The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-02
ANOTHER OFFICE
MAY Be CREATED
Talk Now of Having a General
Claim Agent to Do
Many Things.
PRESENT PLAN is CLUMSY
Public Work Retarded by Elk
cessive Demands for Grad
ing Damages.

ing lama SSS.
In the opinion OF members of the
Council. no single factor is con-
tributing so much to retard the
growth and development of the out
lying section OF Richmond as the near
sighted policy OF many property own
ers in demanding excessive damages
wherever streets or alleys are grad
ed. SO much Is this true that the
Committee on Streets this year IS de-
ing. and is awarding large contracts
fer paving streets in sections fairly
we'll built up. and mainly in the older
sections of tho city. Only where
property owners sign releases are
grading contracts awarded, for the
complicated system under which the
assessor of Damages has been en-
ployed has proved too slow and I'M
certain for any definite action TO be
taken save in the most extreme cases.
Many Claims Without Merit.
Under the old state Constitution the
city was not liable for such small in
jury to abutting property as might be
occasioned by the making of a public
Improvement Tor the general good.
such as the grading of street. The
ne" constitution makes the city liable
where actual damages are sustained.
but the custom has grown UP OF
property owners claiming damages
whether injured or not. and in many
cases claims have been filed where the
cut o. fill in the street in front did
not exceed six inches.
At first the city went ahead with
),
sidered themselves injured to seek
damages in the courts
Few actually did sue, and there were
few verdicts against the city. for
juries GENERALLY took into considera-
ton the enhancement TO die value of
the property by reason of the improve
ment made by the city. Where values
went up $40 to SEQ per foot bv reason
of the systematic Improvement of an
entire section. a. iury was not disposed
to think we'll o: claim for damages
from some propertv owners who was
forced to grade of the front of his
lot, or expend a few dollars in erecting
steps or retainin walls
Committee in Durle.
objection was made to the system
that it failed to put the Street Com
mittec on notice as TO the cost OF the
work. Bids might be received for
grading in several localities when
there was available only n suficien,
fund to undertake one part. The de-
cision as to which section would get
the improvement lay in which would
result the least number of valid claims
Tor damages. But the committee had
no way OF Judging In advance. and the
arpltrauon settlement of grading
damages In paramount made the al
lo"ahces 10 property owners exceed
| tue cost OF the WORK itself.
80 the pan was devised OF employ
ms an assessor or DAMAGES undei
ned ahnn, u,ith h' ,a s"% nut so wrap,
peu "ooue WIN tschIicai provisions
m d ~ 10 ..pe aLG we STATE enactment
~. nc ~ -, ~ liees tiiat the com
' - NUN IN inc da'k
In n,aca -, r,dI ,r any par tlcu
49, lie -, ne "'sesso.
Comn,i,tna hn, 49, ,h o' c 80 ne stree.
&c then reforra1 - H. ,,,,. anu u
Finance Minnie 49,, Sntn t'et VI.
Is INV copciuded oc,inm Oeiofe '"e'
In some instanrns Tho
changes owncrshin and thar - ope'.S
be a new assessment and -, aS "
the funds arc rtiliznd IA ~! '. ,
| than one case tho civ b.s ,,aii -,
/! ing den,arns 10 ah,,,,iro 5 a.'
owners where Tho rradinS bas 49,,
been done. ana WHARF NC funa. 49,
available IA do mo wor,, ="
Wupt. R.I.,.o 60, ma,
Within tho mast wns,,
came be.or, rho Commi,,ht ''e
Assessments wboro nronsr,, ... 4"
an Nest cree St,aa, I,al wy =,
more .han sam for 1or,o pa
by reason NJ tbo sradin 10 ~
in raar and va, ,his 80
release fror, .La h,,, .,as NJ
raviny of this M, ., 49, ~! IN,
stuttin, ownars VI
The enpinaer.s of5ca &c -.
denand TIA, n,ora ,ih.ra, ~ IN t's