Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-26

/ ID tne Byrd-Sfrtet statiOu. hhJOI Ayei5 10
the general superintendent OF the Atlantic
Coast Line, Of which these two roads-0ne
projecting south and the other north from
| Richmond-form a part. GeneraLM Manager
! ii. Walters and Colonel J. T.. Brinton, presi-
dent Of the Fredericksburg rosd, were pres
eat with Major Myers when the sealed enVe-
lopes containing the proposals were broken.
| Major Myers advertised for the bids, and
| be doubtless has full power 10 act in the
matter Of awarding the contract, but 1t Is
altogether probable that before be takes The
final step in closing the negotiations be will
advise with the other officers OF these Two
roads.
THE PROPOSALS..
There were some thirty or forty proposals
submitted, and the job Of csnyassing them
and making abstracts therefrOm was by no
means a light one, nor could 1t DO accom-
| plished in q short while. At late hour last
night this compilation was not nearly hnlsh-
ed, though Major Myers and others had
been laboriousy engaged on 1t Tor seVera'
hours.
The work for which bids were received Is
to build bigh- water bridge across the river
| and 10 do the masonry and grading Tor a
| little more than seven and hall miles OF
| track, or in other words to grade and pre-
pare the road ready for laying the cross-tieS
and rails.
The contractors Offering for the work were
| authorized TO make estimates for the whole
or for certain parts OF 1t. Therefore the bias
varied ia this respect some were for certain
parts OF the work, others for other parts,
| and It is understood that few were Tor tue
whole Job, including the bridge, masonry,
| grading, and all.
II will probably be several days before the
contract is awarded, taking IL for granted
! that some OF the present estimates may prove
| acceptable, and last night even the lewest
figures could not be obtained. Indeed 1t IS
! doubtful whether an accurate computation
has vet been made. as the different lowest
offers have to be picked out and The sums
aggregated.
Every effort will be made to have the
| Belt Line built as quickly az possible. A
large number Of the contractors who sub
mltted estimates are Richmond men.
THE ROUTE.
| This connection is TO be about eight miles
| in length, including the bridge OF 2,2OO feet
| II will branch Of from the Fredericksburg
! road three and a half miles north OF Rich
! mopd and will intersect the Petersburg line
nj an'eoual distance south Of the city. The
James will be spsnned short distance
above the New pump-house, the ROAD pass
Ing through the old stone-quarry on the
north side Of the stream.
As above stated the two roads will share
Jointly in the expense OF this enterprise, the
stockholders Of both companies having
adopted resolutions TO this effect at their lsst
annual meeting.
WHY IT IS DONE.
There are two reasons why this route Is
to be built, and both are good ones.
ore is that the City Council has adopted
an ordinance providing that trains on the
present connection-track through the city
and bv Monroe Park shall not be operated
by locomotives after April, 1890.
| The second reason is that the present
grades and curves are exceedingly heavy,
and Ia the early market season the delay OF
the vegetable trains IN Richmond Is so great
that they cannot be gotten 10 New York as
eariv as they should. All through freights
| have 10 be broken here, and the consequence
! Ia that il takes them several hours to get by
| Richu ond, whereas with the easier grades
that the Belt Line will afford the city can be
passed in few minutes and without any
stop.
| 1he great objection tina. the residents OF
the section OF the city through which the
| trains now pass on the connection track
]
| being hauled tie steep grad IS at all hours,
interfering with travel IN the day and dis
turbn. their midnight slumbers with the
| sbrieking OF the engines, the grating OF :he
wheels, the putting OF steam, and the yells
| OF the operatives.
| 1t n believed by many, and doubtless by
| the officials OF the two roads, that when this
| belt is completed and put in use for the
heavy freight trains the objections 10 the
nresent connection will cease or be 80
| diminished that the Council will reconsider
the ordinance and stll allow the passenger
trains drawn by locomotives to pass through
the city.
| COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED.
| Judge Minor, OF the Henrico County
| Court, Yesterday heard argument OF cOun-
sci on the question OF appointing commits
sioners to assess land damages along the
proposed route In the county. MAJOR a..
r. Courtney and Messrs. William III. and
| Conway X. Sands appeared a. counsel for
DIR. Patterson. the Powers heirs, Messrs.
Buchanan. Blanton, Hutzler, and Others,
| and William G. Preston, Esq, represented
| the railroad companies. The argument con-
sumed several hours.
| The property-owners, in the first place, do
not want the road through their tracts OF
| land at all. Secondly, they urged that II
| the connection line was TO be built at all II
should branch Off mile further north OF
the city, so as 10 pass through less valuable
| property situated not so near the corporate
| limits. 1t was further argued that these
companies under their charters are not au-
thorzed to build such a line as tins, which
| in effect amounts TO new road, since the
termini Of both roads sought to be con-
nected by the link would be changed from
Richmond 10 some other point or points;
that though ten-mile branch could be built,
| the law did not contemplate an entirely new
enterprise like this one was alleged to be.
These and other points having been iully
| discussed Judge Minor overruled the oDlec-
uons and sgnihed that be would proceed to
appoint the commissioners. Counsel for the
landowners suggested certain names, but
the Court only adopted two OF these. The
gentlemen appointed were Messrs. James T..
Redd, M. +. Burton, j. NJ. Fourqurean,
| Otway s. Allen, and Robert H.. Cox, all OF
whom are we'll acquainted with property
values in the neighborhood affected.
| The commissioners will meet next Tues
| day TO perform their duty.
| The record IN the case will be made up so
| that an appeal may be taken in the event the
appraisement Is not satisfactory 10 the land
| owners.