The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-04

MEETING OF CITIZENS PRoTES
AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TIL
GRADES RECOMMENDED BY THE CON,
: MITTEE ON STREETS AND THE CITY En-
GINEER-A REVIEW OF THE CAsE-vIEw
OF THE STREET COMMITTEE, &C., &C. Z"
Pursuant to notice published in th
, Dispatch on Friday, a meeting OF property
owners OF Clay Ward was held at Blchner'
. Park for the purpose OF taking action IL
regard to the grades proposed by the City
Engineer in the district west of Brook ave
nue. and north Of Broad street.
Mr.. j. w. Beveridge was called to tht
chair, and Mr.. N. W. Bowe requested to ac
as secretary.
/ The meeting was we'll attended by proper
ty-owners and others interested in the pro
posed change in the grades. Addresse:
i were made by Messrs. John S. Wise, John
j. King, and others.
| PROTEST AGAINST THE GRADES.
/ The following resolutions were presented
and unanimously agreed to-:
| Resolued, That the grades proposed by
the City Engineer for the streets. including
Broad, Marshall Clay, and Leigh, and Han
cock, Harrison, Norton, Kinney, and Bowe,
are excessive. unnecessary, and exceeding
iy injurious to the property-holders includ-
! ed in the district. tssss
! That Broad, Clay, and Leigh streets have
already been graded, unofficially it may be,
and many houses erected in conformity
with such grades; and that the Engineer
in proposing to cut portions OF these streets
down from four to eight feet more will
leave many houses from eight to ten feet
above the street-level.
That on Marshall street, where grades
from nine to ten feet are proposed ior two
squares, the value OF the property will be
nearly totally destroyed, is the value OF the
lots will not pay the cost OF conforming
them TO the proposed grade Of the street.
That these heavy grades, which are so
entirely unnecessary and so injurious to
the property-owners, will have to he>made
at a heavy cost to the city.
That we are willing and anxious to have
4 moderate grade established, and believe
that three or four tenths of the Engineers
estimates will be sufficient for all practical
purposes.
That we call upon the Common Council
to protect us in our rights and save lis from
the great destruction Of property which
will result from the adoption OF the grades
proposed by the City Engineer.
That we hold it to be fundamental prin-
ciple of Justice that when private property
is seriously damaged by public improve
ments the public should pay damages.
| The law and custom now is to make private
property-holders pay for the public i'm
provements when their property is benefit
ed, but when private property is destroyed
or injured the private individual has no
compensation or redress.
That too many instances Of this kind of
injustice have occurred in this city recently,
and therefore we request our representa-
tives in the Legislature to endeavor to pro-
cure the passage Of Il bill which will remedy
this manifest injustice.
That these resolutions be published in the
city papers, and copy OF them be sent to
the Common Council OF the city OF Rich
mond.
| WHAT THE STREET COMMITTEE SAY.
The Street Committee say that the estab-
lishment Of these grades was petitioned for
by certain residents OF Clay and Marshall
streets, and the Committee on Streets di-
rected the City Engineer to prepare pro-
file of grades for that section, which in due
| time was returned to them for their ap-
proyal. The committee met upon the
| ground twice to examine and discuss the
changes proposed, and in view OF the oppo-
sition that was known to exist against the
Engineers lines he was asked to modify
the grades il it could be done The Engi-
neer again went over the entire area very
carefully, and reported back to the COM
mittec that he could not conscientiously
alter his views as to what was necessary for
the proper drainage and street levels OF the
section embraced in his plans.
The grades were then adopted by the
Committee on Streets and reported by their
chairman to the Board OF Aldermen. In
view Of their extent. and Importance, and
the fact that there was opposition to them,
they were laid upon the table, upon motion
OF the chairman, to give members OF the
Board full opportunity TO examine the
ground for themselves. When they were
next called up, the property-owners resist
ing, the work not being prepared, the mat
ter was again tabled for another month for
their accommodation. When finally taken
from the table (at the last meeting OF the
Board OF Aldermen leave was given to DR..
Crenshaw, representa-" the owners of pro-
perty, to address the Board in their behalf
and after some discussion the grades were
formally adopted and established by very
decided votc-only three or four votes in
the negative.
| IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK.
|
tant by the Committee on Streets from the
fact that Broad, Clay, Marshall, and Leigh
streets will be permanently graded anG
grayellcd from Hancock street westwardly
to the corporation line, and the intersectins
streets-viz., Hancock, Harrison, Norton
Kinney, and Bowe-will also be permanently
graded and grayelled, thereby enabling al
gas and water-pipes to be laid and buildings
tbuilt upon permanent grades, and stlmu
lating improvements of all kinds.
In addition to which the surplus earth from
these grades, it is thought, will be sufficient
to complete the grade Of Grace street from
its present terminus through to Richmond
College, and the authorities Of the college
and Mr.. Edward Mayo have agreed to do
nate to the city full-width street OF sixty
six feet in continuation OF Grace street. a;
well as full-wdth cross-street running
from Broad to Franklin streets. 1t is also
deemed to be likely that they will lie cna
bled at some time to partially, il not en-
tirely, make the grade OF Franklin street
west OF Shafer street, which has now avery
considerable depression. The authoritie:
OF the college and Mr.. Mayo have also
agreed to donate to the city strip OF lant
twelve feet in width extending from Shafe
to Lombardy streets, thereby making Frank
lin street (already tue Fifth avenue Of Rich
mond) OF continuous width to the corpora
tion line.
VALUE OF THE GRANTS TO THE CITY.
These grants are so important and so val
liable to the city that the Committee OF
Streets regards this as perhaps the most i'm
portant street-work now ,engaging thei
attention. 1t is also continuation OF thei
Dlan of systematic street grades, they havin!