Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-26
M'ADOO HAS REACHED
NO DECISION AS YET
Chamber Of Commerce Stands Firm
for Purchase OF Property Adjoin-
ing PoSt-Oilice.
NO REASON TO ABANDON FIGHT
Postmaster Thornton Hopes Amend
ment Can BE Secured at Next Sos
sion OF Congress, Allowing Pur-
chase OF Seventh Street Corner.

President w T. Reed. OF the Cham
J Der OF Commerce, VINO communicated
yesterday over the long distance telc-
! phone with several of the Virginia
members in Congress, was Informed by
these that no definite decision has M
Yet been reached by Secretary Of the
Treasury McAdoo with reference to the
! proposed post office extension.
Mr.. McAdoo. of course, Is the final
authority in this matter" said Mr.. Reed
last night. The hill In which the
money for the purchase OF the Blair
property is appropriated makes the cX
pendiiurc for this site subject TO his
approval. | was informed to-day that
MIR. McAdoo has so far made no AN
nouncement OF his position.
The report Of Mr.. Newton. which.
1t is said. will be adverse 10 the ac
QUESTION of tn" adjacent site. has not
as yet been filed Until II is filed. and
until Mr.. McAdoo himself reaches a
decision hostile 10 this site. don't
see that the Chamber OF Commerce Will
be called upon to take any further
steps
MONEY CAN DE USED
FOR ONLY ONE SIrF;
1T is we'll to bear in mind that the
s45o.000 that has been appropriated can
he applied only TO the purchase of the
Blair property. ] am Informed by mem
b'iS VI iHe NlTElnla UtlePallOn IN lOn-
Gress that ii would be impossible TO
secure the passage OF an amended bill
! AT this session, and that they enter
tain serious doubts rs to the passage
! of such n bill should II he introduced
! At the next session.
The Chamber of Commerce feels that
| the large majority OF Richmond bust
ness men want the post office TO stay
whero 1t is. We faced the same dis
sension several years ago. when it was
! property for extending the present
! post-ofiice out to Tenth Street, and
before that whom the old post office
building was enlarged.
IN these extensions, now, there
arose conflicts of opinion Government
! investigators came here and, after OK
tended hearings, filed report after re-
/ port against acquiring the adjacent
! properties. In both instances. However
! the overwhelming sentiment of tho
! business community for maintaining the
post-oftice nj it's present location pre-
vailed over the adverse reports OF tho
government investigators. and tho
] Treasury Department acted in con-
formty with the wish OF the majority"
SEES NO REASON TO
! ABANDON THE FIGHT
| Mr.. Reed was asked IT, in the event
I that Mr.. Newton files formal report
against the acquisition OF the Blair
property, and II is sustained by the
Secretary of the Treasury, the Cham
/ Der OF Commerce would abandon it's
tight and Join hands with the interests
/ that favor one OF the other suggested
sites.
II cannot speak for the Chamber Of
Commerce, whose policy Is guided BY a
board of directors Of twenty-five mem
! hers, replied Mr.. Reed. personally
/ ! believe that would he n useless thing
for the chamber 10 do. Even should
/ the site at Seventh and Main Streets
/ be acquired IL would be at least 1920, +
am reliably Informed. before an appro-
/ priation could be obtained from Con
| rrcss for it's Improvement
why should the chamber Join in adj
vocatinG the purchase Of site which
cannot be improved for five years or
more: Five years from now the prob
/ lem may have changed entirely What
we need is immediate relief from CON
sestion. and the acquisition of the
property adjoining the present post
office offers the only solution"
! Postmaster Hay Z. Thornton. one of
/ the leaders OF the movement for .hc
/ purchase Of n site further uptown. saw
| in the expected adverse report OF MIR
Newton. tho promise of ultimate success
/ for the rival site movement. The
Treasury and Post Office Department
authorities. he believed, would concur
/ in Mr.. Newtons report.
with the authorities themselves
against the enlargement OF the present
building by the purchase OF the ada
cent property" said Mr.. Thornton, "it
would seem that the logical thing to
do would he for all factions to bury
| their differences and get together on
! one of the other sites.
| "If the rival interests would unite
/ In this manner there would be no trou-
bic In getting n bill passed a. the open
| ing of the next session OF Congress
carrying an amendment which will
make the s45o.000 already appropriated
! available for any site that may be
| agreed upon. Such bill would find
no opposition since no additional APP
preparation would be involved. II would
| be passed as matter of courtesy to
! the Virginia members. as a local bill"
Mr. Thornton gave his unreserved in
dorsemcnt TO the site at the southeast
corner Of Seventh and Main Streets
| The $4,000 appropriation. he said,
| would buy the corner tract fronting
100 feet on Main. $40 feet on Seventh
and l9S feet on Cary Streets. The
! twenty eight-foo drop from Main to
! Cary Streets. he pointed out, would
give a building at this location prac-
/ tically two whole floors with access
from The stree. level-one from Main.
and the other from Cary Street.
u VIII Inspect Station Facilities.
\ Judges Prentis and Rhea will go to