The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-13
CITY CONSIDERING
PURCHASED Of DOCK
Special Committee Confers With
Owners, Who Want Speedy
Answer.
PROPERTY is NOW CLOSED
Question Of Price Not Discussed
IN Detail, though Figures
Are Mentioned.

Acquisition OF the lticnmond Dock
ana 40 fss.uraiion py tne cay wii DC
.cSuinnieIueu 10 ,uv LuuuciI uy ii sru-
SAui Go!iiI,it,ce, pIoNiueu a re.SondDie
p'ISe can Ne uotaInsu from tne ponu-
1tviueis cuiulnIttUe. CnaiiIiI.An IL l<
foiiaru a.. has ueeu ueI.ea,cu 10 COLI
.Ss vain fepioseutatINe 20 ol lAe owners
ana fervrt ~ tnv LvinIiIt,ee Inc lows
race at wnien tne proi.crtJ cau %
Sv"S AZ ne SoSt, a,,uru.ne ~ est
i.hS. oL putting tne uoGh al proper
evn"itivn Tor uso VIII Du siS,4Vu.
Al hleetli'S vi the sp-v.ai commit
tco he!u Yesterday afternoon, Il. l..
pemiSs, Oh the uonu- noIuvrs committee
Oh the Niiilem X. IriBg Company,
which now OWNS Inc uo.K properly.
ashod that tho cay come TO some COLI
ciusIuiI, as the owners nave oincr plans
III contemplation III the event tnal the
eity Hndily attcriuineu not to purchase.
HARRISON " Bates, representing the
poAu-hpiuerS committee. appeared ana
repeated their oIter the sale OF the
nock property east OF seventeenth
street lor slVU,OUU, and adued That II
tne city desired To acquire the entire
ooGk, from fourteentn street TO the
sap locks, the cost would nc Sl25.uUV.
nat portion OF the dock nctween -FOUR
heen practically closed TO navigation
by the construction OF the CHESAPEAKE
ana ohio viauuct and other bundlng
operations.
Property DiiapIdnted.
~ letter WAS read by ,ne committee
from the City Engineer reporting thai
me uppeT part OF the dock had been
50 filled in and covered as not to he
available as n dock though whether
the owners had legal authority for
Rertnltuhs THIS closing seems doubtful.
10 put The dock from Seventeenth
street TO tne ship locks in proper or
der. including dredging 1t out TO a uni
form depth Of teen feet, the depth
OF water over tho stills of the locks at
nigh tide. the City Engineer estimates
to cost as follows:
Renewing ana replacing old bulk
head. cutting off northeas, corner be-
Streets. sl0.9I4 new wharf At twenty
nrst street. sl.oe5.66: new fender.
S2,oS2; neW gate, gates, $1,000: repairing
depth OF fifteen feet. sIi.555: add 20
per cent. for contingencies, {7.2l2:
,o;4l cost; sis,2o9;7s.
70 the fact that this merely restores
the lower portion OF the dock 10 disable
condition. 1t does not contemplate
ern side. or the enlargement OF the
locks 10 permit wider vessels To come
Now Pending In Courts
bond-holders' committee. said that the
appeal from the decision OF the state
CORPORATION Commission requiring the
the privileged docket OF tho State SUI
prcme Court OF Appeals, and would be
tho second case to be argued ut the
tho city loses It's contention and the
State Corporation Commission is re-
versed, the bond holders may then
close clos the ,a dock entirely MI It in and
purposes, pointing out that with this
permission frontage of moro than
twelve blocks along street with spur
worth many times What II Is now Of
fered FOR. II the city wins its con-
tcnuon. and the Corporation Commits
Nuired to keen the dock open to water
traffic,. Mr. Hnnton said 1t was obvious
that thav would only do what was re-
nnircd Of them--that private owner
and rebuild the dock as to make II an
attractive proposition to invite ship
ring to this. port, It being merely tho
within the law until they can get rid
of an undesirable property altogether.
Mr.. Bcmlss asked that a decision be
guidance of the owners in handling the
property, and the representatives OF
the owners then withdrew from the
meeting.
Desire to Purchase.
inc view was generally entertained
by members OF the committee that the
propcrty could be obtained for much
less less than the price quoted, the city
Seventeenth street, and expressing its
Willingness to release the bond hold
ers from any defect In the title by rea-
son OF possible claim that II also
should be kept open to navigation. in
consideration OF lower price on the
section II purchases. No definite price
was fixed upon that the committee will
rtter, though some members thought
the property could be secured for
$4,000. ~ such price 1t was held
to be desirable for the city to acquire
and rent Il, the total outlay not to
exceed $4,000 and II the experiment
of mnnicinni oneration does not prove
successful after several years trial.
and shi0ring is not attracted into the
upner harhor, 1t Is believed the city
could secure permission to close tSa
proncrty. and after cutting streets
through sell 1t for building purposes
- several times the price paid.
Chairman Pollard was authorized TO
Hhgotinto with McSsrs. Harrison &
Rates and report the actual rock-bot-
'om rrirn at which the propcrty can
ne ACQUIRED u \ called meeting of tho
committee. Some general discussion
followed AS TO the cost OF repairs and
"f annual mni1t,rrncc. and the nossi-
Nilitv of so widening the shio locks ms
- hermit "f '1rc-e~ stea roers coming
un to Seventeenth street and thus saw
ing IN hauling charges to merchants.
Arrest Two Susnrcts.
JniEts Lewis, color"i. was arrested yes
t"rday afternoon by Detective Scrgcan;s
Wiley and kc'lnln on suspIcIon OF having