The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-26
BEGIN TO BREAK UP
BLOCKADE TODAY
Street Car Company Ready Now
for Work at First and
Broad.

Work Will be resumed this morning
on the croas-overs and track at First
and Broad Streets. delayed for the past
ton days while waiting for grades from
tho City Engineers offioe.
Chief Engineer T. Norman Jones, Jr..
of the Virginia Railway and Power
Company, said yesterday that he
thought merchants and others had
legitimate reason for complaint at the
blockade OF the past month, but that
the blarno did not lie with his com
pany. About tho last of April Mr.
Jones wrote to the City Engineer stat
Ing that he was ready TO begin work
on the connections authorized by the
CITY Council in order to bring the First
street cars down town in connection
with the suburban loop and asked for
grades. He made several verbal re-
quests later for the grades. and under
n verbal permission began the work OF
track laying. putting the curves and
Jones wrote 10 the City Engineer that
he had gone as far as possible and
that the work must stop If the grades
were not furnished both for Broad
Street and First Street
Work Stopped Ten Days Ago.
AS paving could not be laid in ad :
vance Of definite instructions from the
Engineers Office, work was stopned
that day. on May 16 Mr.. Boiling re-
piled that he had directed Assistant
CITY Engineer Taliaferro to furnish the
grades. Since May 8 not lick has
heen struck. the street has continued
blocked. and the work is not nearer
completion than II was before Last
Friday MIR. Jones again called on Mr.
lapaferro for grades and late Satur-
day afternoon he received several blue
Drints-not all that will be needed. but
sufficient TO begin on. and force had
beer ordered to report for duty this
morning. when tho work will be pushed
TO prompt completion
Somewhat similar conditions obtain
on Robinson street The gutter be-
tween the outer car rail and the curb
for several blocks has been dug out
and has remained unpaved for months
and. although The work is under con
tract. neither the contractor nor the
car company has been able to get the
necessary grades from Assistant City
Engineer Taliaferro, who Is in charge
OF this work. These grades are not
yet forthcoming, nor is il known when
work can be resumed on Robinson
Street.
Tnliaferro Much Overworked.
In defense OF Mr. ITALIA ferro il NAV
he stated that ne il very much over
worked man Few men In the city
EN- ploy-ccrtainly no one in the Engi-
neers ofiice-is moro faithful or more
painstaking. Mr.. Taliaferro being fire.
quent!y out ON work at daylight and
more frequently TO be found working
over blue prints in his office at mid
night. He has charge of All street
paving throughout the city more than
SloooOo OF smooth paving being now
under contract, besides more than n
mile OF granite spall paving scattered
IN every section of the city. Lack OF
cana bic assistants or a conscientious
desire 10 check everything himself is
resulting in considcra BILE delay in the
completion of street work, both by tho
street car company and by contractors
condition that must probably con
tinuc until action is taken by the City
Council on the pending request of City
Engineer Boiling for additional force
and equipment for his office.