Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-10
LOSSES BY THE FLOOD
COUNCIL COMMITTEE HEARS CON-
PLANTS OF PROPERTY OWNERS.
APPROPRIATION RECOMMENDED.
Ten Thousand Dollars Asked for the
Work Of Widening and Otherwise
ing Of Losers.
ing of Losers.


! duration in Room No. OF the City Hall
last evening and heard the complaints
Of the property-owners who sustained
losses by reason Of the overflow Of that
stream on Saturday night, during the
recent severe storm. Twenty-Five or
thirty persons, who own houses in the
vicinity of the creek. were present. and
laid their grievances before the commit
/ tee The members of the committee in
attendance were Chairman Woody and
| Messrs. Neale, Miller. and Branch r.
Allen. The City Engineer was also on
/ hand.
Captain John NJ Higgins. representing
q number of injured property-holders.
made the principal speech i'm behalf Of
! the compliments. His remarks were
| timely. moderate. and effective lie said
| that he had been councilman himself
/ and appreciated the positions Of mem
| bers of the committee. lie had always
| taken the ground that the creek should
be improved The people living and
owning property along its banks had
suffered greatly and had sustained heavy
losses. The time. he thought. had come
when the city should DO something I'm
this matter. Captain Higgins appealed
10 the committee TO go over the ground.
see the havoc wreaked by the overflow
Of the creek and TO see II it could not
find some way to compensate the pro-
perty-hOlders for the damages to which
they had been subjected.
LOSSES OF AN OLD NEGRO.
An old negro man, who lives upon the
creek where it passes Marshall street.
told very ludlcrous, yet pathetic. story
OF his losses. lie said that one Of
his neighbors had so banked up his pro-
perty as TO throw the water upon his
own 0he speaker's and that when he
went home on the evening after the flood
be had 20 pull of his coat and swim into
his house. he declared that he had
been injured at least SGOO worth and said
that among his destroyed property We're
about sixty live chickens, which ne "sure
did hate fer to lose"
After ample opportunity had been given
for AN interested property-owners to
Doe heard. the committee decided 10 meet
at the corner Of Seventeenth and Frank
Dim streets AZ o'clock this afternoon 10
20 over the line Of the creek and ascer-
tain an the facts 10 be had regarding the
injury done by the flood.
Colonel Cutshaw. the City Engineer.
- l'lt'.AitA Allf FINAdAlnH as TO Ate IItf''4~
Of the creek. lie stated that the small
opening ar the point where the creek
passes under the railway tracks. near the
river was about one third the size OF
the opening at Union street. which made
the funnel-end Of the creek at the mouth.
instead OF vice versa. About two years
ago. when the committee had $1,000 10 is
credit 10 carry out the work Of WIDEN
ing and improving the creek. I'm con-
junction with the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway Company. the Council tabled the
resolution directing the committee 20 con-
tract with the Chesapeake and Ohio and
execute this much-needed Improvement,
and there the matter had stood ever since
continued Colonel Cutshaw, until this
new Council came I'm and took 90 mp again.
The Engineer said that he. Of course.
could not say what the railway COM
pany would now DO. but supposed &c
would be willing 10 70 ahead with the
work, I'm accordance with the old agree
ment. or understanding. lie thought
that the Council should reinstate that
$1,000 appropriation. which had been cam
celled ar the beginning ~ this fiscal
year, and that the committee should
ondeavOr 10 close the contract with the
Chesapeake and Ohio at once. and begin
the work Of improving the creek
mended 10 the Council. making an APP
preparation Of $1,000 for this work.
The committee then adjourned
A MAss-MEETING HELD.
There was a meeting Of the property
owners who sustained losses by the over
flow al Old-Market Hall last night. Cap
tain John NJ. Higgins was called to the
chair. and a number OF speeches We're
made touching the best means Of securing
compensation for injury caused. About
fifty or sixty property-holders were pres
ent. After q great deal Of discussion n
Committee on Grievance was appointed.
and this body Will. after a thorough in
vestigation. report back TO general
meeting.
The heaviest losers by reason Of the
storm are Neegrs. Baldwin x Brown
the east-Main-street hardware merchants.
They place their damage at $500 Drug
glst W. II. Scott. Of Franklin street, is
the second heaviest loser. He estimates
his loss at 1900 Some small losers will
not present claims. IL IS believed. but If
they do the amount VIII be larger
The contention has been made that the
city has been negligent in not providing
arches sufficiently large 70 carry or the
water Of ShockOe creek I'm time OF floods
on Saturday night the Hood showed the
inadeduacy OF the arch nearest the river
bv filling 70 up and then overlooking the
entire lowland. causing the great damage
already reported.
Three OF the principal losers. Messrs
baldwin g. Brown Samuel Jacobs. and
John NJ. Higgins, IL IS said. have jointly
engaged Messrs. Lcake. Garter. and
Cabel 10 take civil action against the
CITY for damages sustained. IN the event
Of no amicable and acceptable adjustment
~ the matter through the Council and its
committees. Captain Higgins thinks the
damage resulting from the overflow reach
en-.