The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-13
.CONCRE Pill {
WHARF PLANNED
Committee on Improvement Of
James River Awards
Contract.
THREE PLANS DISCUSSED
Can Do Better if Council Will
Provide for Increased
Cost


James River last night recommends
the award of contract to the Raymon,
Concrete Pipe Company for $33,7So 70
erecting reinforced concrete pile con
struction wharf, the city assuming al
additional cost of bonding fee of
per cent per year for tive-year guar
antee bond.
II A subcommittee to which all the bid
opened last week were referred, after
extended consultation with CITY Engi'
neer Boiling, reported three preferable
Il bids, representing three types of con
] struction, at widely varying figures
/ BY instructions of the Council, the com.
i mittee had invited proposals for plans
and bids, and each bidder therefore bid
on his own designs. In the report OF
the subcommittee the No. / design was
| that of II. NJ. Airport x Company, OF
| Richmond, for a solid construction
I concrete wharf and bulkhead, to cost
| $79,l65; No. was the Did of James G.
! McMinn for a concrete wall copstruc-
| ton. tied by steel cables, to cost S46,-
ei2.5O; No. was the successful Did
| that of the Raymond Concrete Pile
| Company, for concrete pile wharf, to
!, cost, with certain extras, S33,7So.
Three Plans Proposed.
Chairman Richardson and city Engl-
| neer, Boiling briefly explained the re-
port of the subcommittee. Nj Boiling
| said that the Airport plan called for
an entire concrete construction from
eighteen feet below the water. pro-
posing a massive piece of work pref
cradle in every way from the stand
point of strength and Durability. pro
vided the city was willing to appro-
pirate that amount OF money Tor SO
massive a type of construction.
Two other propositions, Mr.. Boiling
said had appealed to him as being less
in cost ana not so massive in con-
struction. The Mc<inn plan for re-
inforced concrete construction some
what on the plan of tongued and
grooved work, provided wall along
the face, carried down to rork, to be.
laid by pouring concrete into forms
through an iron pipe, but without the
expensive Golfer dams proposed IN the
Airport bid.
Difficult of Construction.
The manner of construction how
ever, he reported, would be attended
with great difficulties. and the plan
made no provision for a deck con
struction or for gangways. Under the
Airport. plan the river would be held
the concrete base sixteen feet thick
would be in plain view of inspectors,
who could detect any defect in work
or material In the McHln plan the
work would be done largely in the
dark Mr.. Boiling said there had been
another good design submitted by I.
J. Smith G. Co., which was close
second to the McMinn proposal for
second place. With any of the designs
the city would have 10 bear the cost
of filing in behind the wharf by the
natural dredging from the river, and
be at an expense of about $500 for
slab flooring and finishing work, not
included In the wharf plans.
The third and successful design, Mr.
Boiling said, was submitted by con-
Germ which has recently erected large
wharves in Baltimore 1t proposes
different character Of construction
from the others as it would make re-
inforced concrete piles of slabs and
then drive them into place.
In the filling in behind there might
be tendency to slide the piles out
ward, and Mr., Boiling had called at
tention TO the defect, whereupon the
company added system of tying.
which the City Engineer said would
make a safe construction and one now
the three plans, he thought would pro-
vide a permanent construction. but to
insure faithful work he thought the
city should have hve-year guarantee
bond for protection against defects and
failures.
Turn Traffic to South Shore.
Mr.. Freeman spoke at some length on
the prospect for increased shipping
consequent on the proposed improve
ment of James River and the building
OF a turning basin here. He raised
the question whether the erection OF
a wharf following the shore line of the
north bank of the river. and continue
alton of the citys policy of raising
Lester and other streets, would not
force the building of slips and other
more permanent ways of handling large
vessels to the south bank of the river.
He suggested that streets to Fulton
might be built overhead. proposing In
stead of straight line wharf, one or
more slips, with the ultimate creation
of railroad yards on up Gillie's Creek
In the valley beyond Chimborazo Park,
Mr. Crenshaw agreed with much that
Mr. Freeman had said, but said that in
view of conditions in and out of the
Council, and the fact that the people
generally were not yet educated to the
Importance of large expenditures on the
river 1t would be better TO make a
small beginning and accomplish some
thing than to attempt too much and
delay the whole work. He therefore
moved that the award be made to the
third OF the plans mentioned in the
subcommittee report, the Raymond
Concrete Pile Company. provided bond
were given for Ave years. The motion
was adopted. 10 3, ar follows:
AyeS-Mcssrs. Chambers. Crenshaw,
Freeman, Bliley, Richards and Jones.
Noes--Messrs. Bryan Batklns and
Powers,
The certified checks were ordered
returned TO the unsuccessful bidders.
In the annual budget last year the
Council provided 10000 for building
wharf, although the ostimatcs at that
time for a pile and timber wharf wcre
from S24.Oo to $4,000, When the mat
ter went 70 the Council for an add
tiondl appropriations on recommends.
ton Of the Finance Committee, the COM
nittee "aa Instructed to get bids for
concrete construction. which was ad
fnlttcdly higher IF tho design recom-
rnended by the Committee on Improve
ment OF the James River IL accepted
Therefore. II WIN hc necessary 10 have
an additional apurOprlatiou