The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-18
MONTAGUE STARTS
FIGHT FOR annex
Bill Asking for 100000 to Pur-
chase Additional Site for Post
Office Is Introduced.
WOULD COVER ENTIRE BLOCK
Federal Building Has Become
Crowded, and Business De-
mands More Space.

1 Representative Andrew Jackson
Montague introduced a bill in Congress
yesterday asking for an appropriation
of 100000 to acquire an additional
site for the Federal building in this
city Tho money, If secured, will be
used for the purchase of the remainder
Of the post-offico block between Tenth
and Eleventh on Main Street, upon
which 1t is proposed to erect an annex
to the present government building.
Although completed less than two
years ago. the post office Is already too
small, and since the inauguration OF
the parcel post system, the postal SER
vice has been handicapped by lack of
space. The building occupies three
quarters OF the block, and n movement
was started several months ago to
have the rest acquired in order to
forcstall the erection OF n twenty-five
story Office building on the site.
Business Men Behind Movement.
The movement is backed by the
Chamber of Commerce, the Richmond
Real Estate Exchange. the Business
Mems Club and other business organ
izations The property has frontage
of sixty feet on Main Street, and eX-
tends back 10 Bank Street. Tho Main
Street frontage last summer sold for
S36O.000, while the Bank Street section
was valued at that time at $4,000.
The property is considered to be tho
logical place upon. which to build the
annex to the post office, although 1t mas
been suggested that a special building
be erected near the railway stations
for the parcel post department.
When the Richmond post ofiiCo was
first contemplated it Was thought that
the present building would be ample to
meet the requirements of many years
TO come. bat within Il few months af-
ter occupying it. the postal authori-
tics found that IT was already too
email for the purposes In addition to
The post office itself, the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals. tho United
states District Court the Internal
Revenue Department the custom
house and five other governmental de-
partmcnts are housed in the building.
1t Is necessary that these Offices
should be in close proximity to each
ether. and it would be impracticablo
TO find other quarters for them.
Add One-Third to Bnilding.
The property. which IL is proposed
to purchase. would be sufficiently large
to have an annex one-t third the size
OF the main building erected upon 1t.
This building could be constructed
without interference with the work
In the main structure. The ground
could be purchased. 1t Is supposed, for
less than the initial appropriation, and
IN additional appropriation of prob
Struct the annex
The property can now be secured at
lower figure than at any time here
after. as II is generally reported that
the antfQuated buildings on 1t Will be
RACED soon TO make way for n big Of
flee structure. When the post-offlce Is
enlarged. the growth can only be in
this one direction, and for that reason
the business organizations are anxious
to see the purchase made at once
Not only has the government suf-
Tered by the erection OF a building
that Immediately proved too small. but
the State and city have both found
! themselves in the same quandary. The
state has been required to build a large
annex to the state Library Building.
; and still finds itself crampcd for space.
The city now owns centrally located
site where an additional building must
be erected 10 relieve the congestion In
the City Hall
Resolutions have been passed by SOW
! Graz organizations calling upon the
virginia congressional Representatives
10 AID In securing the approximation.
CONGRESSMAN Montague has taken the
initial step in presenting the bill. but
ne VIII need the concerted efforts of
ms colleagues to secure it's passage,