The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-15
WANTS NEW HOME
. FOR THE GOVERNOR
Senator Lcsner Will Urge Erec-
ton Of Executive Mansion on
Soldiers Home Tract.
WILL OFFER BILL AT ONCE
Old Mansion to Be Preserved for
Permanent Use by Corpora
ton Commission.
WILL OFFER BILL AT ONCE

| The erection of handsome mansion
| for the Governor of Virginia on the
Soldiers Home tract Htting com
panion building to the Confederate
/ Memorial Institute with the parking
OF the grounds between. whcn no longer
used rs home for Confederate sol
diers. will be proposed in n bin TO be
offered III the General Assembly by
state senator John ~. Lesncr, Of Nor
| folk. The bin will provide that the
present mansion shall he preserved for
/ its historic value. and that il be made
tho permanent homo OF the State Cor
porati Commission.
| In speaking OF the proposed bill 1T
Murphy's Hotel last night MIR. Lesncr
expressed the view that the new ex-
ecutive mansion should be one or the
handsomest homes in Richmond a
building ilrcprooi and permanent in
structure, and Of the best possible ar
chitcctural design. 1t was significant.
he said. that The plan should come in
the shape OF n definite proposition Just
nj time whom tho old mansion was
celebrating It's centennial The pres
ent home of the Governor was author
lied by the Legislature OF 1911. and was
hrst occupied in the fall of 1913, 100
years ago.
out OF Social Centre.
since then the residence centre or tho
city has moved steadily westward and
the mansion Is now surrounded by the
hum OF factories. the traffic of ware
houses, ana nankcd by great public
buildings and hospitals The statcl,.
residences winch surrounded the White
rouse OF the Confectionery have given
way to medical college boarding
houses, and the westward stride has
continued. until the Governor and his
family are now much cut or from the
social life of the city BY the mere fact
of distance
Mr.. Lesncr said that he would not
favor any plan which proposed the
tearing away of the mansion. In itself a
| historic building. With some interior
fenodelinE, he said. ii could readily ne
made Into permanent and trenrooT
quarters for the Co. poration Commits
sion, ana would also house tn. Insur
ahce department, now in tho Capitol
basement, and tho Banking Depart
inent, now III rented quarters
Mr.. Lesner said that no was vatber
ING the necessary data while i'm Rich
| mond as TO measurements and titles In
order To have the bill drawn far IN
hcniatc Introduction when the Senat.
convenes In January
VIII Not Hamper Soldiers Home.
You viii remember" ne said 49,
Ihe General Assembly cut or n sIrtn
fronting Il block on the boulevard AM
( running back two block. as a s,,. ,nr
80 ''"'tie ADpeE. That building Is
now rrac tically completed. ana the
GROUNDS are being parked in handsome
manner, II is not the purpose OF ,rv
! bill TO interfere In any way win ia
soldiers Home long as there il !,
confederate soldier 10 whom the State
owes a home What proposc is maj
we cut OF tract similar in size 10
'nat OF the Battle Abbey grounds. at
mo other end Of the Soldiers Home
Il tiu erect
fronting on the Boulevard with a aid.
front on Grove Avenue
There Is ample room 10 do this with
out restricting the operations of the
soldiers Home beyond the possible
smiling or one or two frame cottages
10 new locations within the grounds
You recall that. at the last session.
the Legislature forbade the opcninR OF
streets through the tract, thus prevent
ing the condemnation OF a street to
continue stuart Avenue between III.
6attle Abbey and the Soldiers Home
proper. When the time comes for tho
state no longer to operate a home for
Confederate veterans my bill Will pro
Nide that the space between tho new
executive mansion and tho Battle Alb
pey be made into handsome park.
preserving such of the present old trees
as are suitable and removing all of
the old frame buildings OF the Sol
diers' Home group.
Should he Fitting Structure
As to the new executive mansion
If my bill meets with favor the stat.
should have the best Of architectural
aaNlcc My own idea would be Il build
ing somewhat on the orcer OF the resi-
dence OF Fred w. Scott, on West Frank
I'm street. except that II would have
more ample grounds and more suitable
approaches. Ii should be fireproor and
permanent. fitting homo for the flu
lure Governors Of this State
The bill will provide for a building
commission TO look after ali these de-
tails, and viii carry a continuing an
preparation. part TO he available In 1911
ana the remainder In the apDropriation
ordnance for 1915. / expect to CON
suit experienced architects before the
Leg stature meets to determine what
would be proper appropriation for
such purpose. The old mansion has
served the state as Il home for its Gov
errors for century. When we come
70 the erection Of n new one II should
be promptly done
ch0rneh