The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-07
MAYO's BRIDGE.
"a Reply to Certain Questions
Lately Propounded by The
Tirnes-Disnatch.

y 81 4NSp1y ~ 80 - >f'' -
Lately Propounded by The
Tirnes-Dispatch.
Mr.. James d. Crump submits the fol-
A lowing replies to questions propounded
by The Times Dispatch in connection With
& tho proposed purchase OF Mayos Bridge
II / think The Times Dispatch, in its edt-
torals in Fridays and Saturdays papers,
has unintentionally done an injustice.
both to the Finance Committee and tho
committee appointed at tho meeting at
S the Chamber OF Commerce in March, who
h have devoted a great deal of time aid
attention to tho new free bridge PROPOSE
ton, and have given the matter the most
careful consideration. But II any doubt
exists In the minds of the public or Of any
members of the Council as to the points
The Times Dispatch has raised. am
+ glad these questions have been asketia
4 as it will afford an opportunity. TO answer
them and remove any prejudice that
4 might otherwise initiate against the sue
cess OF the measure now before the Coun-
Gill; AS n member of the latter COM
mittee. have been in close touch with
this movement for the past six months,
Il and believe I can give clear and saiisfac-
tory answers TO each of these Ques tons
/ H In the first place, rs this the only
available site. and Is 1t the cheapest
X site that can be had?'' To this / would
answer unequivocally yes. This cues
n ton has been Investigated with the ut
81 most care. and not only Is 1t a fact that
no other suitable site can he secured, but
were any other location possible, a bridge
Is could not be constructed elsewhere ut
anything like the same cost. The Mago's
4 bridge people not only. own the bridge
II itself. but Fourteenth Street from the
river 10 the dock in Richmond, and Hull
q Street from the river to the canal in
Il Manchester. Furthermore. no bridge can
I be built that would not necessarily cross
4 MAKO S Island. for which q right of way
would have 10 be purchased or con-
.,lenred Any other bridge would largely
5eprsstate the value of the franchise
Z owned by the Mayo Bridge COMPANY.
II ard the ultimate cost Of bridge at
'S any otheS site would be considerably more
thaa5zhs prscs al Thich the eSsssin s ira n
s.sEse can be secured il the CITY accepts
y tha option before September fst- Apart
4fr.s,,a this. IS BEFORE stated there IS no
ss.ssssas4 sc.1+atSca for the bridge other ss.aa
ssr1,., ;a.z Fssos * Huh Szrees IL Maaches-
tsr to rsss ts45s Gs Fourteenth Street IN
" TssrIs--sts-sSss as ny stse Ssta Is familiar
4ss;a ssss1 ss1-san "a Iss CTR can yssaGEiy
II see 4. q glance
s -sC,g- LIE Stone 5dE-s g. " bridge
t,., ss.ss si1s- ct1s Ifaesa Peers
sss@Ea IKE 81 sd-ss-srs u tstsih
ma rats-ai.a-i EE7yaEgs frr1ysa IN a-za he
" Steal By
7Etsr,-n s.sds VesTH Submitted ss,' q s1Fs7i
Y EarEas- hrssse ana 2 csa-scTss.s steel rem
Il forced ss.=.dss respectively. n are OLE
II So. OF 10th az ttzss-s f7 g4,asFys several ct
IL saas ys-s Eso7s1d La re IN be gs-.s c.acglfg re-
ss.as9: 10 rake ztasra sSrs5 for re new
z bridge TIE estimates l-ass.1iai u taas
III Finance Committee izac3pis. heEsvs-. al!
recesssry s,sJrs. % this kind. including npt
s-sy st.e repa ring and rebuilding - sItsc,se
piers cha, -ssi airs il, ns:; also raising the
b entire bridge four fest higher Shan ths
I isyei of ire present st-ictu-e- Tfs-s IS
Z no risk, therefore 10 TIE citg in fp2,Ttias
these Piers. As they row stand. tctr the
+ reason that whatever work ma sse !lez.sss-
u s,sTr TO put Them IN good shape Is all
s provided for in the estimates now In the
POSSESSION of the Finance COMMITTEE
VIVA, is the revenue from 1isyD's
& bridge, yvli.s, for Obvious reasons, the
owners OF the preser, bridge 10 70, care
10 give any nlarss. Irlh,citE to tnstz private
business affairs ssap ,I.ay. be necessary. I
4 feel al liberty to say tina. these figures
d were furnished the committee by the
president of the bridge company, wiso
n offered likewise TO exhibit their hooks.
should 1t be deemed necessary. 10 any
duly accredited representative OF ,ne city
"A The sum now being received from general
tolls. added to the sum received -rom tns
electric railway line prior To the ttme the
4 bulk of the travel was diverted 10 siis
Ninth Street bridge. based on these fig
ures. Is sufficient to pay the snterss, On z
bonded debt OF $4,000. Under cnrder1us-
= IT. rav eav rayy
pacity Of the franchise owned Wy the
Mayo Bridge Company would. Of courss,
be considered In fixing the value 81 the
d property. Even II We cut these figures
down TO 800 900. or 10 sg13CnD. or 10 go 90,
1t can readily be seen that there III Etsii
large margin between the probable price
The city would have TO pay Under conceus-
nation and this price specified in the 9J-
ton which expires Septenbe, ist- Under
the contract now existing between t:is
Mayo Bridge Company and the railway
company. the Hull Street car line is Dpll-
gated TO use 1his bridge whenever IL IL
put in safe condition. This contract 6Des
not expire until 1872, and provides tor q
toll OF &c. per head for every paxse:s ge.
crossing the bridge In either direction.
The Manchester Council has granted the
\ railway. company permission 10 Glyefs tie
Hull Street cars Temporarily 70 the Sinta
Street bridge. OWING 10 the saEpf9Eed
unsafe condition OF Meyo's bridge, but /
understand that they can require the
travel 10 be restored to the forIae. ro1ts
Whenever they deem II advisable 10 ~ 70.
What will the proposed new bridge
cost, and VIII II BIZ such q bE!see an me
city engineer will approveT ara in-
formed that the city engineer has tesg
consulted on several occagions by tbs On.
Eineers of the Mayo Bridge conE,agy
r tile American Bridge Company ana he
Concrete Bridge Company as vel an
BY members 1.-The citizens committee. IL
regard 10 his visws as 10 bridge al hi,
location. While Colonel Ci,tshau has no
given his official opinion IN regard 10 ,as
plans that have been prepared, he s.a1
been uniformly courteous ard oblggng 4,
supplying such information as he e6,il
properly furnish, and his views haze. ne.
followed out as far as practicable IN IN,
plans that have been Submitted. ifS
~ derstand that Colonel CUishaw is n fs.yly
Of building a bridge 81 feet 81 1iath Il
wide as an ordinary city street. ilelEGia,
a AZ foot roadway and two Sig fool as,e
walks. While this would undoubtedly s
u, very desirable II Ii manifegtIy iniryfz iii