The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-26
UTILITIES COMMITTEE
AGREE ON CITY FARM
Newstead, on James River, Is Choice
OF subcommittee at $e5 an
Acre.
OPPOSITION is RAISED
Councilman Ratclifge Contends Pine
Camp Farm should BE First Dis
posed OF by Administrative Board.
Citizens Are Heard.

Following much debate, engaged in
by citizens and Messrs. Christian and
Radcliffe, of the committee, the Utlh-
ties Committee Of the City Council
last night recommended to Council
the adoption of the report of the sub
committee of the committee-that the
Newstead farm, owned by j. McPaii'
about eight miles below Richmond,
on yaes River. be purchased at a cost
OF approximately $4,000 for a city
farm.
This farm embraces 1,161 acres.
The city is to pay 500 an acre. 1t
In on the Osborne. Kingsland and Va
rina Turnpikes, and can be reached
by railway as we'll as boat. 1t is pic
tured as almost a complete farm, with
every improvement and every advan-
tage which a farm ordinarily can
claim.
II purchased by the city. IT will give
the citys prisoners. its paupers, its
indigents and its invalids splendid
place of abode. There are pine woods
for the hospital, gravel pits, san
heaps and clay for the manufacture OF
bricks.
May Raise Food.
Besides these advantages. the sub
committee claims, there will be plenty
OF improved ground, upon which all
the necessaries of life may he raised.
Before the committee reached
vote City Attorney Pollard. in reply to
q question, stated that the subcom-
mittee, according to his idea. had the
right TO select a specific farm, to he
presented in Its recommendation to
the full committee. In addition 10
this. the City Attorney said he had
seen this particular farm. and that it
60 y Nat Nn
one for the purposes desired. Drain
age. sanitation and sewerage were the
principal things dwelt upon by the
City Attorney In his remarks COM
mandatory of the report OF the suo-
committee.
DR.. Mastin Favors Farm.
Rev DR. j. T Mastin, secretary OF
the state Board OF Charities and Cor
rections, who is very much interested
in the movement fer a city farm.
spoke Of the work being done by the
city Of Washington. That city has
a farm twenty-five miles from Wash
ington, at Occoquan, Virginia. That
farm. said Dr. Mastin, cost the city
~ Washington SIS an acre. 1t was
nothing but a great waste of unculti-
waited land. The future inhabitants OF
that farm were sheltered In tents. and
were put to work improving the farm.
They made it a farm. which goes
long way toward self-supporting. The
far mis- probably now worth several
hundred dollars an acre. All OF this
has been done in less than fifteen
years
Mr. A. Beirne Blair, representing
the Civic Improvement League OF 81.
Paul's Episcopal Church, said he was
simply present to urge the purchase
OF a farm. He thought that as the
Administrative Board had to manage
the farm, that body should he per-
mitted TO select and recommend the
site. The Administrative Board. said
Mr. Blair, could consider many farms
and there may be many, suitable for
the purpose. and after careful examn-
alton, determine upon one which
might meet the approval of the city
Council
II am not opposing this particular
farm (the Newstead). said Mr.. Blair.
but 1t seems to me the real business
way to have gone about it would have
been to have given every real estate
man, or other person, the opportunity
of appearing and making the city an
offer Of a farm. There may he some
cheaper farm suitable for the pur-
pose"
Radcliffe Maintains Point.
Councilman Radcliffe maintained
the stand he took at previous meet
ings, that the committee had not been
delegated with the authority to select