The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-22
CITY WILL BUY
MILES RAv|NE
Contract Of Record Held to Be
Illegal and Not
Binding.
WOULD HAVE COST 100000
City Gets Sewer Right, and May
Open Roadway to
Fulton.
WOULD HAVE COST 100000

AZ a substitute for carrying out an
alleged contract which 1t Is estimated
would cost the city Of Richmond s1Uo,-
900. the Committee on Streets last
night recomm ended to the Council the
payment of $500 to I. 6. Miles and
others, for right Of way for sewer
and roadway from Thirty-fourth and
Leigh Streets to the Government Road.
Mr.. Lynch fought vigorously against
| the adoption OF the compromise, say
ing that the agreement spread upon
the recordstby the City Attorney had
or approved by the Street Committee.
| Any compromise he held would be a
| recognition OF that contract and the
amount he considered an excessive
payment even were the city to con-
| denim and pay for the whole tract.
| which he asserted had been purchased
| for not over $500.
The matter has been before the
Street Committee for several months.
When City Engineer Boiling went into
Office about two years ago, he found
on record in the Chancery Court and
in his Office what purported to be
contract between the city of Richmond
and Miles, Dickerson and others, by
which, in return for sewer rights and
a winding roadway to Fulton. the city
agreed to fill up certain ravines from
time to time. such earth as was be-
| ing eXcavated from East End streets,
| probably 10000 loads having been de-
/ posted in the ravtne.
Contract Never Signed.
The validity of the contract was
on examination 1t was found that
though duly recorded. it had never been
authorized by the city. and the work
| was suspended. a subcommittee con-
| sisting of Messrs. Ferguson. Davis
and Gilman went over the ground. and
| last night reported, proposing as a
compromise the payment of $500 to
| Miles and his associates for strip
ninety feet wide for public highway
and sewer. the city to agree to open
a road twenty-five feet wide along the
edge of the ravine and widen 1t by
| filing from time to time. Chairman
Ferguson said his committee had been
| unable to find who authorized the re-
cording of the deed. lie said that the
| city was using part Of the property
now for sewer purposes and had
dumped large amount OF earth on 1t.
which 1t might be compelled to remove
at great cost It would be necessary
to have right of way for the sewer,
er 1t should be purchased or condemned.
4 City Engineer Boiling told Of his
4 plans for draining the eastern section
Of the city, and said it would be nee
! essary to run main sewer down the
ravine.
4 But that road. as planned. would
cost the city 100000 he added
These protiles not only call for q
sewer but for our filling in the ravine
to grade. 1t averages from thirty-tive
to sixty feet deep. The property own
ers now offer the city. in lieu Of the
alleged contract, the validity of which
is doubted by the City Attorney. the
J right for a sewer down the ravine
and for a winding road. We may have
to pay for occupying the land, and the
! sewer is necessity. A winding road
from Thirty-fourth and Leigh Streets
to Fulton is highly desirable. and II
it follows the slope of the hill. need
not be very eHpensive."
The compromise was recommended to
! the Council by vote of to 2. Messrs
Lynch and Zimmerman votin: in tho
negative.
Gets His Deed Back.
a letter was presented from janet
Caskie demanding the return OF deco
made to the city for certain streets
and alleys north Of Grove Avenue. be-
: You'd the Soldiers Home. Mr.. Caskie
as trustee for the property owners
!. decided TO the city the land for open
. ing Stuart Avenue. Hanover Avenue
kensngton Street and other streets
the city agreeing to grade and grave
them as developed, the work to begil
lin ninety days. No work was done. an,
: as Mr.. Caskle had disposed of the prop
, erty, the City Attorney held that Ii
was entitled to the return of the deeds
/ which was ordered.
Attorney A. B. Guigon, for the Vir
glnia Railway and Power Company
asked an extension OF the time for re
. placing certain tracks on Cherry Street
Is saying that the work was embraced il
k the proposed Encouragement Of track
g age now pending before the commit
70 tee. An extension OF three months wa
- granred. Attorney Samuel l.. kelle,
"a presented bill for ten carloads o
i, rails for the Richmond and Henric
l. Railway Company, amounting to $50.
a52.ao which had been shipped wit
= sight draft attached,
Ten Cars of Rails Here.
e Railroad certificates were exhibits
!, that the cars were In the Richmon
= Yards, and the bill was ordered pal
r from the fund on deposit with the cit,
e when countersiGned by w. s. Forbe!
= president OF the railway company, an
W. O. Burton. president Of the construc
g ton company.
It At the request OF Mr.. Lynch allesa
lions were issued for paving the side
= walks on the cast and west sides {
4 Il twenty Twcnty-secon,l and Twel
ty-third Streets from s to Carringto
and Of Tulip Street from Carrington
4, lYenable Street. at the cost OF abuttin
property owners, All of the stree
are In Paramount and have been II
Gently graded. 81 Ssss IA ri
Mr.. Richards offered d resnlutio
. Ell