Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-11-22
revenue in return for the vast amount
of money that we have to spend OH It.
AiN(0-T1E4N~f2 WI AITrI If~T>

9TH further recommend thai as the
city Is divbled north and south by the
great Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad
Company with its great piers and large
elevators, covering a broad expansc Of
territory over which there is no right
OF way, IL is necessary FOR the benefit
of the Fire Department as we.l as for
the Police Departments and for the pro-
lection of children who have to go tc
school along the side of it's tracks that
there be erected 4 viaduct over the
tracks Of the said company on La
faNette avenue of this city, which is the
only grade level and the most inexpen-
sive and convenient place to put the
said viaduct being the nearest to the
courthouse and the central engine
house.
would advise that you have an act
passed giving the city a riglt to bonn
the city For the purpose of building said
viaruct. the said Chesapeake < Ohio
Railroad Company being required in
strurtion Of said viaduct. And :he .aid
bonds shall not Dc issued nor tbs,
amount Of the same determined upon.
until the plans and specifications have
been made ant! submitted to The Chrsa-
rcake & Ohio lItailrold Company ana
the adoption Of Che as me by the Coun-
Gil. The said plans to include al tn.
money to be expended for tais purpose,
and the bids advertised fer ana tho
decision made by the Council rs . " no
shall receive the contract.
The connecting of the city by Il Via
duct, is matter OF great importance
and will grow more 50 when l12 cor
porate limits arc EXTENDED. ana dc
nla1rIS the Immediate attention! IF YOUR
honorable body.
NEWPORT NEWS RIVER.
sth-I further suggest that a.; there
IS no safe harDor at the city Of Newport
News in which small vessels can anchor,
and as there are great MAN. small!
boats wishing to trade With this city
in fruits, vegetables, oysters, bricks,
lumber, coal &c. which are now I'M
able to land here, thereby causing {,
loss to the city OF many thousands Of
dollars that Should be expended in our
city. would suggest that the
| Legislature be pctitionei to change the
'.nme of Newport News creek TO that
| Of Newport river. and have it shown
as such on the maps Of Virginia, and
also -EllloW the city. if necessary, TO is
sue bonds for the purpose of widening
and deepening said river. UP as far as
| Eighteenth street, or as far as tide vat
| CT extends, which Will give the city :,
harbor large enough to accrnllncda te
al! small boats and Will be a sour &c If
great revenue towards the carrying on
| Of our city government. In doing this
| It gives US Il chance to so to oui re-
| preventative in Congress and ask that
an apprt priation be made for this pur-
pose. right that we are justly entitled
| expended by the government at New
port News while our custom house re-
| ports show that the business AT this
port is far greater than that at all the
rest OF the Virginia ports. While Nor
| folk ana Richmond both get hundreds
|of Congress TO keep their ports open,
we have never asked for a cent.
y CITY PIER a
| 9tfl-I further recommend that as
yhis city has not a single public pier
running out TO deep water. by which
and other cities. that the city shall
build and own piers at the foot of each
Of the streets extending out into the
water on which the city has erected
bridges or viaducts. That the said
piers to be first owned or erected BY
the city, shall be at the foot of Twenty
fifth. T'wenty-eighth, Tnrtyfourrh
streets, and at the foot of such other
streets las the city may determine to
erect viaducts upon, over the Chesa-
peakc & Ohio railroad.
In recommending this 1 believe it to
oc for the best interests Of the city
not only as a public convenience, but
IS a source OF great revenue to the
city government. This city has given
away many valuable franchises froi:
which other cities would nave reaped
great profits. 1t therefore behooves us
20 guard carefully those that now re-
main. The Washington and Baltimore
lines are largely patronized by people
Of our city who have to ride tn Ole:
Point in order to take the boat. Th"re
Is no reason Why if the city owned her
piers, that there could not be induce
nsnts offered To these lines TO touch
trucks and fruits of every kind, raised
~ the lower peninsula would be hauled
20 Newport News 70 be put on the bDa;
which would give employment To mum
bers Of laborers and be of great b.ne-
lit to the merchants by brin.ln. the
farmers trade to the city.
LITTLE OVER > PER CENT.
The city is already bonded to
The amount of S305. 900, making in all
total of $555 900. The other bonds sug-
Gested, for which no figures were named
will probably amount TO $500 900. This
would make an Indebtedness of $755G0G.
The taxable property of this city
amounts to s3500o.0o0. when properly
assessed. The State law allows Il city
TO issue bonds TO the amount of Ii PER
cent. OF her taxable property The
amount os bonds which nave suggest
ed. s1o5, 900 is only about Is per cent.
OF the valuation of the city property.
10 make it safe VIC will reduce the
valuation to one half the present est:-
mate, that is sl1,5oo,000. which woula
make the percentage at this rate about
Is per cent. You see it would be
safe to issue bonds to the alnoa,n; OF
sl55,00o. that would sell on the ,narl1c.
at a hiSh premium. | trust that YOU
Will appoint this committee at your
earliest convenience, as it is is very
necessary that such legislation as we
wish to have enacted be ready and
placed in the hands OF our rcpresen.
tatives in the General Assembly 70 be
itroduced by them a the meeting of the
General Assembly on the first NVedncs-
day in December.
IN'CIaE.A SIC NUN1BSlFs OF TERMS.
lOth-I further recommend to 1,nllr