The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-15
SHOULD {. AND 0.
EXTEND ITS TUNNEL?
COMMISSIONER MCCARTHY THINKS
so AND THE BOARD SUMMONS
HIGH OFFICIALS.
WAS HELPED BY CITY
COLONEL GRUMPY ASKS CITY TO
TAKE BACK LAME MULE PUR-
CHASED FROM STREET
DEPARTMENT..

Commissioner Mccarthy. to whom
the city has looked since he has been
a member of the administrative board
to do something, yesterday started.
He caused the passage of reso-
luton calling upon the officials OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
company to appear before the board
at 10 o'clock this morning to show
cause why the board should not re-
quire that company to help the city
in making of Grace street thor
oughfare from Libby Hill on to the
far East End
Forgotten City's Aid.
In doing this Captain Mccarthy
said that the Chesapeake and Ohio
company had probably forgotten
when the city helped in the building
of the Church Hill tunnel. so many
years ago that he himself hated to
recall.
1T was in the early days of the
company, when a dollar looked like
million dollars of the present day.
1t was when the city issued 5000. 900
worth of bonds to help the C. and O.
And when it was understood that
Richmond was to be the great ter
minal.
But" said Captain Mccarthy,
Richmond did not become the great
terminal, and the G.. and O. did take
advantage of the bond issue. and by
means of that built it's tunnel. The
total amount for which the company
should feel morally obligated to the
city would go above the million dollar
point"
And now they decline to help the
city to fill in the great ravipe. by
doing which Grace street would be-
come a fuA thoroughfare, and the
city would be enabled to provide a
splendid playground on the slope of
Chimborazo.
Summoned Before Board
Upon a motion made by Commits
sioner Mccarthy the officials OF the
company, including Vice. President
Decatur Axtell and Colonel Henry T.
,Wickham. were summoned to appear
before the commission this morning
to show cause why they should not
help the city to extend the tunnel
and thus provide a safe and convent
ent playground for the youth of the
city,
The city attorney and the city engi-
neer will also be present at the meet
ing this morning.
Aside from this the board trans
acted nothing more than routine
business. A number OF minor per-
mits for grading and paving and
changing of lights, together with the
distribution of a number of trees con-
sumed the remainder of the time.
The request of citizens for grano-
lithic pavement on the north side of
Franklin. between Twenty-eighth and
Twenty ninth streets, was referred to-
the city engineer.
Colonel Barton Fl. Grundy protest
ed that mule which he had pur-
chased from the city engineers de-
partment had gone lame, and he
But the board decided that If the
colonel bought the mule outright,
without any guarantee that he must
be responsible. 1t was not shown
that there was any guarantee. and
as matter of fact mules sold by
any of the city departments go with
out guarantee, so the protest of
Colonel Grundy was of no avail.
What Grundy Said.
Wonder If this is get-back by
the board for the manner in which
he roasted the board at the meet
ing OF the board of aldermen last
night?" asked disinterested by
stander.
At the meeting Of the board of
aldermen Tuesday night, Colonel
Grundy said that the board had been
recklessly spending the money APP
propriated for street improvements
by placing. the tract owned by the
Byrd Park Realty corporation in
good shape while other STREETS in the
city lay in idleness and mud.