Evening star., 1944-04-26
Alexandra Council
Acts 10 Buy Historic
Ramsay House
Owner Had Planned
To Use Site for New
Office Building

Mayor William T. Wilkins of Alex
andria last night told a delegation
of residents that the City Council is
taking steps to purchase the historic
Ramsay House to save the. landmark
from demolition.
Mayor wilkins told the group
which appeared at last nights Coun-
Gil meeting, that a report on the
city's efforts to purchase the prop
erty would be made in the near fu-
ture.
Headed by Roger Sullivan, city
treasurer, the group is composed OF
representatives of civic, fraternal
patriotic and women's organizations
The Council was assured that if the
city took title to the house a per-
manent organization would be
formed to raise funds and plan
restoration of the Landmark.
The house, built in 1748 by Will
liam Ramsay, first Lord Mayor of
Alexandria, is at Fairfax and King
streets and was used as a restaurant
until it was damaged by fire last
year. The builder who bought it
and planned to use the site for a
modern office building paid $500
and the cost of purchase and resto-
ration has been estimated at 1000.
Rezoning Pleas Granted.
Post "a OF the American Legion,
the organization which bought and
restored Gadsby's Tavern 10 years
ago, has pledged $500 towards the
restoration.
The Council granted the following
rezoning applications:
Application of John D. Matter to
rezone 521, 523 South Fairfax street,
and the northwest corner of Fairfax
and Gibbon streets from C-1 resi-
dental to d. commercial; applica-
ton of Robert S. Nash to rezone un-
improved square bounded by Madi-
son, Payne, Montgomery and Fayette
streets from CO residential to E in
dustrial; application of H. G. Nc
Cartney to rezone northwest corner
OF east side of Mount Vernon ave-
nue. and south side of Bruce street
from CO residential to d. COM
mercial; application to rezone the
Lewis James property, composed of
l346l feet frontage on Seminary
road, with a depth of $50 feet, from
Al residential to d. commercial.
The following applications were
ordered advertised and set for pub
lie hearing on May 16: Robert Scott
Hume, to rezone lot 5 in block 10,
located at the northwest corner of
Mount Vernon avenue and Glebe
road, from A residential to d. COM
mercial; o. P. Hopkins, to rezone
the southeast corner of Henry and
Madison streets from C-1 residential
to E industrial, and Vaughan B.
Connolly, to rezone block bounded
by Royal, Fairfax, First and Second
streets to B residential.
Tire Shop Authorized.
The application of R. S. Win
chester to conduct a tire retread and
recap business at the southwest cor
ner of Jefferson Davis highway and
Reed avenue was granted. Mr.. VIM
chester stated that he would start
the business within two weeks and
would be able to offer "a to 48 hour
service.
The council passed on second
readings the following appropria-
tions: 81 ,260 for maintenance and
rent of POT South Patrick street for
the use of the Board of Education
Tor the nine months remaining in
the year; $4,500 for alteration and
improvement of the Civil and Police
Court, using the additional space
recently vacated by the Board of
Education; $4,000 for the widening
and Improvement of Hume avenue
at United States highway No. /;
$1,000 for construction of storm
sewer on West View terrace.
The council also voted to author
lie the city manager to fence In