The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-20
Mr.. Eggleston Proposes
One Jointly for State,
City and Battle Abbey.
BROAD STREET
BLOCK SUGGESTED
Magnificent Structure Near City
Hall for Auditorium, City and
State Libraries, Battle
Abbey and Other Pur-
poses-Legislature
May Act.

.sEeH l'OS@sg ~ s AiS'tA . ~ - Iit3
May Act.
Hon D. Q. Eggleston. Secretary Of
the Commonwealth. makes a. SUCCESS
tion concerning a new public building
for the State and city, which, fit ma
terializes, will afford one of the hand-S'
soonest and most complete structures
of Its kind in this section of the coun-
try. Mr.. Eggleston's idea is for the n
city. State and Confederate Memorial
Association to go into partnership and %
erect and maintain n Joint building
covering an entire block, either on
the site OF Ford's Hotel or the square
between Ninth and Tenth and Broad
and Capitol Streets. Here he would
have a splendid auditorium the pro- y
posed Battle Abbey and State and city
libraries confined under one roof, and 4
in one magnifcently appointed struc-
ture.
Mr.. Egglcston points out the abso-
Lutte need of more room for State of
fees, which have grown to such an
extent as to now occupy every avail IS
able space. including all the legisla-
tive committee rooms at the Capi-
tol, and 1t is q we'll known fact that
the Library Building is also badly
crowded.
The scheme Is gigantic one, but
! with the 100000 already available for
| the proposed Battle Abbey, and such
appropriations as the city and State
/ could easily make, 1t looks as though
| it is a feasible one.
MIR. EEEleston Talks.
Mr. Eggleston has prepared the fol-
4 lowing statement on the subject, setting
out his views in detail.
/ Since the State Capitol was re-
modelled the demand for offices for the
i various departments of the State gov-E
4 eminent has so Increased that every
room, is now 8occupisd, Even the COM
mittee rooms that were arranged for
4 the use of the General Assembly are
z. OCCUPIED by the Register of the Land
5}Eofhce. COMMISSIONER of iIhaurance, Com
I. missioner of Labor, STATE u II tghwayi
4 Commits issioner, the Secretary of MI ilitaryl
If Recofds and Assistant Librarian in
81 charge of travelling libraries. The Sec
restary of the Commonwealth Is rent
4 ing storage room in the basement OF
4 the Mutual Building, and the Agricul-5
4 tural Department is renting quarters
for It's chemical department In Goddin5
! Hall Building.
"The expansion of the law library of,
the Court of Appeals and the increase
of the work Of this court have rendered
=
cond floor of the Library building to
the judiciary department. The State
Library is greatly.tin need of larger
! uarters. where it's large store of in-
valuable historical records, books por-s
4 traits, statuary, curios and large refer
i ence library may he made accessible to
4 the public. After period Of more than
4 forty years, during which the Legisia-i
\ ture made practicallyftno provision for
| INV 20 ma tp "a
become aroused to It's Importance as an
!, adjunct to the educational system. It
Is rapidly increasing It's size and in-
portance and should haveisuitable quar-
ters. When the Library building was
erected IL was ostensihy intended for
], the use OF the library. and Court of Ap-
peals.
Z Both Crowded.
Neither of these departments werc
properly provided for. The librarian
was placed in the garrettand the larger
were placed in the garret and the
!, larger and best parts Of the building
cupied as offices.
THE Court Of Appeals and It's IL
brary have been provided for. but the
state Library is still in need OF suit
S able quarters. There is not room suf-
:. hcient to place the stacks to carry the
: books now in the library. to say Moth
l. | lnSS OIL IuluTe ,dC4uisitlOiis'
} .If the library were removed to oth-
er quarters the space left vacant could
! be converted into oflcegrooms and pro-
$ vide ample quarters for the fire de-
!, partments which now occupy the legis-
: latlve committee rooms in the basement
e of tho Capitol.
o "The city of Richmond. with Its pop
: ulation OF 100000, has no public libra
!; ry. Is there a city of the wealth and
' toh, t,, f1,t,T tad
: States without public library? The
city is expending hundreds of thou-
: sands OF dollars to educate its youth,
to create desire for learning and
culture. and provides no means to salts
\ fy the desire, no means by which the
} coming generation can continue and
perfect the education begun In the pub.
lie schools at public expense,
Would Insure Rattle Abbey.
'"The Confederate Memorial Associa-
tion has at its command 100000 Will,
which to construct Battle Abbey q
lrerpetuate the memory of the heroic
deeds OF the Confederate cause and
: perpetunte the names of the heroes ol
n that conflict THIS sum Will not erect
3 a very imposing structure. and II sc
h expended there Will be nothing left tt
7. meet In perpetuity the contingent cos'
l. of care and maintenance. etc, Is
8 ''The state needs a library building
: the city needs public library, tbs
= Confederate Memorial Association need
i. Battle Abbey.
"I.et the State. city and Confederate
Memorial Association erect Battl'
r Abbey adapted to the uses OF the thsee
- "AtlYantages OF such a combination
: IbullGlng: ]. 1t would be more impos
~ ing and moro OF credit To State anf
city than three separate buildings. 2
lThe cost of care and matntenans'