Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-06
STREET WORK URGED
WIDENING OF LESTER REFERRED FOR
AN ESTIMATE OF COSTS.
Much Talk Over Opening Byiand-Ap-
proximats Expense eli, o00--Dsmsge
Refused to an Old rroperty-owner.


called meeting in the Hustings-Court room
last evening for tho purpose Of consider
ing petition for the widening of Lester
street from Mr.. Moses Swartz's store to
the corner of Orleans street. Those
anxious 10 have the thofonghfnre IN
creased in width gave as their reason that
the traffic over Lester street was so great
as TO demand such an improvement.
Colonel Cutshsw explained the details
Of drawing he had prepared outlining
the work TO be done. The Engineer. re-
plyinG TO an inquiry by MIR. Turpin. stated
that Rockets and Lester street were the
same and q continuation oil Main street.
This street. the Engineer said, ran IN
width from about 81 feet at the narrow
est point TO so at the widest. Ii should be
90 feet wide the entire way, according 10
Colonel Cutshsw's views. De suggested
that it might be advisable to give 10 the
property-Ovners a foot on water street
for every foot taken away on Lester as
the streets run parallel and are only
short distance apart.
PRopERTY-owSERs FAVOR 1T.
All the property-owners interested IN
the widening OF this street were invited TO
be present, and large number were either
on hand or represented by agents or at
torneys. Several were IN favor OF tne Engi-
neer's plan, and Others argued that the
Improvement should be made. No one
failed TO realize the importance OF the
benefits TO accrue from this work.
Mr.. J. w. Carter moved 20 recommend
To the Council q resolution providing tor
the widening Of the street to Wldth OF
GO feet. it's entire length, and II neces-
sary to acquire the property essential Tor
this work by Gift, purchase, condemna-
a. a nnQf mot OXCpPUIIO
81. 900.
Mr.. GRAY offered az a substitute that the
matter be laid upon the table until the
cost of the improvement could be ascer-
tanned.
Mr.. Turpin moved az another substitute
that the subject be referred to the CITY
Engineer 10 find out what the interested
property-owners were really willing 10 90
in the premises and to make u report.
This was agreed to.
THE BYLAND-sTBRET QUESTION.
A petition was then read from the pro
pertv.owners in the western part or the
city asking for the opening and grazing
of Rvlapd street from Franklin 10 Park
avenue. Il was the idea Of the petition
ers that the Council should issue neces-
sarv amount in city bonds for this work,
and Mr.. n. w. BOwe claimed tnat IN ten
wears the city would get back both the III
terest and principal on the bonds.
the Engineer stated ;hat there was no
money available from this years appro-
priation for such q purpose ana Mr.. bIay
therefore moved 20 lay the matter on the
table. Colonel Cutshaw resumed ms re-
marks nv citing the importance OF open
ing tho street referred TO and SAID that IL
was more needed than the opening OF any
street in any other part Of the city.
Nessrs. L. Il. Glasgow and Charles a.
Rose smoke. heartily favoring the WORK,
and referred to the taxes that the owners
of the property had been paying IN years
past and not having received any street
improvements. ms opening anu BIauius
would cost $4,000.
Mir 1urpin was opposed to the appro-
priation OF such an amount Of money IN
the present condition of the clty's flnauces;
The street Improvement was needed anu
sbould be made but there were NIFTY other
nIaces In the city that were as badly 10
need OF be,te1ments There was no irnml-
nent need for such au outlay OF money on
Ryland street, Mr.. Iurpln asserted, except
t. benefit few property ownelo, ana
ne did not propose to shirk his own duty
by attempting TO throw the financial re-
snonsibIlity upon the Committee on
Finance, as had been suggested
After considerable moro argument the
petjtion was referred. upon motion OF MIR.
Carter. to the City Engineer for an eStl-
mate of the costs involved.
SAID HIS PROPERTY WAS RUINED.
Mr.. Bovkin brought before the commit
tee the claim of Mr.. CussOns for alleged
damages 10 his property on CHINA street
no Taisinp the grade of that thOroughfare.
He asked that the Council be urged to an
propriatc the necessary funds TO raise Ar.
Cusson's houses 10 proper height. MI;
Boykln was almost eloquent In his appeal
in behalf of hls constituent, who was an
ia man The councilman said that every
dollars worth of property hr. Cussons mad
in the world had been ruined and yet he
was forced to pay the same amount Oh
Mr. Bahen was willing to give this old
man the desired relief II all similar cases
shonld be dealt with in like manner. lie
did not think one person IN Clay Ward
should be singled out to receive these
benefits.
Mr. Boykin remarked that he was willing
to such all arrangement, ulsclhlLuiuS thaV
he was ward man.
Il never heard you stand up tor any
ward other than Clay or Marshall, said
MIR. Raben iocularly.
That ~ false" responded MIR. Boykin,
taking the Jackson Ward Councliman's
words more seriously than they were ln-
tended.
After great deal of discussion upon the
case Mr.. Bovkin's motion to recommend
that the Council appropriate the necessary
money TO raise Mr. Cusson's houses was
lost. only two members voting tor 1t.
LEE-DIsTRICT STREETS.
The CITY Engineer presented q map OF
the annexed portion OF Lee District and
stated that the lines of Allison, Grace. and
Straw berry streets aud of Park avenue, In
that section. needed rectifying. After a
great deal of talk upon this subject 1t was
decided that advertising for bids for the
opening and grading of streets In the dis
trict should be postponed until such
changes in these street lines as may be
found necessary shall have been made.
Mir. Stratton asked Colonel Cutshaw II
il were not a fact that the appropriation
| of $40. 900 for improvements IN the dis;
trict would be sufficient TO open and
grade one or two more streets than those
named in the resolution. He said he
thought il was, and MIR. Stratton moved TO
embrace Cedar and Ivy streets within the
appropriation, to which the committee
agreed.