The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-05
Citizens to Install Instrument
Worth 100000, if City
Will Build
HOTEL ASSOCIATION
URGES THE PROJECT
Plan Provides Tor Assembly
Hall on Top Floor Of
New Building on
Ford Hotel Site

thai Will Accommodate any COhN eH~
lion Richmond may be called upon
10 entertain. and grazing it with the
greatest and finest organ in all the
south. is the dream OF cotefie Of
citizens who have the city's interests
AZ heart, and behind this movement
are men who are not dreamers. but
those who do things.
The idea is that the city shall in
corporate in its plans fer the NUM-
eipal building 10 replace the old Ford
hotel an auditorium TO occpy the
entire top floor, and That a magh1-
fcent organ costing not lees than
GOETHE finest that money can
buy-will be placed therein as the
gift of photographed citizens 10 the
municipality.
IL the city will agree 10 the audi
torium In its plans for the new md-
nicipai building. the organ will he
ready for installation with the COM
pietion Of the building. II can be
stated as fact that one Richmond
man has already sifntff-a las Feaai-
ness te turn over his certified check
for s1e.ooo to the promoters when
me city fafHEfS ANNOUNCE NA'F @%&Nf
essence TO the auditorium plan.
Hotel Men Approve.
The citizen IN whose brain this
project was conceived is one of Rich
nlond's best known business men. He
put II before some leading members
OF the Hotel Mems association, and
they are enthusiastic over IL. meet
ing Of the association VIII be called
shortly TO consider the proposition
and formally pass upon II, and II can
he stated safely at this writing that
II will receive the official endorse
ntent II this body
The gentlemen behind the r1ore.
ment are impressed with the BENEFITS
that Atlanta has derived from its big
auditorium and the organ-which
cost $40. 0oe---and are anxious that
Richmond shall go the South one
better~-~in fact attain the goal at one
bound. They point out the fact that
Richmond's auditorium is Isolated and
In great measure hard ~ reach-far
from the city's business center and
amidst environments that do not re-
fleet great credit to Richmond. They
argue further. that an auditorium al
the top of tho projected municipal
building would give visitors 10 Rich
mond q view of the city from every
standpoint III ttte saperfatiTc degree
north. south. east and west--the capl-
toll. the skyscra pers on Main street
the big hotels and theatres of Broad
street and the residential districts,
and furthermore would be the acme
Of convenience To hotels and depots,
II would seem that the movement
so quietly inaugurated that little or
nothing has been heard Of it--has
gained favor instauter and with men
pf m. tthFa Whn nti2h hj nK
they undertake to a successful con
clusion.
New Municipal Building.
1t has been the general undo rsta nd
ing that the new building would house
all the municipal courts. relieving
the present congestion In the City
hail, t4tss *haee 4fsat fsessa considerable
talk Of letting the State III on tie
deal and leasing portion of the
building 10 the Commonwe alth for tho
use of some OF the departments for
which room cannot be found In the
present state buildings.
Talk OF letting the Commonwealth
share the building does not meet with
general favor. Speaking of this propo-
sition j. W. Disnay. president of the
Hotel Mems association. stated last
night that the association, and he
believed citizens. generally. were OPP
posed to tne State sharing IN the
building. He believed that the NUM-
cipality needed the building for its
own. exclusive purposes. and could
hnd good use for all of the room ii
would afford.
yested. and the proposition to make
this new building an exclusive NUM-
eipal court building, with the ton
floor for an auditorium, was the cor
rect idea. IF the state needs more
ROOM he said. "iet It tear down the
governors mansion. erect a building
there commensurate with its need =,
and build the chief executive a man.
sion more in keeping with the dignity
OF the Office in the West End.
The State owns land in that sec.
ton. and would have space to erect
An executive mansion that would re-
wealth than tha present -unsishtiy and
inadequate structure"
Fails of Sale.
Hardly m ore than a bakers dozen
of people attended the auction OF the
old Ford's hotel building at Eleventh
and Main streets yesterday after
noon, and when the final bid of $3.50
was announced by would-be cheap
buyer. Building Inspector Beck and
<AaclAohccI OoHu 1oudsIl CNlSu the
sale OFF. The stark. lonesome-lo look
ing building will now be held for pri-
vate bids. which must come some
where near what the building inspec-
tor deems fair price
The irst bid yesterday afternoon
was $500. Someone chor,led and
laughed. and raised 1t $50. From
that the bids gradually went up to
the final offer. which was turned
down as unworthy of consideration.
The old structure contains about
a million bricks, most Of which are
still in good condition and available
for further use: many timbers which
may be used, quantity of lcast-iron
in good condition and other material