The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-14
Free Passage for Every
body When Mayor
Signs Ordinance.
PLAN 30 ULEV RID.
FROM PA RK 1OPARK
City, County and State Invited
to Unite in Great Highway.
Richardson Resigns From
Board and Cowardin Elect
cd to Succeed Him.
Many New Laws.

AS soon as Mayor Richardson ap.
proves an ordinance cpncurrcd in by
the Board of Aldermen last night the
sum OF sll2,5i6.52, nNed by commits.
sioners as the price TO be paid by tile
city for the present Mayo's Bridge, ana
right of way across James River
and Mayo's Island, viii be placed te
the credit of the Hustlngs Court.
Ihcreupon an order viii he entered
by Judge Witt transferring ownership
aud custody to the city and by tlesenl
OF this week the bridge, which for
nearly one hundred years, has charged
toll, VIII be thrown open TO the pub
lic as free bridge for general use and
traffic.
The old structure will continue to be
used mtfl contract is awarded Tor tho
proposed new reinforced concrete
bridge. which the city expects to erect
on the site thus acquired. on motion
of Chairman Adams. of the street Com
mittoe. in the closing minutes of tho
session the rules were suspended and
an emergency appropriation made OF
$500 To pay watchnan and provide
emergency repairs to the bridge from
tho date II comes under city control.
ii Is expected that the opening for free
traffic Will largely divert traffic from
the Free Bridge, which is in bad con :
dition, and in need of extensive re-
pairs
Plans for New Bridge.
Another matter relating 70 the pro-
rosed new bridge was precipitated by
Mr.. Gunst. The Council has instructed
the street Committee TO invite plans,
specifications and bids from engineer
ing firms throughout the country for
the ff yssat.
structure, sixty feet wide on the site
OF the present Mayo's Bridge.
Sir Gunst stated that one OF the
assistant engineers in the city En-
Eineer's Department had made study
of bridge building. and he wanted HIN
10 be permitted to submit a design
with specifications but without : bid
on which, II accepted, the rity might
later invite competitive bids from con-
structiyc firms, thus securing greater
competition in the construction work,
since in the plan adopted there is but
ono bid on each design submitted that
of the engineering arm submitting the
design
Debate on the proposition wss gen
eral, but II was feared that adoption
OF the resolution might prejudice the
firms which propose to enter the COM
petition. and the paper was referred
10 the Committee on Streets.
Boulevard 10 Bryan Park.
Several interesting new matters
came up on the roll call Mr. Adams
proposed and secured the adoption
under suspension OF the rules of
resolution instructing the Committee
on Streets TO inquire into the legality.
and consult tho Board of Supervisors
for Henrico county and the state High
way Commissioner as to the feasibility
or the city. county and State jointIy.
engaged In erecting a great boulc-
ward from the end OF the present,
city boulevard at Broad street to
Joseph Bryan Park. Mr. ADAMS stated
that there has already been dedicated
q right of way 100 feet wide. and that
he believed abutting property owners
would aid In the work. The plan
would give a handsome double drive
way by the state Fair grounds to the
Hermitage Road and a. p Hill monu-
ment The resolution directs the COM
mittee, If the county and State
authorities will cooperate. to submit
plans and an estimate of the cost
Richardson Resigns.
Alderman u. ID. Richardson. of Mar
shall Ward presented his resignation
as a member of the Board after i've
SeTNlce, anu II WAS accepted with
expressions of regret, Later Mr.. Grimes
moved to go into an election to fill the
vacancy His colleague, Mr. Nielsen. OF
Marshall Ward, opposed asking tho
Council to defer action one month; He
had discussed the matter with Mr.
Grimes, he said. but the delegation
was not prepared to make joint
nomination, and he desired to avoid
bringing a fight on the floor of the
Board Mr.. Grimes wanted 10 go into
the election and get through with it
lie said there was no chance of the
delegation agreeing, and that other
members of the Board would merely
be harassed by candidates. The Board
voted to go into teh election, and MIR.
Grimes nominated S. p, Cowardn, say
ing that he had done great deal to
build up the northern end OF Marshall
Ward The First Precinct of the ward
he stated now had one Councilman
and one member of the Board; tho Sec
ond Precinct had six members of the
delegation, all living Just together
about Chimborazo Park; the Third
Precinct had no representative, and
there was no representative of the
ward living north of Broad street,
Cownrdin Elected.
Mr.. Nielsen had nothing to say
against Mr. Cowardin, hut presented
the nomination of George Nolde. a
business man of the ward who, he
stated was Endorsed by a
petition Of two-thirds of the
voters of the ward, including 1l3
out OF 40 voters at the Third Pre-
cinct, The final roll call stood is to 2, /
Mr.. Bllley voting with Mr., Nielsen for
Mr.. Nolde, and Mr.. Cowardn was dec
clared duly elected a member of the.I
Board for the uneNpired term.
Mayor Richardson forwarded com
munication to the Council In regard
to the meet tG Of the American Civic
Association in Washington, Decemberi
a. 10 and 16, and announcing that
he had appointed l.. Nick, Iudllins as
a delegate from Richmond, Mr.. Adams
offered resolution appropriating S25