Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-21
BERKELEY BRIDGE
Public Meeting Last Night at the
Rooms of Board Of Trade.
in Favor of aud Opposing
The Passage of tho Ban Now
Pending IN tho st",e LcgiuIn-
turo.

a very largely attended public meet
Ing was held last night at the rooms of
the Board of Trade and Business Mems
Association. The meeting was called to
order by Colonel Hudgins at 1880
o'clock.
Captain J. w. McCarrlcl1 was the first
speaker. He exhibited a tracing made
at the United States engineers office,
showing the relative position of the
points involved. He said the bill should
be SO amended as to definitely locate
the bridge at right angles 10 the chan
mel. His address was in the line of pro-
lection to the maritime interests and to
allow as little damage as possible to
that portion or our harbor.
Mayor Johnston then exhibited q
map drawn by City Engineer Brooke
in 1895 and pointde out the general plan
of location at that time favored.
Captain McCarrick then again took
the floor and spoke from the standpoint
or protection to our harbor and the
danger and damage that would result
If the bridge crossed at any angle bur
right angle.
One of the gentlemen present then
asked an expression of opinion from
Mir. Brooke, who rose and stated that
he had made his drawing by order of
the Councils in 1895. as the city at thar
tlme contemplated the annexation of
BerlSley. In answer to a question. lie
lie thought q bridge between the Nor
loik and Western railway and Campo
stella bridges would be an obstruct ton
TO navigation. Mr.. Brooke replied that
bridge would, OF course, be, to some
n 0lNt-s,. r.
mat before bridge could be built there
The approval of the War Department
would be necessary
Captain McCarricl1 said he thought
the shipping interests would be salts
fled with bridge there constructed, nc-
cording TO the location plan of Mr..
Brooke. but the bridge trailic would be
oadly obstructed at frequent intervals
by the swinging of the draw for
shipping.
Mr. Tunstall, one of the ncorporators,
then said that they intended to adhere
to the location plan of Mr.. Brooke. He
said it was. OF course. necessary 10 OBJ
tam the consent of the War Depart
ment before the bridge could be built
Captain McCarricll rose and stated
that the bill rs now before the Legis-
lature. made only thing obligatory on
the incorporators-to build a bridge
with draw of l05 feet-and they could
run the DrluSe ut right angles to the
channel. bias or any other way.
MIR. W. Il. Anderson asked Mr.. J.
Frank East. president OF the Common
Council. II, when the Councils endorsed
the bridge BILL they had n copy of the
bill before them. He said they had not.
AIR. L. II. Synon then presented the
matter in a new light, the damage to
existing private interests and also in
the matter of benefit to the public. He
said the bridge was inimical to the
street railroad interests of Berkeley;
that while various other interests had
been protected. the interests mentioned
were left to the mercy of the bridge
company He said Berkeley would some
day become n part of Norfolk, and he
did not want Berkeley forever shut Off
by n toll bridge. He stated that the
bridge franchise was worth 500 600.
and advised that the bridge should be
built by the cities of Norfolk and Berk-
ley and maintained as a free bridge.
He quoted the clause allowing the
bridge company to charge as much for
toll as any ferry charges and sug
sested that the ferry might be bought
up by the bridge company, shut down
and the entire travel be forced on tho
bridge, resulting in n terrible conces-
tion TO the great dctrlment of the pub
Tic. lie further said that capitalists
were ready to build the bridge on-eaE-=
ditions which would be favorable to
Norfolk and Berkeley. Mr.. Synon made
torcfble and lengthy address, and