The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-01
.CUTSHAW PLANNED
. FOR UNION STATION
Shofkoe Valley Improvements
Projected Forty Years
Ago.
VISION OF GREAT FUTURE
Wanted Greek Archcd In tc
Provide for Railway
Terminal.

Forty years. ago Colonel w e. Cut
shaw, then the newly appointed City
Engineer of Richmond, recommended
the closing in Of Shockoe Creek and
the erection OF union freight and pas
Eenser stations along it's bed between
Main and Broad Streets. For forty
years the city has stood In its own
light in ignoring his recommendations
in regard to the creek, which then, as
now. formed the main sewer of the
city, and the railroads, which then. as
now. ran their trains at grade along
Broad and Belvidere Streets and
crossed other streets at grade, have
done little or nothing to meet tho sit
uatiOn or ID carry out the plan pro-
posed
Had Vision of Future.
Colonel Cutshaws report on Shockoe
| Creek and the union station was sub
mitted TO Mayor a NJ. Kelley on Feb
ruary IS. 1874. The official survey
of the older part of Richmond, max
ing the map now in use, had just been
completed. The Chesapeake and Ohio
had not then secured city aid in dig
cling the Church Hill tunnel, and had
not extended its line TO Newport News.
The James River and Kanawha Canal
was still i'll use. There were no street
car lines. Chesapeake and Ohio trains
came into frame shed on Broad
street near Sixteenth. Richmond,
I Fredericksburg and Potomac trains
had just been shifted from Broad to
Bclvidere Street the lines of that con-
nection having been built when there
was hardly a house in that part OF the
city. and when Monroe Park was a
corn field
Chestnut Hill and Barton Heights
, had not been thought OF. and the enor-
nous West End, stretching from Bel
xs.f a.. 4
all Of which sends its sewerage into
Bacon's Quarter Branch. had not been
Ia id off. Railroad traffic was almost
in its infancy. Great modern union
terminals were unknown, and the
roads then entering Richmond were al
most bankrupt by the war Yet in his
annual report TO Mayor Kelley in 1874.
! Colonel Cutshaw said;
Wanted To Wnil In Creek.
Shockoe creck.-An examination Of
the map showing the entire water
shed OF all the drainage brought into
area OF l25 square miles drained by
Shockoe Creek. BY very tortuous
course, through deep valley. this
creek finds it's way through the cen
trail and very thickly settled part OF
the city. receiving the discharge OF a
large number OF main sewers. which,
increasing in number. and in the
amount Of foul matter brought through
them, makes the improvement OF il
OF the first Importance. 1t is neces-
sary 10 know the volume Of water car
ricd by this creek in one of our great
est storms. To provide for the over
flow of its banks. by which large
amounts OF earth are wasred away and
carried into the channel OF the river,
where 1t becomes difficult and eXpen-
sive to remove We also need to know
the least volume Of water passing
4rh hi ifJ
dcclivity and form given TO the chan
nelway that the least flow OF water,
by its securing action. may be able 10
remove from the channel such deposits
as in dry summer months would tester
and produce disease If allowed TO re-
main,
From the tables of rainfall. and
creek gaugings. and area drained. we
are enabled 10 study the size and form
OF channelway for this creek. which ii
is proposed to adopt. Commencing at
the south side OF Franklin Street "A
walled channel should be constructed
10 connect with the arch at Broad
street, and from Broad Street, to eX-
tend in almost direct line to the in
tersection OF Brown and Fourteenth
Streets. and thence along Fourteenth
Street to terminate for the present at
the intersection of Leigh and Four
tcenth Streets That portion of the
chaunelway from Broad to Franklin
street should be closed over with an
arch, permitting this space TO be filled
in and brought into use.
From FRANKLIN street 10 the basin
between the houses along this line
the present channel should be
thoroughly repaired and covered over
with an arch suited to the strength of
thcs, sidewalks. and the arch or Mar
shall street transferred To the inter
section Of Marshall and Fifteenth
Streets The Id channel from the in
tersection o, Leigh and Fourteenth to
Franklin street, obviatcd by this i'm
prcvcment. can be .lled III ana the
space made available
Plan for Union Passenger station.
The improvement OF Shockoe Creek
viii offer advantages to the railroad
interests of the city in opening a
route FOR a connection track where 1t
viii not interfere with travel on The
sire cts. and still enable the shortest
and most available line to ne CON
structe7 To point convenient ana CEN
trail To all the railroads. rs well AS
those two important lines of water
communication-the canal and the
river Should il be desirable 10 have
united oepots for freight AS well as
passCnhers. both can BE- obtained AT