The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-09
WILL CONDEM N
|NAY0'S B RIDG {
Finance Committee Agrees That
Price Quoted Is ES-
cessive.
COMPANY HAS NO NEW OFFER
Attorney Cutchins Says Present
Structure Is Stronger Than
Free Bridge.

After hearing from Major Sol. Clutch
ins, counsel for the Mayo Bridge and
Land Company, at some length yester-
day afternoon. the Council Committee
on Finance decided not to make any
new offer for the purchase OF the old
Mayo Bridge and the rights of way ac
complaining It, and recommended to
the Council the resolution drawn By
the Committee on Streets directing the
City Attorney to condemn a strip nine
~ feet wide from shore to shore as
soon as practicable The resolution
will 20 to the Council tonight.
The Committee on Streets last week
decided not to take up the option given
to W. T. Dabney and others of s127,500.
made during the annexation negotia-
lions. holding that the price was ex-
cessive. When the resolution for con-
demnation proceedings reached the
Council Monday night. Sub-Chairman
Pollock, of the Street Committee, said
he had been Informed that the bridge
people might make some more reason
able offer, more IN keeping with the
actual value OF the property, and since
valuable time could be saved by a pur.
chase outright. without tedious con-
demnation, the paper was referred 10
the Committee on Finance for furthe.
negotiations. Major Cutchins and
Ware B. Gay, local representatives OF
the bridge owners, had no new propo-
sition to make. They talked at length
Of the value of the property, but did
not come down in their price.
Valuable Rights.
Major Cutchins said that the fran.
chise had been secured and the trst
bridge built by John Mayo in 1855. At
that time Mayo owned from Cary Street
to the river and there was an Island
between Dock Street and the channel
which cuts off Mayo's Island. which
has since been filed in. The Rich
mond docks were built on land con-
demned from the Mayo estate. John
Mayo, according to Major cutchins'
bull, Fourteenth Street, and while Civ
ing to the public an easement, the
title has remained with the Mayo prop
erty, the city never having condemned
nor bought the street from the dock 10
the bridge. He thought that approach
worth $4,000 to the city, though adj
hitting that the company could not
now close 1t. Four stone ahutments
he figured to be worth $4,000, and
eighteen piers, at $500 each. to be
worth $4,000.
In answer to a question ne adinitteo
that the piers were but thirty Zee, IN
width, while the annexation agreemen,
REQUIRES a bridge with forty-roo'
roadbed. The approaches at the south
end. he claimed were also the property
of the original Mayo and had not be
come a part of the public street. Mayo,s
Island. he thought. was rapidly ad-
vancing In value, and the strip ninety
foo, In width across the Island he val
ued at $4,000, though concedins tha'
q new bridge would enhance the Vaiue
nj the island and OF the company
nroperty at each end. he contenocu
that in n sale he was giving the CITY
an actual value OF slZs,oo'' pesloe,
surrendering valuable franchise an
delivering a bridge on the preso.i
n,ers which would be useful for trans
nortation and handling or materiai -
| erecting the new structure.
stronger Than Free Bridge.
IT. defended the present bridge as be
,,, stronger than the Free Bridge ant
nmoted Engineers Yonge and BurgwEi
~ show that it was safe for ordinary
vehicles. He launched into a vigorous
! attack on the newspapers, Whlch NJ
| asserted had attempted to discreai
and ;niure the reputation OF th'
| bridge. and against the street car lln'
| for withdrawal of its cars, which, NJ
| charged was not because OF the con
| dition of the structure, but on accoun
! of the tolls. The company had former
| ~ Maid as much as $1,000 year n
| street car fares, he asserted, and hae
! only been stopped from using the
| bridge because it insisted on USING
long, heavy cars. He did not refer t
the statement made BY Mr.. Gay t.
the street Committee that the hridg,
had been condemned on exparte testi'
mony.
The committee went into executive
session and heard from City Attorne!
Pollard as to the legal rights to thu
approaches and open streets surround
| In Q. The h1ido at either end. and late