Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-15
BUILD A NEW BRIDGE
Colonel CutshaV Thinks This Better
Than Changing Present One.
question BEFORE COMMISSIONERS
MFR. Axten Says the Company Can'
An. m worc Than IL Has ORered-
After Some Discussion the matter
In Temporarily Laid Over

and Ohio Railway Company LOT ee'
ting over the Free bridge with It's pro-
posed overhead tracks.
II is well understood that the Chesa-
peake and Ohio contemplates bringing
ito lines into Richmond upon steel wa
ducts. and erecting a magnificent depot
on lower Main street. This scheme wheh
contaminated will have cost the railway
company something like s2.Wc.oo' Inc
bridge commissioners yesterday afternoon
carefully looked into the details OF the
company's plans, so far as they anect
the present condition OF tie bridge. COL
onel Cutshaw, the City Engineer In
whose Office the meeting was held MI
Decatur Axteli. and Mr.. lsaacs' VINO
prepared the drawings OF the raiiroau
bearing upon the changes necessary "
be made in the bridge, were present.
The changes have already been ex-
claimed in the Dispatch, and whiie 'hey
would necessitate the expenditure OF
unite a large sum in lowering the
oridge and causing such a clearance as
would be necessary between the railroad
tracks and the road-bed of the bridge
the distance between the water and the
understructure OF the bridge would not
/ be affected In order to do this the coth-
pany would. in accordance with the plans
have to put in lighter and equally
substantial structure in seven OF the spans
OF the bridge. This change would alter
about 700 feet of the structure (which
is something like 1000 feet in lengtn'
so as to make dip with a grade OF three
| feet In every 100 feet. grading down
ward from both points on the part Of the
structure affected by tho change TO be
made.
COLONEL CUTSHAW EXPLAINS.
When the commissioners had been called
TO order by Chairman Bradley the plans
of the Chesapeake and Ohio were
spread out before the body. and Colonel
| Cutshaw went into an explanation OF
the situation I'm a general way. He SAID
that there were several objections to the
scheme of the company Tor changing
the bridge. He was Of the opinion that
II was not good thing to DO to
squeeze the bridge down; and, In the
second place. he thought 1t would not
be well for the city to grant the COM
| pany the right TO construct It's ROAD
| over the bridge with Only a clearance OF
Is feet He said the clearance should
be at least II feet, as the ordinary
trolley-cars were II IL feet high, and
"A clearance OF - feet would only allow
! an elevation OF IL feet for the pole or
| the car He had gone carefully into
the details OF these objections with a
subcommittee Of the bridge commission
ers. and had pointed out the obstacles
as they had occurred to him. He was
not in favor of putting In new spans to
the bridge and only allowing a distance
of about two and half feet from the
high-water mark Of 1871. when the great
freshet occurred. Colonel Cutshaw here
referred TO the possibility of the bridge
being swept away in the event Of a
flood, especially If there should be any
great amount Of drift-wood or rubbish.
The City Engineer was Of the opinion
that IL would be better TO erect a
new bridge, which would cost between
$4,000 and 10000. and have ii extend
from a point on the Manchester side TO a
point about Byrd street on the Richmond
side OF the river, going above the tracks
OF the railroad. Colonel Cutshaw said
he could not, OF course, say whether
the cities of Richmond and Manchester
would be willing to pay any part OF the
cost OF such structure, but that the
question as it presented itself to him was
whether It was expedlent to do this or
squeeze down the present bridge and
have so slight clearance
Mr. Carter. one of the Richmond COM
missioners. wanted to know IL the plan
as presented by the railroad company
able plan to build a bridge over the
Chesapeake and Ohio's tracks, commence
ing at Byrd street.
THE COMPANY'S EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Axtell said he felt confident that
the Chesapeake and Ohio Company could
not possibly do any better than Il had
already proposed TO do. He could not,
as n member OF the Board OF Directors
of the company, recommend the expendi-
ture of any more money than the COM
pany contemplating expanding here. and
he could not urge the raising of the
tracks so as to give any sleeper grade at
the point mentioned. The latter would
not be consistent with the general scheme
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio in this mat
ter, and II II was done II would operate
greatly to the injury OF the business OF
the road. This was a big scheme, and
one which would operate greatly 10 the
advantage of the city of Richmond, but
IL any great hardship was to be imposed
on the company Mr. Axtell said ne
thought the Chesapeake and Ohio would
have to abandon the scheme entirely. He
said II ne found that his company could
possibly make the clearance few inches
more than IS feet he would gladly do 40
He added. however, that In many of the
| greater cities in this country, enumera.
ting Philadelphia, Brooklyn. Cincinnati
Louisville, and others, the clearance be-
tween such roadways was 10 feet. and
even less. Mr.. Axtell spoke OF the
/ changes the road proposed 10 make In th'
bridge. saying that when Richmond and
Manchester became great enough to bullC
such a bridge as Colonel Cutshaw hac
spoken Of the scheme of the Chesapeake,
and Ohio would in no way interfere with
| II, and that II there should come alons
a food sufficient 10 carry the bridge away
|. II would be carried away anyhow.
/. NO NEARER THE WATER.
{ Mr.. Isaacs, who appeared before III,
T. commissioners in a dual capacity. repre-
senting both the board and the railroad
: said In answer to questions propoundeC
to him that the slight change in tn,
: grade on the bridge would not work an!
. hardship OF consequence upon teams. B.
the proposed alterations the lower cord
: of the structure would be just as IA
e from the water as they were now.
y Chairman Bradley said the city o
: Manchester had spent $4,000 in the con
: struction Of the bridge. and II the schema
y of the Chesapeake and Ohio meant tn
e destruction Of the bridge, he was Opposes
! 10 giving il the privilege II asked at IN
t hands Of the James-river bridge com
4 missoners. He did not like the idea o
!. a grade on the bridge. but IL his peopl
!, were rot opposed to II, he would not lie
that be an obstacle.
There was some further discussion o
the question, and the commissioner