The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-29
STAT MAY BUY
FORD HOTEL LOT
Committee Recommends Its Pur
chase From City at Cost
and Interest.
NEED FIREPRooF BUILDING
Priceless Documents in Library
In Imminent Danger
From Fire.

II was decided on YESTERDAY morn
ing by tho special joint committee OF
the senate and House. thet 1t would
recommend th" purchase Of half of the
Ford hotcl block from the city of Rich
mond. for tho purpose of erecting a
public building. This would house the
state Library in ireproof quarters and
would furnish Offices for other depart
mtnts.
The report which will be made to
the Legislature, signed by Senator's
joan i; saunders aud II. G. Folkes
and Delegates John 5. Hnrw6od. Hugh
A. White and Alden Bell. is as follows:
To tho Senate and House of Delegates
OF Virginia:
The undersigned joint committee.
acting under a resolution ooncurred In
on February IL. 1912 respectfully begs
lenve TO submit below a report upon
the matters referred to 1t, together
with copy Of the Joint resolution
above referred to.
Your committee was REQUIRED To tc
port: First. whether it will be
judicious at this timo for the State to
acquire q, lot upon which at some time
In the near future an office building
should be erected"
state Should Buy.
In response to this inquiry your com
mittee would report that In its opinion
- VIII pc Iu'tClouS LOT tuc sSLHLC TO
acquire as soon az possible lot upon
which to erect an additional building
or buildings 10 properly accommodate
the several departments and agencies
OF the government
In response 10 the second inquiry, as
to tho most convenient lot for the pur-
pose and the price at which IL could he
obtained: your committee would re-
port: That after inquiry and investi-
srntion t1cV find an 81 IA,
block on which Ford's Hotel Is located
Is the most convenient and available
piece of property that can now be ac.
quired. and that ut the present time
they do not deem II necessary TO ao-
quire any other than this property
Your committee submits herewith Il
plat Of the Ford's Hotel block Will,
certain correspondence of the City At
torncy Of Richmond. This plat SHOWS
that the city OF Richmond will sell the
eastern half OF this block, bounded by
Capitol Street, Twelfth Street and
Broad Street. While the city Attorney
cannot give absolute assurance that
the pro7crty can be bought. II seems
quite certain that half Of this property
may be bought at Just what ii cost
the city OF Richmond, with interest.
This would be one-half of si6S.O66,
with interest from about May, 1911.
The price will, therefore, be $50 ,03S,
with interest as above mentioned.
Priceless Papers.
In response TO the third inquiry. as
to the purpose for which said property
should be purchased: Your committee
respectfully begs leave TO report that
there is one pressing need which
should be provided for at the earliest
date possible, and that is a modern
fireproof building for the State Library
and the library OF the Court of APP
peais, which should also include rooms
The State Library has already out
grown the capacity for even storing
without arrangement, much Ut its
most valuable material The priceless
trea surer of the State Library OF Vir-
Sinia are to-day at the mercy of tho
flames, should any fire in the present
building occur. The building is neitheS
tlreproof nor is IL supplied with fire.
proof furniture and cases for the books
and manuscripts, Ii Is believed that
the State Library of Virginia is the
most valuable IN the United States, eN-
cept the Congressional Library, and
a great deal of the material in the State
Library could never DE replaced at any
cost In view OF these facts, your com
mittec begs leave to report that so
much OF the Ford's Hotel block ac-
quired by the State as may be neces-
sary for the purpose. should he set
apart for flreproof library and that
the remainder should be utilized for
office buildings for the departments
and agencies OF the State.
And your committee respectfully
recommends that such Legislation be
promptly enacted to carry into effect
this report.