc
/. Gated as this will be. with the rear por-
i ton below grade; on account OF which
b 1t will be Impossible to secure proper
/ light and ventilation.
| These are certainly very grave de-
| fccts IL they exist. But fortunately they
do not exist--nt least ] do not think
they; DO. M. . Z, 1, q. i. I.
been divided to some extent upon the
question Of site, believe an over
4 whelming preponde1ranse or ,,os citiSc rs
is that all the banks all the insurance
companies with possibly one cxcep.
! ton. VIZ: tho Life Insurance company
Broad Street,. the Chamber Of Com
merce and the Tobacco and tho Grain
and Cotton Exchanges nave declared
themselves, by resolution or petition.
squarely and unequivocally in favor OF
| the old SITE
This being the case It seems most
from my v ley % da
trict's representative in Congress, All
those favoring the old site believe
that it Is an ideal location, / not no. only my
In the very heart OF It's financial and
business centre, but that if the entire
i square from Tenth to Eleventh and
taken and dedicated. to this purpose.
/ that an edlfice magnificent in its pro-
portions. and of the most imposing ar
chitectural,, effect. comprising, and e errs
ventilation, can be erected thereon. The
4 objection to which you particularly
refer. that the rear, portion Is below
grade can he greatly modified by the
] proper grading of Bank Street There
lis n very noticeable hump IN Bank
Street just in front of the Federal
Building that can and should be re-
duced to the great advantage OF this
4 street and the two cross streets con-
Meeting herewith.
With external light and ventilation
from all four sides, with one front
upon our beautiful and historic Capitol
Il Square. one front upon our most Inn
other two. frontages upon Tenth and
Eleventh Streets, which Will doubtless
be practically widened from thirty to
fifty feet in each case; from the n me
building back at least TINS distance
from the street lines in order to pro- pro
1, duce the most effective a ls aa,,
y fence, comfort and beauty can and VIII
be accomplished. Not only so, but the
open space on either side OF tho new
Of the Capitol grounds and buildings
IN the interview have quoted from
great stress Is laid upon the cost to OF
removal to temporary quarters This
is an incid entail annoyance and expense
q that happens to all who undertake. TO
enlarge or improve their accommoda-
double or quadruple the sum esti-
mated to be necessary, Had eons!dern-
lions Of this sort inilushcea the I ~ ec
, cnpants of the old Bitou, they would
J not now be enjoying the fruits Of their
enterprise in the possession o. one ~ .t g.
city The correspondent closes. the In. !.
4. terSview with the statement, but
reco gnizing that the site has ). Deen
preparation Of $4,000 for the temporary
: uuarters on Broad Street" !.
This is as It should be-so far as IT
Q goes. But In my opinion. and IN TINS par
s a grave mistake to stop here. The. gov
eminent already owns three-fo nd rs, o.
tnb Snt aear sa 70 iii c,tzens =
\ what views as to location they may
have previously entertained, thai a,
+ three fourths Of the square Red are e. no NO
o most -off,cc and the courts and the Fed
era1 Offices. Tho other fourth ,raao% 81 rs fn1
square IS imperatiXe1,y me, nee snans t h1t
Q for satisfactory architectural effect
0 The present post Office is in the middle
e OF sauare-with large and a. ove ~ ,t
8 and We Will ali be glad to see these
q conditions changed.
!. Should the new building occupy GU oc only
n lnteeI a 1pE against other bulldlng
! upon the remaining one-fourth Of thu
square It VIII not be sa tha eltne
to 'h cou gSeer WITH the knowcdge tina
liter inie on the entire square shall b
taken and occupied, and that al plan
shall be aaGpted to tna Of tie Cham
It ber' OF Commerce stated In his las
6 message to that body, comnlentini
the tha e me the f1tur
pos-oiee e Eleyentm t neet.uarv TIL
y ata nIld for tie acquisition Of tho land !
y now Not 9 day should DC lest est !
= necessarily takes much time nrane1 fGr tn y
of ee urchh' or Condemnation il all partle
7. are willing. More than all else It
or to Know tho exact area Of the groun
70 to be covered finally before he draw
y Ills first plans. Tn this matter w "
NJ cannot afford to make a mistake. It J
70 better, in my Judgment, to walt ny
n years and get what we want than T
70 accept a makeshift now,
g. Tn conclusion. and with the highes
E resspect, FOR you. know I have alway
"a been your steadfast friend and loiX "a
y supporter, believe Main street IS u
proper location for the general posi-
ONCE, Broad Street is most inconye n
n (, iont to its largest patrons. Beslde,i
\ Broad street can take e., care x OF i1se ea
It viii he in our march to the 2G9.oo