Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-15
AUTOMOBILE MEN WAIT
ON ACTION Of COUNCIL
Hope Way Will Yet &c Opened for
i.--,- Holding Big Show in
GrnyS' Armory.
LADD SEES no OBJECTION
Councilman Says Military Men Urged
Availability of Armory for Public
Gatherings When Asking Appro-
priatiOn for Its Erection.


After a conference al the jefferson
Hotel yesterday afternoon the officers
OF the Richmond Automobile Dealers
2 Show, Inc. who are cndcavoring to
obtain the use OF the Grays Armory
for an auto show the week Of Jan
nary 27-Fehruary 3. issued the fol-
lowing statement:
I'VE wish TO thank everybody who
has offered aid in this movement, We
appreciate the position Of tho Admin
istratire Board and also recognize the
fact that the military men who are
opposed TO holding the auto show in
the Grays' Armory have strong areu-
rncn;s in their, favor.
However. we thinks tha; the people
OF the city are generally in favor OF
holding the show in the arnlory
I'VE wish TO state that the arrange
ments for the show We're made while
the troops were beyond the border Of
the State that the War Department
and the Department Of the East were
consulted by the Administrative Board
before n tentative agreement was en-
tered into with the association to hold
the show, and that The board would
be willing to carry out its assurance
that the show could he held in the
Grays' ArmorN. were il not for the fact
that there is an objection on the part
OF the commander of the Richmond
GraEs' Battalion This objection may
be valid from military point of view.
and the Administrative Board has not
violated any agreement with the show
association Ivy sustaining il. Chairman
Hirschberc having stated at several
conferences that the consent OF the
board depended upon the return Of the
troops and the position taken by the
commander Of tho Cirays
HOPE COUNCIL Will
CONCUR WITH ALDERMEN
The association has placed the mat
ter before the city Council. ANA its
position las been Endorsed by Inc
Board Of Aldermen II Will come I'm
Tor concurrence "a; tho special meeting
OF the Common Council tonight We
trust the Council Will iudors, TN, .,
ton Of the BOARD OF Aldermen and
VIII then carry the matter TO the Al.
minis,rativc Board again backed hy
tho resolution adopted by the CITY
Council TO Offset tho objection on tho
part OF the military
we have the assurance OF Business
Manager w r Dahuoy. of the cham
Der Of Commerce. ana the officers Of
several commercial and business or
CARNATIONS that W. have their hearty
support:
We have already gone to no LITTLE
expense IN tho matter hut should our
plans for holding the show fall down
Tor any reason We Will have no COM
plant to mako, as We arc convinced
that 1t was only the somewhat uncy-
pected return OF the troops from, Tho
border which upset the calculations a,
all"
General Manager Monte n Stone
who has been looking over the New
York auto show said that the asso.
citation had run up an expense account
OF $4,000 to promote the Richmond
show. we will not only lose thu,
sum- but We will get in bad with The
factory people who have made arrange
ments 10 shin special exhibits here"
he said. IF tho show is dropped i,
VIII hurt us individuals and collec-
lively, and IL certainly Will not add
TO Rfchmond's prestige IS the auto.
mobile distribution center for tho
South. However. think that backed
by tho City Council. the Admiris,ra-
tive Board VIII sec its way clear 20
give us the use OF tho armory"
USE FOR CONVENTION WAS
ARGUMENT ron BUILDING
Councilman Jesse ladd satd ycstcr
day:
"of course. from a military noin. =.
view, an arrory SHOULD bc used ONLY
for military purposes. pg; after ali that
lis not wha' was ~ The mind Of the
City Council when 5, voted the money
10 build It. Neither did all tho milf
tary men ~ that time consider ,has