The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-10
FIX BUILDING Line on
GRACE STREET At sHAFtR
Lafayette Apartment House Compan,
Loses Out In Fight For More
Room In Front.
r. REFLECTIONS UPON BOARD
DIR. Wood Says Proceedings Are Farce
and Acsion Is Unjust. Unfair and
RidicuIous-Is Called Down by
Chairman.

i With eight members present at the
/ special melting Of the Board of Alder
! men last night. the ordinance fixing
the building line on Grace Street, be-
tween Shafer and Harrison, as passed
/ by Common Council on Monday night,
was concurred in.
| There was not a dissenting voice.
There might have been. had not the
advocates of the opposition to the
ordinance committed themselves to
expressions Of contempt and ridicuIe
at the action of the Council Commit
tee on Streets. the subcommittee and
the Common Council.
| One of the spokesman against the
ordinance. DR.. Wood. said the action
OF Common Council was unfair. I'M
just and ridiculous. and this meeting
lis a farce"
! II was explained by Alderman
Fuller that the Street Committee had
given both sides to the controversy
every opportunity to present their
claims This committee held several
sessions. and heard many speeches
| from both sides.
| Board Sustains Council.
| Common Council on Monday night
heard an appeal from those who OPP
posed the ordinance. and then passed
the measure unanimously. az had the
committee.
! With vice-President Joseph e.
/ Powers In the chair last night. the
board resolved itself into a committee
OF the whole, In order TO hear from
opponents and advocates of the ordsn-
ance. Both sides discussed the matter.
The board was inclined at first to give
| the opponents of the ordinance, the
Lafayette Apartment House Company,
/ several days In which to present wit
/ nesses and arguments against the
ordinance, provided the company
would agree not to take advantage of
such an arrangement and proceed
with the building.
! Building Inspector Butler has the
/ plans in his office. but has not ap-
| proved them.
| President Mullen. of the Lafayette
| Company, in reply to Alderman Pull
/ Ter. said last night that the company
would not agree to relinQuish any OF
| it's rights. intimating that IL the board
| continued the matter. the company
would obtain the permit from the
building inspector and proceed with
| the building before Council could
finally act upon the proposition.
Goes TO Mayor Today.
whereupon, after DR.. Wood had
| expressed his sentiments, and had
| been called down by Alderman Pow
ers, in the chair. and Alderman Pull
| Ter, as we'll as Alderman Paul. the
| board concurred in the ordinance.
and Clerk August announced that he
| would have II engrossed and In the
hands of the Mayor by 10 o'clock this
i morning.
| After the Mayor considers the ordi-
nance and returns II to the City Clerk,
Building Inspector Butler will act
upon the application for the building
1 permit.
II was sntimated last night that the
Lafayette Company would proceed
/ along It's original lines. and start on
| the construction of the apartment
| house at ShAfer and Grace, and that the
| case would eventually get into the
courts.
The ordinance fixes the building line
| on the block between Shafer and Har-
rison on Grace at twenty feet from the
| property line. The Lafayette people
wish TO erect an apartment house with
| In eight feet OF the property line. There
are several houses on the block at
eight feet, others vary, 80 that the
block, AS a matter OF fact. has no fixed
| line. 1t was upon this point he La
fayette people dwelt.