The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-22
BE OK CONDEMNS
. old F0RD'S HOTEL
Once Famous Landmark Now
Declared Unsafe Even for
Temporary Use.
FRUIT VENDOR MUST GET OUT
Lobby Floor Not Strong Enough
for Distribution of Salvation
Army Baskets.

! The last occupant syrian fruit
vendor of IMPROVEMENTS name-wiIl
| Vacate Ford's Hotel on January l. un-
J der order of Police Justice Crutchfield,
and the old building stands condemned
ond useless. probably soon 20 be torn
away For. the past wear parts of 1t
nave beer known to be unsafe, esp
cially the immense wooden truss form
| Ing the ceiling of the dining room. once
q handsome state apartment in a hand
some hotel of the older type Last
spring Building Inspector Beck de-
cllned to allow the University College
| OF Medicine to use the building Tor
class rooms after the college was
burned.
The fruit vendor held on selling his
wares on the Broad street sidewalk
and storing them in tho building at
night, acting to some extent as care
taker. Had that been all proharly
there would have been no ooleclon'
But the weather was chilly outside,
and the Syrian proposed to move INFO
the main lobby of the old ho.e! tor
the winter.
Lobby Floor Dangerous.
And that was not all Adiutant
Virgins, of the Salvation Army pro-
posed to use the vacant hotel as a dis
trlbutlng Point for Christmas pas';a
Knowing that such use would gather
a tnrcng OF people, Mr.. Back Jester
day inspected parts OF thh building.
The lobby floor was found To DC can
gerous, and the truss over the main
dining room noticeably says The roof
leaks in many places, ann me CID
structure is a wreck of what 1t once
was. on this report Just,ce Crntch-
field ordered the Syrian to get out,
ard the building viii be left to rats
ard mice, whose work, according to
:ha inspector, has contiih 'tol largely
to Weakening the wooden beams aud
adding to its generally dilipida-oa con-
dit'ct.
The Mayor has vetoed on technical
grounds the ordinance proposing that
the city acquire the site for an annex
to the City Hall for State and city
courts. The measure will be rein
troduced at once, and VIII probably
pass with the requisite vote. IT is be-
lieved that the site can be acquired for
less than 100000. and that the cost
to the city of the entire block viii not
amount to 100000.
VIII Recommend Its Removal.
AS soon as the title passes TO the
city the Building Inspector viii recon-
mend that the old hotel be sold for
the bricks and material in it. to be re-
moved at once.
Other houses on the block the city
may continue to rent until it perfects
plans for use or the property. 1t has
been stated In the Council that II Is
only intended to acquire the site at
this time, and that the erection of the
building will be deferred for several
years.
The entering of a court order for
bidding the use CT even the lobby Of
the old hotel marks the passing of one
Of Richmond's landmarks, extending
to a period far back of the Civil War.
The hotel was perhaps never socially
the equal of the old Exchange and
Ballard, around which centres many
traditions. but it was under the name
Of the Powhatan Hotel for many years
famous hosiery. After the war 1t
passed to the management of a. j..
Ford, by whose estate 1t is syn owned
and during his lifetime 1t was IA
nous resort for racing men, being one
of the widely known sporting centres
of the country
Had stately Old Dining Room.
It has always been the stopping
place of legislators and members of
the Supreme Court and attorneys and
others having occasion to visit Rich
mond frequently. In days before the
war wealthy planters made 1t their
city headquarters, and the handsome
old dining room. to this day the
largest hotel dining room in Rich
mond without post or obstruction,
was the scene Of many brilliant social
events.
In recent years its trade has fallen
off, and the management has changed
frequently. 1t lacked modern plumb
ing and heating and lighting arrange
ments Sllpplied nv newer hotels, ana
efforts to install these IN the old
building merely weakened Its walls
and were unsuccessful While the
State Capitol was being remodeled
many of the State Offices, including
those of the Governor, were located
there. For the past two years 1t has
| been closed.