The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-17
To REVISE STREET
GRADING LAWS
STREET COMMITTEE KICKS OVER
TRACES on ACCOUNT OF
DELAYS,
CITY IS EMBARRASSED
LONG DRAWN OFT DAMAGE CLAIMS
KEEP IMPORTANT IMPROVE
MENTS FROM GOING
F0RN ARD

Determined that the Improvement
Of the streets OF Richmond shall not
be perpetualIy delay ed by property
owners seeking damages by reason of
changes in grade. the Councils Street
COMMITTEES last night appointed sub
committee 10 consult with the city at
'orheN ana city engineer for the pur-
pose of drawing Il new set OF laws
covering the grading situation for pre-
senfatlon 10 the Legislature at its next
session
1t is represented by members OF the
committee that their efforts to prompt
y carry out essential works IF street
improvements have been So grossly
hampered by claims Of property own
ers ana 10y the SLOW progress made
IN assessing such damages.
WIN every member In hts seat last
night the street Committee DISPOSED
CT large volume of business. the
most OF which was Of routine variety.
me delay in the grading OF Cary
street from the Boulevard to the cor
PoFale units came in for consid-
sraple amount Of discussion Several
members of the committee we're
anxious 10 have the work. contract
for which was made some weeks ago.
CUT winch has been held 1ip BY the
@1 age question, started Immediately,
gnu a mot!qH was ulassxsie frsrrffcft17es
with
on account Of the fact that 1t was
considered dangerous move. how
ever. this motion was voted down.
and IL was unanimously decided to
recommend TO the Council that there
be no further delay
Mr.. Arthur Hartman, the assessor
Of damages. defended the apparent
delays by pointing out the difficulties
in the way of quick action In award
ing damages. Some OF the members Of
the body. however. seemed To think
that MIR. Hartman was straining at
gnats and swallowing cameis in the
matter Of assessments, and were OF
the opinion that the work should
progress more rapidly.
To Revise the Law.
At this point Mr. Lynch moved the
appointment of committee of three
to go into the matter of a general re-
vision Of the present laws with re
gard to the grading OF streets, such
committee to discuss the situation
with the .cirH hnginear and city at
torney. Messrs. Lynch, Pollock and
Haddon were named as members OF
the committee.
Mr.. Lynch moved the appointment
OF committee of seven, which was
later Increased to eight. in addition
TO the chairman. to decide on the
streets, on which work Is TO be done,
and to work out a general scheme OF
street Improvement to be made out of
the proceeds of the million dollar
street improvement bond Issue.
As none OF the proceeds of this
bond issue IS to be expended In. WASH
/ FMS ra w iGh W nrnyifP6
when II became a part OF the city. 1t
was at first proposed not 10 give that
ward representation on the commit
tee, However, the representatives
from the ward, while mot expecting
any of the money, insisted that no
Chinese wall should be built around
their ward and they insisted on rep
resentation. which was readily grant
ed after some good natured Josh
ing"
This committee consists of w II.
A dams; chairman; ], = lynch, John
r. Don Leavy Marx Gunst. Joseph
NJ. Kahn, G. X, Pollock, J. b. Bliley,
x. c. Nalsen, and j. w Moore.
Fail to- Send Checks.
I 1t was reported to the committee
/ that three large contractors. who had
submitted bids on certain street work
which is TO be let to-day, had failed
| to attach certified checks to their bids
| as required by the terms of the ad-
vertisements for such bids. II de-
veioped that IT had become quite Il
general custom for this formalty TO
( be overlooked. and the committee in
structed the city engineer hereafter
to insist on such checks being filed,
I The three contractors who had failed
ito enclose checks We're given until
noon to-day to do so.