The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-06
WILL PRESENT
ORGAN TO CITY
Citizens Urge Plan for Great
Auditorium on Ford
Lot.
PRESENT HALL INADEQUATE
Plan Includes Removal of All
Courts From City
Hall.

! II the city of Richmond In develop
ing the recently acquired Ford block
adjoin<s the City Hall will provide on
the first noor great public auditor
ium. capable of seating from 1000 to
10000 people. an association OF ciu-
zens stands ready to install for the
use of the people of this city Il sio.
| COO pipe organ. equal To amy instru-
ment in the south.
Definite plans for Improvement OF
the Ford lot have not set been secured.
1t was purchased last year, including
| the entire block between the CITY
! Hall and the Memorial Hospital. Broad
and Capitol Streets. at n cost OF SlJS,-
| 600. as proposed site for u municipal
court building. The city Hail is rap
| idly becoming overcrowded mere are
| no rooms available for the offices OF
the proposed Administrative Board.
/ the City Attorneys department is In
| badly arranged, separated offices: the
record rooms of the courts are over
| crowded. and rooms are being rented
| outside for the City Chemist. for the
! office and storeroom OF the electric
/ plant, and the Chief of tho Fire De
partment has his Office over an engine
| house.
The entire second floor OF the pres
ent building is taken up BY the courts
and clerks offices. as is one-half of the
| fourth floor.
Auditorium and Court building.
Briefly speaking. the plan proposed
| is for the erection of public build
ing. covering the entire bloch recent
| ly acquired. the entire first floor to
| be taken UP by modern and we'll
| arranged auditorium, capable OF seat
| ing any convention that could be
brought to Richmond. and adequate
| Tor the great conventions of the larg
cr political parties. Above. built in
| the form OF hollow square. so ss to
| give "A skylight and vcntila ton to the
main auditorium. would be the court
rooms for all of the city courts.
clerks Offices. judges rooms. and il is
| possible that an arrangement might
| be made for renting to the State space
! for the Virginia Supreme Court and
! the State Law Library, thus at the
same time relieving the congestion in
| both the state and city Office buildings.
| Present Building Not ADEQUATE.
| ABOUT two yeas ago AN association
| was formed largely through the lead
crship of Alfred B. Williams. for the
| purpose of acquiring great pipe or
| gan for Richmond. The plan was TO
| give concerts at popular prices. maxi
| ing the best classes OF music available
| to those who are unable to 20 TO New
York to attend grand opera, or VINO
arc unable To pay the higher charges
of the Wednesday Club, or OF similar
| concerts
Some funds were subscribed. rhe
| hotels Of the city We're asked to give
! $4,000 toward the fund. and partial-
| II agreed. but would not consent that
tho organ be installed In the present
| CITY Auditorium 1t was held that
| that building, an old brick market
house. hastily converted into an audi
forum. was unsuited 1t is said to he
inaccessible and badly located. unst-
tractive In appearance inside or out.
! without SUFFICIENT seating capacity FOR
the larger conventions. and with poor
acoustic properties.
1t is believed that when the city
comes to erect its municipal court buiiL :
ing that the present City Auditorium
could be sold. with the lot on which {,
is located. for more than enough tn
pay the difference in cost OF making
the first floor a complete public audi
torium.
AS it stands. therefore. an associa-
ton Of Unknown Richmond iacn is
offering 10 raise fund and II present
to the city a $4,000 pipe organ i: the
city will include in the plans for the
new building such public hall as Will
make Il hitting place for its ins,alla :
ton.
Who Are Behind Movement.
The whole matter Will be laiu before
the City Council in definite form short
support. The musical association Of
ferins the organ is made up as fol-
lows: John c. Freeman. president; john
NJ. Miller. Jr.. secretary. A. g. tiu!gon.
treasurer: Executive Committee-.John
Stewart Bryan, j. q. Corlcy. George w.
Stevens, 4. 3. Guigon, John c. Free
man; Finance Committee-Coleman
WORKMAN, chairman; John *. Branch.
NJ. Il. Marcusc John ". Miller. Jr. John
G. PREGNANT: Auditing Committee
George Bryan. Arthur Scrivenor, Max
Lindncr.
There is said to be no doubt that the
Hotel Mems Association Will rcnew It's
offer to contribute $4,000 toward The
organ fund provided the city will pro-
vide a suitable hall on the first door
of the new building for its installation.
The suggestion OF placing such an aud
itorium on the TOP floor of such Il
building is regarded as utterly imprac-
tcable ana out o! Keeping with the
character Of pubic hall that Is desired.