The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-05
RIVER SAND IS
NOT TO Be sold.
fulton Streets Must Be Raised
Above High Water With
Sand or Clay.
THERE is A SAND TRUST
So Said One of the Speakers Who
Discussed the Sand
Question.
THERE is A SAND TRUST

The James River Improvement COM
mittee held thinly attended, but very
important meeting last night, occupying
the council chamber. Councilman Curtis,
the chairman of the committee, presided.
A number of the citizens of Fulton were
in attendance for it had gone out that
the only business to be considered was
the question as TO whether the sand
pumped out of the roaring James by the
rity's dredging apparatus shall be USED
10 fill UP the streets of Fulton above
high water mark or sold to builders ana
contractors. The Fulton people are de-
ededIy opposed to the selling of the sand
ana they came out TO the meeting armed
with petition said to he signed by
learly every voter in Fulton, The paper
was addressed to the committee and read
IS follows:
we the undersigned citizens of Fulton
90 hereby petition You to reject all bids
Ter the sale OF sand now being pumped
ashore by the city dredge, and we do
further petition your committee to nave
the sand used for the purpose OF filling
Lesser Stleet above freshet level.
The reading of the above petition in
the very beginning OF the meeting
brought on disultory and rather unpar-
lamentary discussion of the sand ques-
lion. Chairman Curtis knew parliamentary
law all right but he did not enforce II.
He seemed to think 1t best to let the
committeeman and the visitors talk in
their own way and to questonsand cross
question each other as they pleased.
In this way much interesting Informs
ton was brought out. Everybody seemed
10 be of the opinion that the streets OF
Fulton should be raised above high
water mark, but how to accomplish that
very desirable end was the question. The
old question of shopping sand load for
load. for clay or dirt was gone over n
all of its details, but no satisfactory con-
ciusion as to how the swap can be MADE
was reached.
A SAND TRUST.
Mr.. PctersI the presiding officer of the
Common Council, In discussing in a gen
eral way the sand question brought out
the fact that there is in Richmond
sand monopoly" He said none of Rich
mond's streets abut on the river ana
therefore the owners of the Islands IN
the James who have sand to sell cannot
land their goods without paying roy
a,ty TO the monopoly. The sale of sand 10
contractors and builders by the city, II
ST can be done without detriment to F'ul-
ion, night. he though, help to break the
backbone of a sand trust.
trhe first real question that got before
the committee came up when Mr.. umlauf
oHered "a resolution that the committee
reject all bids for sand and that no sand
be sold.
The resolution was discussed briefly
and adopted. That ended the sand selling
proposition.
submitted resolution that the opera
lions looking to the Improvement of Full
ION be confined to the south side of Len
Ter Street looking TO the raising of this
property so as to enable street to be
operated to connect Fulton without in
terruption of street car traffic, so that
Lester Street may as early as possible
thereafter be filled 10 the proper level
above high water.
This resolution elected some discussion,
md there was some opposition TO 1t, but
Il was adopted.
City Engineer Cutshaw being invited so
TO do. gave his views as to the best
method of 'nlling up Fulton, and at the
conclusion of his somewhat lengthy re-
!, narls Mr.. Funston offered the following,
which was adopted:
8 Resolved That Il special committee,
consisting of the city engineer and city
attorney and three members of this com.
inittee, including the chairman, be ap.
pointed 10 inyestigate and report as early
rs possible to this committee the lands
they would recommend 10 be at once ac
qiiired by condemnation or otherwise 70,
the purposes OF the most economical
handling of the contents from the river
with the object of filling Lester Street.
The committee recommended that til,
e Forthcoming budget shall allow 1t tn
sum of slS,Go5.35 for the new fiscal year
and a subcommittee was appointed i
prevail with the Finance Committee 70
this amount.
After this action the committee ad
tourned, subject to the call of the chair
man.