The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-15
TIE TUNNEL HAS CAVED.
/ Resolution Vas Adopted Extending The
Franchise.
TIE STREET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
President Reed Had a Hearing Last Evening
and offered 60 Raise tho Moncv-says
lie Can Finish ~ ia a Year.

Al 4l5 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
further end Of the tunnel on Eighth street
onuosite the Howitzers' armory suddenly
cqved in. The break occurred from curve 10
,nrve. and foro distance Of about City feotthe
street sunk in, and the place is marked at
,4esent by hole about FIVE feet deep. Early
% the morning tho cracks in the ground
which had been in existence for several days
iecaue much wider, and some Of the resi-
dents Of that section expected caving in at
almost anv time. The winter had been turned
% in tho main early in the morning, and SUI
perintendeut Adams OF the eas-works. whose
men were engaged 10 making some connec,
fiors in that part Of Eighth street had detailed
ono empl0ye 20 turn OF the gas immediately
I'm case The break should occur When the
accident did take place the gas lamp on the
east side Of the street IN the middle OF the
block. went down. but tac leakage was very
small. for the reason that the gas was turned
oil almost instantly.
Soon after the occurrence Engineer Bolton
from the City Engineers Department reached
tie SPOT and stretched ropes around the
caved-n place. About forty minutes after
the occ urrence the men employed by the con-
tractor were set @ work TO al in the hole IN
der the supervision OF Engineer Bolton.
hlhtlAH AND fiHhNNi
Tho Joint committees Of Streets and Finance
again met Inst evening IN the Chancery Court
room % discuss the question of what should
be done % restore Eighth street 10 its safe and
proper condition All twelve members OF the
Committee on Streets were present and the
Committee on Finance was represented by four
members. Messrs. Cary. Hughes Carneal and
Christian. Colonel Cutshaw represented tho
City Engineers Department and Sir Preston
Cooke attended as substitute for City ttOT-
ney Meredith. who Is Oh his vacation.
Major j. n. Capers presided az chairman of
The Committee on Streets The chair stated
that no formal meeting bad been held on the
previous day owing to the absence of
quorum of the Finance Committee. However
the subject had been discussed. and Mr. Reed
president of the Richmond and Chesapeake
railroad Company had at some length given
lis views. MAJOR Capers then briefly outlined
Mr. Reeds argument
Nh Reed was first called upon T. submit
whatever proposition he might have 10 MAKE.
lle stated that since the last meeting of the
committee unfortunately a section OF the
tunnel had caved IN. a fact which no one re-
gretted more. and for which no ono was less
responsible than himself. As far rs pri-
mary responsibility was concerned, lndlUdu-
a.Iv be- the president Of the road and Colonel
Brooks. the contractor had none. for they
Cu.v very recently had come III connection
with the concern.
tic tunnel had caycd in'made the remainder Oh
the tunnel SO much safer, for good deal of
pressure had been taken away. Within forty
minutes after the breaking had occurred tie
men OF the company had gone TO work 10 fill
IL ~ the further end OF the tunnel.
BUSINESS PARTNERS.
Mr.. Reed explained that he and Colonel
Brooks had been business partners in various
enterprises. and that Colonel Brooks had re-
Ia fine construction of
the road Both could not be hold responsible
& the city. nor 90 the bOndsmen for the dam
ages caused by tie Gazing ia Of the tunnel.
There were no funds ia tie treasury Of the
railroad COMPANY and no one would expect
linn and Colonel Brooks 10 loan that
company any money unless they were
fully protected by the city and were
granted All extension OF time for the compile
ton of the tunnel. If that was granted both
were ready TO repair the street ont Of their
own money and o. make the tunnel safe, but
they could not afford 20 advance any money
without the assurance that they would finally
get IL back out of the proceeds Of the compile
tetsroad
At this juncture Colonel Cutshaw was asked
il he bad any suggestion 10 make, but SAID
that he had not
After Mr. Cooke had announced That ho was
prepared 70 give an opinion on the questions
submitted al the previous meeting, MAJOR
Capers announced tAot the committee WAS
lcaAl iDl JUSTICES
AIR. sTRATTON.
Captain Stratton said that he was still Of
the same opinion MS on the previous evening
That further continuance of The work would
be detrimental tO the interests # the citizens
a. large and especially % the citizens of the
varI which he n part represented te.
therefore. offered resolution providing that
tlc City Engineer be directed 10 restore
Eighth street to safe and proper condition
I,s lf1ft. If fIQ Street
tee and that the Finance Committee APP
lrarrate 8 900. or SO much thereof as may
Unnecessary for that purpose.
So the request OF Mr.. d. l.. Carter, MI
Preston Cooke presented his opinion ON the
several questions laid before him With refer
,nce % the question whether the railroad
company had forfeited the rie bit OF the CHAR
ter be set forth that the original ordinance
which granted tie charter provided That the /
tunnel should he completed ln two years. or /
ly May 8, 1870. On February II. $780, the |
time was extended until February I'D. 1892. /
provided that city bond of $1,000 was de- I
.Osited and q new indemnity bond of 100000 /
was furnished This had not been done and /
tie time had therefore expired on May 8, 1880 /
If the rights Of the company had not yet /
con forfeited, this would certainly be the /
case If the committee should report any /
recommendation of That eject TO the Council !
THE UrY's RIGHTS.
MtrtNcI ilr CIV L-i III" Ii-ll WITHOUT Allf ]
legal eedings ID put the street jpn safe and /
proper condition. Sir Cooke stated that ac- /
cogdng 20 the provisions OF tie charter She /
company bad 40 more interest IN tne Eighth !
street tunnel If the work had been abandoned /
for three months and longer, and the Council |
had therefore, tie power 20 restore the street
u proper and safe condition, either Ivy FILE
ing in tle tunnel or in any other way they
saw fit. and the city could proceed with the
work AZ once
lu regard 20 the question il the city had the
legal right 20 recover damages from the
flreties of the indemnity bond. Air. Go ke
stated that he had examined the bond. and
the power # attorney given m connectl.n
v.,l 70 and had become convinced that both
were god and the city could rec ven
Mr. Reed was again allowed 10 he heard.
Die did not think .hat the opinion ust read
covered the points brought out CD the pie-
}lals evening" bat possibly the occurrence
itat afternoon took AWAY good deal 81 force
from The argument brought forth the day re-
.e The city ordinance granted the right
g. extend the tunnel under Llghtn street -
Tho tunnel had expired Oy limitation then 1T
certainly would not be extended without any
further permission from the City Council.
hut l, lid NOT deprive the company OF the
property already acquired. Ec then de-
telted the state of affairs IN case Tie cry
should take the position which has Just been
l.f|.r.rI