The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-29

Discussion Of an ordinance TO force
the Southern railway to alter The posi-
ton Of it's tracks In Dock street lapsed
for time into n heated debate as to
the worth or worthlessness of the road
in question at n meeting of the com
mittee on streets Thursday night.
Eventually the discussion veered back
to the original subjeet and after con
siderable debate, in Which arguments
both for and against moving the tracks
were advanced with equal favor, II
was decided to delay action uf~il the
committee can MAKE a personal tour
Of Inspection and see whether or not
traffic is congested.
Among those who opposed tho ordi-
nance were General superintendent II,
f, ffateitins in charge of the Northern
district. who euiogized The southern
railway. and called attention to the
numerous things he claims that cor
poratiou has done for Richmond. AZ
terney r., Randolph WilliaTns, also rep
resenting the road. advanced argu-
ments tending to prove that the rail-
! road had right to keep it's tracks in
their present location and that To force
a change would he distinctly unfair.
Several property owners along DOCK
street also protested against the en-
dorsement Of the ordinance chief
among these being Mr.. James X. Cor
don. who denied that the tracks oh
structed traffic, and Mr. c. y. Wing
fpld secretary Of the Crystal lee Com
pany The latter also denied any
traffic Instructions to he due 10 the
location of the tracks and presented
petition signed by twenty three
other property owners requesting that
the tracks be allowed to remain as
f that tho commit
! tee members inspect conditiona before
reaching a decision. He had already
asked several members Individually TO
| look over the ground, he SAID, and.
/ while admitting that these seemed to
I favor the removal OF the tracks, he
| said that no reasons for this desire
I had been advanced save seeming de-
/ sire ITO punish the Southern railway
At direct variance to all this testi-
mony in favor of the road was the
statement of City Engineer Boiling.
who declared that every time he has
ever visited Dock street he has found
traffic congested as a result of the
position of the tracks He said that
IL these tracks were moved TO the
north side of the street conditions
would be considerably relieved.
| Councilman Nelson also declared
the tracks 10 be an impeachment to
vehicles Time and again | have
seen wagons blocked on this street "
said he ITO move this track to the
north side of the street Will injure
no one. unlesa it IS the Crystal Ice
| Company i know that it would cause
! that concern to employ several men
to unload a car of coal, where they
have only one to- do II now. How
! ever. this would not work any special
! hardship on 1t. because the cars would
/ be unloaded more quickly"
! Chairman Adams. Of the commit
/ tee, said he had not intended to eX-
! press himself on the subject, but that
he had been goaded into making
few remarks by the eulogistit address
~ MIR. Hutchins concerping the add
yantages Richmond has derived from
the Southern railroad. Mr.. Adams
I then launched into n bitter attack on
/ the road, denying that II had ever
done one thing for Richmond, save
under pressure that could not be es-
capped.
( In conclusion. he declared 1--WE
/ have had more trouble with the
Southern than all the other roads
nut together. Dock street is longest
I I'D by reason of this track IN the
! center of the street, and 1t ought to
/ be moved.
/ Councilman Lynch veered rather a
middle course. II the Southern should
be compelled TO move Its tracks such
I action weuld he unfortunate for the
road, he said, but the public could
! not be blamed. Concerning Mr..
Adafns attack on the road Mr.. Lynch
! said: THE Southern is Just like all
I the rest" IT Is not going TO do any
thing doesn't haze to t-is no
worse than any. other road" ,.....
The debate seemed in a fair way to