The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-10
COUNCIL AROUSED
FROM LONG SLEEP
Finds Now That William Byrd
Park Wedge Should Have
Been Bought Years Ago.
OWNERS ENTER A PROTEST
Finance Committee Inspects Strip
Which City Is Improving With
Streets and Sewers.

After a prolonged hearing ut tho
City Hall yesterday afternoon, the
Council Committee on Finance went in
body to william Byrd Park to in
spcct the property of the William Byrd
Ideally Corporation. desired by the city
for park purposes. After spending
some time on the ground tho commit
tee adjourned to next Tuesday night
at 4 o'clock without taking any action.
The tract in question lies like
wedge between two large sections OF
the park property. City Engineer Boil
ling again and again recommended its
purchase. and secured options, but the
Council never budged. Last year the
property was bought In by syndicate
headed by II. NJ Smith. Jr., Gilbert Is.
Pollock, Field Wilbon and others. They
dedicated land to widen Chestnut
Street on the eastern side OF the prop
erty: jointly with the city they dedi-
Gated land for n parallel roud on the
west side of the wedge. and for three
cross streets, and the plan and grade
OF these streets was adopted by the
City Council. Recently the Admins
trative Board awarded a contract for
grading them, and the work is now in
progress.
Property Owner. Heard.
This aroused the Finance Commit
tee. and at its last meeting it for
warded to the Council n resolution re-
questing the Administrative Board to
have the work stopped until condemna-
ton proceedings can be had and the
property acquired. In the Council last
Monday night this resolution was re-
committed to the Committee on III
nance in order that the property own
ers might be heard. <
Attorney George Bryan and II. NJ.
Smith, Jr,. presented the side of the
interested property owners yesterday
afternoon. They commended that by its
inaction, it's refusal of the options, Its
approval Of grades and dedication OF
streets. and its construction of a sewer
and water mains, the city had given
the present owners to understand that
they might go ahead with their plans
for developing and marketing the prop
erty for residential purposes Both
lawyers argued that 1t was beyond the
power of the Council to instruct the
Administrative Board In the matter OF
grading or not grading any public
street; that written contract with the
grading company had been entered
into and could not be abrogatcd. and
that if condemnation proceedings were
had. the cost because of tho improve
ments made, would now be prohibitive
1t has been stated that tho syndicate
paid $4,000 for the thirteen acres in
the Pollard tract, and II Is a matter OF
record that the four acres In the Stan
hope Boiling tract were offered the
city four years ago for $4,000. but the
present owners claim that because of
public improvements in the neighbor-
hood, the value is now fully ten times
those amounts.
Not Laid Out ms Park Roads.
City Engineer Boiling stated that
Chestnut Street was permanent road.
but that he had laid off the other
streets after the Council refused to buy
into rectangular blocks for building
purposes. and that they We're not what
he would recommend were tho tract
to become part of the park. He still
desired that II be made a part of the
park. IL 1t could bo had at any rea-
sonable price, but feared that the cost
was now prohibitive.
After further debate the committee
motored out to the park. finding that
the contractor had more than half COM
pleted the grading of the various
streets. The matter Will be further
discussed at n special meeting Tues
day night, just before tho meeting OF
the Board of Aldermen.
w. b. PizZini brought before the
committee the desirability of securing
another triangular piece of property
on Ashland Street TO square out tho
lines OF tho park, but no action was
taken.