The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-05
BERKELEY ANNEXATION
The Report Of the Special Committee Made
To the Common Council.
BERkLEyITEs PRESENT SOME FIGURES.
They Show the Resources OF GerkIey
asa Part of Norfolk mud Tell What
Their Expenses Would no-Ancr
Paying their Expenses they Would
Have Considerable Money Left.

Have Considerable Money Left.
The matter of the annexation Of BerlS-
ley as the Seventh ward of the city took
| definite shape at the meeting of the
Common Council last night, when the
| following report was made by the spe-
| clal committee from the Councils and
property-owners of the fiourishing SUI
burb:
To the Select and Common Councils of
the City Of Norfolk:
The undersigned subcommittee was
| requested to embody in q report to
| your honorable bodies such information
as has been obtained regarding the
| financial conditions which would result
| to the City from the annexation of
Berkeley, and also the probable cost of a
bridge over the Elijah river from the
east end of Main street
In pursuance of this request we beg
to report that from the financial state
ment prepared by the Berkeley committee
and submitted herewith as part of this
report, 1t appears that the
GrESS revenue to be expected
from Berkeley, based on It's
present assessed values, tax
ed at the present rate of
taxation in Norfolk would
be ...................... SIC. 500 90
That the expenses of the ward
Including interest on S15.GoO
of bonds, TO be issued-S5U,-
600 for half cost of bridge
and $4,000 fer internal inn
provements) would be .. &C. $50 90
Leaving for contingencies, es-
timased balance of revenue. 8 $500 90
IL Is suggested that the interest on flu
ture issues of bonds. and any increased
annual expenses of running the ward
would be met by increased assessments
on buildings erected from year to wear
until 1900. when there would be the
usual re-assessmcnt of real estate and
II Is reasonable 10 suppose that under
the Stimulus to values, and the improve
ments sure to follow annexation, there
Will be such increase in revenue from
taxes as to justify this expectation.
In the matter of the construction of an
iron bridge we have been reliably in
formed that no objection will be inter
posed by the Norfolk and Western rail
road. provided the bridge is elevated
suiiiclentiy to permit the traffic on Wa
ter street to pass under It,
We are also advised by Captain Ca
sey. United States engineer in charge of
har5or improvements, th,Ut the govern
ment Will not oppose the erection of an
iron bridge at the above named point.
provided it is twenty-four feet above
the surface of the water and has a
draw one hundred feet wide.
Your committee has. through sub
committee correspondent with bridge
builders in the North and West and has
had representatives from some OF these
to visit Norfolk and submit estimates
OF cost. from which we are led To be-
lieVe that an iron bridge fulfilling all Che
requirements of the case, forty feet in
width. which would allow. street cars
TO operate double tracks. can be con-
strllcted for 100000
Ihis amount. the negotiations between
your committee and the Committee of
Citizens from Berkeley have conte,upla
ted. should be raised by an issue az
INc per cent. bonds. predicatcd one
nan on assessed values in Bcrklcy, the
interest WilSfoin, amounting to $1,000
would be paid from the taxes therein.
your committee would report that this
appears to be mos: favora BILE time for
annexation, because u condition of puh-
lie sentiment exists in I!crlllcy which
mas never existed there before. and
which may nat exist there again ro,
years, II the advocates of separate
Town should now secure n fairly salts
factory charter under which a corps of
office holders would he installed and
financial obligations OF a separate c,r
p-ration be created
In View Of tho ahnve conditions ANA in
view OF the advantages Norfolk wnoId
derive from the showing OF so great nm
Increase in it's p"ulation in the census
rchort - be made in 1900, and the at
tachinG or so large and attractive q
territory would he thus made more
available for residential and manuf,c-
turinG purposes, and i'll view of Tho
large population now there. which
wouit be thus made more available for
rcsiueltiai and manufacturing nurpe,;as
ana In View o. the large population
now there. which would be afforded
free ana comfortable access 10 the he,r,
OF ouT city. your committee is of opin.
taa that from financial standpoint
Norfolk has all 10 gain ana nothing IN
! lose hH annexation. and should no; H.,
| SIP the present opportunity.
We are further requested 10 cali IA
your attention the fact that only ,v,ar
| ty-four days Of the session of tbc moe.
cht Legislature Remain. and 10 prcss ,ha
| Importance OF calling Il committee az
me whole OF The Councils to consider
| TINS matter at an early day. NOT lnier
! II possible than Thursday or Friday or
this week. and 10 definitely decide ,,non
! u hill providing for ;Lnncxation of Ri
| ley. TO be submitted t. the I,cris1at,,ro
| al this session.
| Respectfully submitted
N9isheo) !.uTtER SHELDON.
BARTON MYERS,
| Nur.u. -, Committee
A'.acned To TINS report was a state