The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-22
CITY MAY BUILD
WOODEN WHARvES
-
Finance CommitteeGos
Back to Old Propo-
& sition.
WILL BE FOUGHT
BrFORE COUNCIL.
Advocates of Plan Claim It Will
Provide Satisfactory Terminal
for Twenty Years-City En-
gineer to Draw Plans.
Based on $4,000
Cost.

Two years and half Of debate has
completed the CIRCLE. The Council
Committee on Finance last night rec
ommendeS an appropriation OF $4,000
to erect wooden pile wharf along tho
lines proposed by City Engines Boil
ling more than two wears ago. soon
after the water front property was
acquired by the city. The action was
not taken until after various alternate
propositions had been ,oted down, and
:fr. Richards, who champ!oned
cheaper torn OF wharf gave notice
that he would fight the appropriation
In the Council.
About three years ago, for the pur-
pose OF erecting wharves and improv-
Ing It's harbor facilities. the city &C.
CURED by condemnation a large tract
OF land fronting on the river $50 feet
from the mouth OF GiilIe's Creek to
Nicholson Street, and extending back
10 old Lester Street. Across this tract
new Lester street is now being con-
structed. giving direct and through
driveway TO Fulton above high water
Property Sule
Since then the city has done abso-
lutely nothing TO improve its water
front property. Committees have met,
propositions have been recommended
the Chamber OF Commerce has urged
action times without number. but the
river has rolled Oh without public
terminal The only real action taken
WAS an appropriation of $4,000 some
months ago to remove II rock ledge
in the river. which I. was believed
would Interfere with the use OF the
proposed wharf by very large vessels
No contractor has yet been found TO
undertake that work. and the money
IS still in the treasury
Moro than two years ago the City
Engineers Office drew plans for bulk
head pile wharf which would not only
give wharfage facilities for a number
of ships up 10 eighteen-foot draft the
present government channel. but would
also straighten the harbor line and
make the Scour OF the river keep 1T
washed out without such constant
dreis cling as has been necessary IN the
past Bids were secured. the lowest
proposal on MI. Bolling's plans being
%9i.soc Then some members of the
Council got ambitious; those plans
were rejected and others made FOR
wharf OF concrete construction The
cost was, of course, much larger and
the appropriation for that purpose
failed In the Council
Last month President r. Lee Peters.
member Of the James River Improve
ment Committee, revived the alost
dead issue by introducing a resolu-
non siPiy appropr!at!ng $4,000 for a
wooden pile wharf along lines to be
drawn by the city Engineer
Inst Score of Years.
Last night Mr.. Richards, OF the FL
nance Committee. came forward with
much cheaper substitute. He had
secured from H. NJ Airport & Son
plan and bid for erecting fourteen
foot wharf. following the present shore
line AT $3.50 per linear foot, max
lng the cost approximately $4,000
objection was raised that since this
wharf followed the shore line Instead
OF running out TO deep water. an enor-
nous amount OF dredging would be
necessary before It could be used. and
AFTER much debate 1t was rejected and
the Peters resolution recommends for
adoption
MT. Boiling, who was present ex-
planned his plans in detail showing
row the wharf was faced with sheet
'ng to give the deeired scour: how ~
was anchored and tied permanently
IN place, and how. in later years. II Il
is desired. the piles can be cut of he
low the low water line and a concrete
superstructure reared OF an almost
1ndestructible character The natror
Mt Peters, and Chairman Rogers Of
the James River Improvement Com
1nittee. spoke earnestly for action. The
PAN they said, was feasible, and had
oeen approved by outside engineers.
F u would give a strong and satistac-
tory wharf for twenty years, and the
time had come when the city should
either buifd the wharves OF dispose
OF the water front property to private
corporations who now control the -iyar
1ramc through owning tho only avau.
able wharves. Several members of ~.
James River Improvement COMMITTEES
piedsed their earnest efforts to secure
immediate action by the Council, SO that
me new wharf may be under way dur.