The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-18
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COMMENCE WORK
ON RIVER BRIDGE
Structure Across James Above
Richmond TO be Finished
by June 1
|ABUTMENTS ARE NOW
BEING CONSTRUCTED
New Trolley Line, it IS Re-
ported Will Soon be Pro-
jected Across the
James

Work has begun on the abutmsnts
built across the James from the West
ham property. in the vicinity OF the
Country Club.
Teams Of mules and many laborers
are now engaged In throwing UP dirt
that will form the abutments, and Il
Is expected that everything will be
In readiness for actual work on the
structure to begin within the course
OF the next month. The bridge will
be finished Juno !, according to COM
tract terms, and will be put up by
the Roanoke Bridge Company. which
was recently awarded the contract.
The bridge Will be $50 feet in length
from abutment to abutneut. and Will
be supported by up-to-date concretoi
piers. II will connect Southampton,
on the south side OF the river. With
Westham, on the north side. aud IN
doing SO will f1il long-felt need In
furnishing transit across the James
for the residents Of Chesterfield and
Henrico In that vicinity.
Trolley Line Projected.
It will also very likely supply the
roadway for trolley line that Ia des-
tined to lie built. connecting Bon Air
and perhaps Forest Hill, with the seo~
tons west of Richmond. Negotiations
with this end in view have been ON
for some time. though 1t in understood
that no definite conclusions have bean
reached yet. One report has 1t that =
line Is to be built from Lakeside
across the Westhampton and other
intervening country to the bridge, and
thence to Southampton and other tar
ritory In that vicinity. Plans in this
connection are expected TO come to
head within the next two or three
weeks 1t Is stated.
Build Without Assistance.
The bridge project was engineered
and financed by the Southampton
Bridge Corporation without assistanco
from either Henrico or Chestsrfleld
county. The bridge site IL located
three and one-haf miles from the
western corporation Line OF Ri0ls-
mond and about Ave miles from the
road, running close by the Country
Club. leads to the bridge. and where
| 1t crosses the Chesapeake and Ohio
tracks, stones throw from the abut-
ment on the north side, will be to..
Gated the station or Westham, now
situated half a mile down the tracks
toward Richmond. The bridge keepoS
will also act as ticket agent. In al
probability. and thus economy can -
practiced or both sides.
Deyelop Property.
| Operations are now under way look
ing to development of the Southsmp~
ton property of 7t3 acres, located a.
the south side OF the bridge. TIT
tract will be divided into villa it,
of from three to ten acres, and =
designed to furnish an ideal reslden~
tial suburb. the nearby railway 49,
ton with satisfactory schedules en-.
abling the residents to come to Rich.
mond in the morning to business ana
return in the afternoon at the cloen
OF business hours. Those who own
automobiles can come to tovn n
way of the James river road, Il th@p
90 desire.
| OfYer to Auto Pcople,
| Owners Of the Southampton prUp-
erty have made the Richmond Autc.
mobile Association the offer Of : sito
for clubhouse at point short dis
lance across the bridge, and this pro~
! position viii be acted on Mondey
night at the regular meeting Of the
association. 1t Is believed that Ii WIN
be accepted. provided the club decidan
TO build a clubhouse this sprinR.
The Southampton corporation haO
not decided what toll will be char9o4
! across the bridge, but II IL stated that
the charges will be reasonable and
such as not to divert traffic In moro
circuitous directions. A ferry n nov
being operated at the point whore tt
bridge is to be located. NJ
| --. III VIXEN