The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-01
BUFFALO FED OWNERS
WILL. WRECK PLANT
IF NOT SOLD SOON
Plant Cost in Neghborhood of ss50oo But Owners Offer
City For Almost Half This High Cost Of
Building Material Governing Directors AtttudeEfors
to Sell Fruitless

Buffalo, April 30.--Unless there is
very speedy action on the part or the
municipal authorities, or some
wealthy local sportsmen with civic
spirit highly developed. Buffalo's FED
eral League Park will in a few days
be thing of the past. The directors
Of the Buffalo Federal League base
bali club, now defunct. have decided
to wreck the grandstand and i'm
provements at the big East Side park
and to sett-the- cumberland other ma
terial for what they will bring. II
was announced that action on this
delayed matter was taken at this time
because of the high prices prevailing
for building materials. which VIII en-
able n maximum saving of the big
amount invested in plant and equip
ment.
There Is just chance that the
splendid park, the best thing OF its
sort Buffalo. has had since it per-
mitted the destruction of the MODEL
stadium at the Pan-American Expo
sition grounds, may yet be saved TO
the city, but the hope is an exceed
ingly faint one.
Plant Cost About $4,000.
The plant cost the club in the
neighborhood of $4,000 for its Gre
alton, but it would be sold to the
city for a sum less than half that
figure In the event the city acquired
the plant, it would then have to deal
with the International Home Building
Company, owner OF the land, ON five
acres of which the Buffalo Federal
club has a purchase option, which
will expire on May 10, 1916.
In the event that nothing mate
rallies. it can be expected that WITHIN
a fey days the place Will be dtsman-
tied and the material removed inside
Of thirty days. while the land OPP
ton will be permitted to lapse.
There is scant prospect that the
city will take the property. With an
already high tax rate. none OF the
eouncilmen has shown disposition
favorable 10 the acquisition OF the
property Likewise. the Buffalo In
ternationaI Baseball Club was de-
tered by the cost OF the transaction
from expanding into the splendid park
and abandoning the Anticipated base
ball park on Ferry Street.
Walter F. Mullen, vice president Of
the Buffalo Federal club. original pro-
moter OF the third league enterprise
. in this city. said that It was with keen
regret that he had aaccepted the sal
wage action as inevitable
Pays Dearly for Investment.
And" said he, my regret Is quite
part from the fact tEat was the
heaviest individual financial loser In
an enterprise which / firmly believed
was a splendid thing for the city Of
Buffalo. 1t seems pity 10 witness
the complete destruction Of this won
cerfui plant 1t does seem as though
IN it's present shape IL would lend 1t
self wonderfully to the uses OF mu-
nicipal clubs, high schools ana the
many athletic needs OF the public
school children"
President W. r. Robertson echoed
the remarks OF MI Mullen.
THAT there rs crying Ueet for
such an institution as this park in
Buffalo was demonstrated by the Won
derfully successful public school games
OF last year" said he. land already
we have had applications for the use
OF the park for similar purposes this
year. Where Will Buffalo entertain
these thousands OF interested citizens
II the Fed park Is gomez It has no
place available 81 all"
II is expected that with the de-
struction or disposal OF the plant the
affairs az .Aa Buffalo Federal Leaglel
club Will be finally wound UP and the
matter become but a name. Any
money derived from the wrecking OF
the park will be allotted to satisfy
creditors Of the club. The statement
OF last fall that. there is no chance
for the stockholders to realize any,
thing is reiterated.