The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-06
WHARF CONTRACT
WAS NOT AP ROvED
Finance Committee Dcfcrs .Ac-
ton on Hearing OF Ledge of
Rock i'll River.
OPPOSITION IS HEARD OF
Influences Apparently at Work
TO Prevent Contamination
OF Plans.

Broad assertions that certain inter
csts were cndcavoring to block the pro-
icct Tor the erection OF Il public wharf
on james River were made at a meet
| Ing Of the Council Committee on I'M
prUvcmcnt OF the James River. held at
noon yesterday AT the Chamber OF
commerce. The whole wharf situation
was fully discussed last night at a spc-
cial nesting of the Council Committee
on Finance. bu: without final result.
action on approval of award of contract
being deferred until estimates can he
secured as to the cost Of removing ccr-
tam rock Lodges which obstruct the
channel in front Of the proposed loca..
ton |, WAS claimed that il would be
dangerous To BLAST away these Lodges
after q reinforced concrete wharf had
been constructed.
Whiic no direct charges were made,
, members of the lanes River Commit
tee generally expressed the belief that
! 4 SttonS lobby was working to defeat
the wharf proposition. though the ami
mus was not stated Chairman iIobson
said last night that he was certain
! mat some interest was at work to keen
| 'lic city from concentrating a plan
| which it had undertaken several years
/ ago ana for which IT had expended Il
'"'Se amount in the purchase of land
Hcfnrc Finnucc Committee.
! The dock matter came formally 10
| '"re the Finance Committee last night
i on resolution approving the award of
contract TO the Raymond Concrete Pile
Company. of Baltimore, for the erection
OF concrete pile wharf from t;illio,s
orcek TO Nicholson Street for S337S0
| In view of rumored opposition :;
subcommittee consisting of NJ Allen
/ chambers. Julius ~ iobson John A.
IlileF. George Rogers and City Engi-
ncer Hoilins WAS instructed to appear
before tho Finance r'ommittce ana ,,rrc
no tp1rf
tee last night there was no evidence
Whatever of outside influence Inn
StrohS opposition developed. led nv
councilman Richards of Aursb,il
ward who said he favored building a
wharf but was not satisfied ,s 10 ~
plan proposed
captain Tom Cunningham. OF tho 81,
."s' toid OF having made certain sound
,hss IN the river which showed ~ rocI;
,e1se about twelve and a half feet
| "c.oW low water and about forts foo,
out from tho proposed dock ,ov,rd ~,
channel other borings SHOWING :, da,,,t
81 from eighteen to twcnty-twn fact
alf. Richards cmphat icallv dentoJ ali
| rcports of any Interference from an,
interest Out said thnt in justice. 10 tI,c
e''s II should inquire into the cost nr
removing the rock before .,oinr mn
contract "No
Curtis Opposes I.orntion.
| lIarbor Master John a. t,urti. ..o,
=" uPPosition TO a concrete wharf. hui
"ehleu being present in tho intnroy,s
~ .ho ci'N dock owners. saying mar
II was MS duty to warn tile civ III, :;
WAS throwing away mone,. in ,,,ii,,i, II
! - co'tretc wharf which might hn ir
I '",tu 'atrr ny blasting in the river
lir favored public wharf but
thought location lower down the
riNcr would be preferable. the CIV
frontage being shoal and ,insutt.hi
ne thought that there was abou, :, onn
E"rds oil rock 10 he blasted and ,l,,t
! " would cost about Sli Der rubi, v.rI
'itN Engineer Boiling said thnt tbn
location selected by the city had his
, "PproNal, because when erected tha
M"',i would form a bullihcad which
. ,.. NttP INC channel clear by the
sco"f OF water Soundings. no statnd
s"oWe" one ledge of rock rising IN
we've and thrcc-tenths feet below lo,,.
""'cr' lie said ii has been contain,
pta,e" from the first hat both tho roc,,
ana surrounding loose earth would ho
removed during the construction by tho
! CITY dredGc or otherwise. giving ,he
same depth al the dock ms The rov.rn
i'mcht channel. eighteen feet at low
wafer lie described the plan of the
wharf recommended in detail. saving
tnat II was A good form of construc-
| ton. NC
IL" Blasting First
J -NtiNdn, OF the hammond
concrete Pile Company said he would
prefer that any blasting be done before
ihc concrete was laid
BUSINESS Manager Dabney. of the
nhahper of Commerce, stated hat the
,"',ed states government stood pledged
70 an eventual channel for Richmond
vi twenty-five feet and suggested TIA,
nc rock be blasted out to that dcpth
wien Mt Boiling said would require a
NH"Nsc IN the pians for the dock. The
Mh"ie matter was finally referred to
~, ny Il'N Engineer to get estimates on
blasting and removing the rock Icdra
H'ch mas proved to be the bone of
| contention.
Chairman Pollard announced that the
finance Committee would meet on Fri.
gay hiSh' OF next week TO hear from
department heads as TO items which II
/ l. desired should lie included In thc
hnhnal appropriation ordinance for
/ 1911.