The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-30
W I'LL NOT OPEN
STUART AVENUE
Street Committee so Decides
After Hearing From Many
Citizens.

After a somewhat stormy hearing. last
ing more than Two hours las, night the
Council Committee on Streets rcscindod its
former order directing that cncroachmcnr.
be- removed from Stuar: Avenue between
the Boulevard and Sheppard Street. through
the Soldiers' Home property. but at the
same time reaTirmed the right OF the city
to open this street when such step should
be desirable, and directed tho City Attorney
TO resist any application that may be made
by the Soldiers Homo trustees looking to
rs pei ma nent closing. Judge George l.. Chr!.-
tian. who appeared for the Soldiers Home.
gave notice that Immediate application
would be made to the General Assembly 10
close the street permanently. as IL protcc-
tlon to the state property occupied 10y the
Soldiers Home. and also to the Battle ABB
hey, now being erected
The Soldiers Home tract originally en-
Erayed six city blocks. bounded by the
boulevard, Grove Avenue Shcppard street
and KcnsIngton Avenue. on the plans o;
the suburb once known Sidney. In which
many lots were sold before the Soldiers
Home was erected. and long before this sec
tion was annexed to the city. tho regularly
laid Off streets duly mapped out. Deep
Run street, bsecting the tract north and
and south and both Hanover and Stuart
Avenues continuing through Il cast and
west.
one-Third Given to Battle Abbey.
The last General Assembly donated the
two blocks forming the western end of the
and running back two blocks TO sheppard
between Kensinston and Stuart. as a Site
for the Battle Abbey.
Since then the Benedictinc institute has
been erected beyond the Soldiers Home
property. at the corner of Stuart and Shcp-
pard Streets. and real estate interests still
further out petittoncd for the opening OF
Stuart Avenue between the Battle Abbey
had been sold in the Sidney tract, fronting
on what was mapped as through open
street. thus presumably giving the city right
OF way. the Street Committee recently or
dcred fences and encroachmcnts removed
Judge Christian. who appeared for the
Soldiers Home board, contested this view
and asserted that one OF the cottages and
several OF the outbuildings OF the Soldiers
Home group we're in the sXty-foot stril.
sought to he used as a street. ana that the
institution would be greatly damaged and
the states property injured by ouch a stop.
pointing out the possibility OF the whole
tract being made into memorial park at
around the Battle Abbey would form a
parta plan which would be frustrated BY
opening Stuart Avenue
Leo Park Seeks Opening.
Attorney c. V. Meredith appeared for the
Lee Park Company, urging that the street
entrance and proper surroundings for the
Battle Abbey, and as giving better access
to the section beyond. He ciamcd that his
clients had purchased property the as
surancc that the streets would be opened
as mapped in the plan of Sidney. The com
mittcc decided TINT in view of tho opposi-
not open the street at this time, but re-
served all legal rights In tho premises. di-
rrctns the City Attorney 10 resist any
steps that may be made In the General AS
sembly looking TO the perpetual closing OF
Stuart Avenue.
The City Attorney was aso instructed to
secure from the General Assembly such
lions of the present statute as will
simplify the procedure In assessment of
damages to property by reason OF grading
streets, n matter which now takes many
months. and Is bound UP In much red-tape,
sonio recent resolutions regarding assess
menti of damages having gone to record In
the Council and various committees as
many as ten or twelve times before tho
street was actually ordered graded.
Suitable resolutions offered by Councilman
Pollock were adopted expressing regret at
the retirement OF ]. Taylor Stratton, who
has for many years served ms sclerle of the
Street Committee. whose resignation takes
eneot February /. AR. Stratton briefly and
feelingIy acknowledged the action taken by
the committee. 5 "a