The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-26
.D.0O.LEY Sewer
soon TO BE GIN.
Street Committee Will Recon-
mend Definite Contract With
Bona Eide Bidder.
WILL FOLLOW NEW ROUTE
Tunnel Through, Solid Granite to
Furnish Drainage for
Large Area.

LdTSe area.
There now seems some prospect that
the vexed problem of the Dooley
sewer will be settled this fall. ana
that by next summer large area or
Clay Ward Will have the drainage
which was promised 1t two years ago.
The sewer will be the largest in the
city, and will cost with its main trunk,
lateral branches, house connections
and service pipes, something like a
quarter OF million dollars, and will
drain an area as large as the entire
former city VI Manchester. Part of this
section has been in the city for years
and much Of 1t is now closely built up.
vided by q bond issue last year. and
has for Some time been lying idle In
Eank. while the Council leisurely
wrangled over the matter and made up
it's mind what route to take. The mat
ter practically died in the old Council,
but the new Street Committee has
taken 1t up with vim that promises
speedy construction. a subcommittee
will consult with contractors Interested
tonight, and report definite plan
with exact cost to the Street Con-
mittee on Wednesday night. and IL all
goes we'll a specific contract may be
recommended to the Council for adop-
ton next Monday night. and the con-
tractor may be in position to break
ground by the middle OF October, thus
taking advantage of the open weather
suitable for construction work which
= nd tn, fI,ic climate almost
up to Christmas.
Will Follow New Route.
There is now practically no doubt
but that the new Virginia Avenue
route, recommended by City Engineer
Boiling. will be adopted In lieu OF tho
longer and more expensive Cutshaw
route through Major Dooley's GROUNDS.
Whether the Council will accept Major
Dooleys offer OF payment of $4,000
or not, for release. seems prob
lematical. some members seeming to
think that ,he city should reserve It's
rights through "Maymont" for future
use, even though the engineers have
reported that the new route Will drain
all the area proposed in the original
surveys, and in addition Will offer op-
portunity Of drainage of the suburb
known as Riverview. adjoining May
mont" should that ever be annexed.
The controversy proper dates back to
the annexation of outlying territory
in 1905, although at that time there
was no thought of immediate con-
struction. In order to provide for the
future. however, Colonel CutshaW, then
City Engineer. had inserted In the an.
noxation agreement with Major
Dooley a clause in consideration OIL
'Maymont' being left outside OF tno
citv lines. che owner granted the city
~ nern.t,,ity the right to maintain
sewer down the ravine separating
"Maymont" from the New Reservoir
grounds.
Period of Rapid Growth.
The annexation OF 1906 was follo"eo
by a period of phenomenal grow h'
when houses were built faster thah t..e
city could provide convenlenees. ~
order to meet the situation and provide
for further growth, the City Councli
provided an issue Of s1,5o0.00o OF bonos,
of which approximately $9O0ooo was
set apart for sewers, the Dooley ravlne
saver being the chief one listed. me
CITY Engineer's office then prepared
plans and grades for three Immense
service sewers, with lateral branches,
all conyerging at the intersection OF
Colorado Avenue and Meadow street,
from which point the "Dooley raVlne
sewer" was to begin and continue down
the Maymont ravine and by tunnel ah.
der the tracks OF the Chesapeake ana
Ohio Railway and the canal 10 the
river. Some legal hitch with the ran
way company as to the rights OF way
delayed the matter several months, and
then in came Major Dooley with ms
offer of $4,000 to buy back the right
Of way he had given the city at the
time of the annexation. He represent
ed that the construction of the sewer
would damage his place, cut down
shade trees, pollute his spring and wa
ter supply. and as. in order to secure
proper fall, part OF the gigantic tube
would be above ground, 1t would con-
stitute an eyesore.
Tunnel Through Granite.
City Engineer Boiling then made sur
veys for continuing the main trunk of
the sewer from Colorado Avenue d.
rectly down Virginia Avenue, and by a
tunnel through granite under the ridge
overlooking the river, the railway
tracks and the canal, entering James
River half mile or more lower down
than had been proposed, and behind an
| island. which would cut the sewage off
| lTOUl Po4AuNllS LILO thiehAt ohiSehAi o'io
lessen the risk of communicating the
South Richmond water supply. City
Engineer Boiling reported that the new
route would be shorter, and notwith,
standing the cost of the tunnel would
be cheaper The old Council was un-
able to agree. One branch was for
accepting Major Dooley's offer, and
the other avoided a vote, The Street
] Committee will probably again recon-
mend accepting the offer and building
by the new route, and as an assurance
to the doubling ones that the City En-
.|ggineer's estimates are correct, will &C.
\ company the recommendation with q
4 bona fde bid from some responsible
contractor Offering to do the work
j tunnel and all.
Il Some still Skeptical.
Some members of the Council are not
lsatisfied even yet. One member Of
the lower branch said last night thai
II the city had found a cheaper route