Minutes 09/08/1953 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5I September 8th, 1953. At a regular meeting of the City Council, on September 8th, 1953, there were present: Fred A. Duke, Frank N..Bilisoly, Jr., George L. Grimes, R.E. Ha~ks, C.C. Houghton,Jr., James N. Howard, R. Irvine Smith= Edg~?N~ I~wrence, C~E. Warren, Pearle J. Wflson, I~G. Vass, City Manager, a-ad R.C.Barclay, City Attorney. Ninutes of previous meeting were read and approved. The following reports from the City Manager were read: 1st - "I submit the attached agreement dated August 19th, 1953, covering three sewer lines under the tracks of the Atlantic Coast Railroad Company one each at Fauquier Street, Western Br~nch Boule- vard and County-Street, and I recommend that ~he Mayor be authorized and directed to execute the agreement for and on behalf of the City of Portsmouth and that the City Clerk be authorized and directed to attest the same and affix the City Seal thereto." Motion of ~r Hawks that the Mayor be authorized to sign and the City Clerk to affix the City's seal, was adopted. 2nd - "I submit the attached letter from Car] M. Jordan, Executive Vice President of the South Norfolk Bridge Commission, for your consideration." Attached - "Confirming conversation with Mr. Vass this morning, here hand you copy of resolution passed by the City Council of South Horfolk, calling on enr Senators and Representatives in Washington to provide the necessary funds to pay the Government's portion of the cost of a new Norfolk-Portsmouth Belt Line Bridge, with a SO0' draw o~ening, which has been recommended by the United StatesEnginee~ and approved by the Secretary of the Army, and notice sent To the Norfolk-Portssmouth Belt Line Company on October 27, 1947. Bids for the structure were to be opened by the United States Engineer just before the Korean War broke out but have been delayed, due to the War efforts. I hope it will be ~our pleasure to pass the strongest possible resolution, calling on our representatives in Congress to provide the necessary funds to build bhis bridge, under the Truman He,Ds Act. June 21, 1940. We are advised that the Norfolk-1)ortsmouth Belt Line Company have made funds available for their part of the cos~, and are only waiting for the Government's appropriation to begin the work. We would appreciate your forwarding us copy of resolution when passed." On motion of NLr. Howard, the.following resolution was adopted: '~ RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SECOND CONGP~SSIONAL DISTRICT TO.ENDORSE ~AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION FOR HE- PLACING THE PEESENT NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH BELT LINE RAILROAD SPAN ACROSS T~ SOUTHERN HRA~CH OF ~HE..E~IZABETHR~VER. WHEREAS, the present Norfolk and Portsmouth ~elt Line Railroa~ 'Bridge across the S6uthe~n BranCh of--the.~lizabeth River at the Navy Yard, has for-many years been ~declared inadequate and hazardous for navigation and has retarded the development of this waterway; and, WHEREAS, the development a~id expansion-Of-the Southern 'Branch of the Elizabeth Ri~er~ is ~ital to the governmenta~ and industrial development of the Hampton Roads, directly affecting the interests of the United StatesGovernment, and the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth and South Norfolk and also the interests 'of the County of N6~fblkw and,. ~3~EREAS, the Seuth Norfolk Council, on December 5, 1946, petitioned the U.S. Engineer to r~q-uire the ~r~v~.ding o~ a more ~dequate dra~ opening ~t~the~moutb of the Southern Branch of theElizabetlh Rive~ and, - W~REAS, pursuant to investigatien made'~y the U.S. Engineer, a final report was filed on May 7, 1947, and notice to alter the bridge was authenticated by the Secretary of the Army on October 6, 1947, said notice being-served on the No~fo'lk and Portsmeuth Belt Line Railroad Octeber 27, 1947; and, WHEREAS, pursuant to this notification the U.S. Engineer's Office was preparing to ask for bids for a bridge estimted to cost $2,138,952.00:, just prior to the Korean War, and~s~id project w~s delayed due to the war effort; and, WI~EREAS, the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, the Maritime Association.and the Hampton Roads~ Civie Forum have-gene on record as making the building-of a New Belt Line Bridge of first ~mpertance at the next session of ~engress. THEREFGRE, BE IT RESOLVED-by the Council of the City of. Portsmouth; Virginia , that the Hepresentatives in Congress of the ~nited States for the Second Congressional District are herewith ~equested to endorse and support 2he recommendation of the Engineers for the eonstruction of said Belt Line Bridge aud.also that the necessary appropriatien be-made at thenext session of the United StatesCongress to cover the Government.~s.part of the expense-let the building of a new-Norfolk and Portsmouth Selt Li~e Bridg~ as:covered by the Truman Hobbs Act of June~l, 1940. BE IT FURTHER RESOAVED-th~ out,most dis~ingu~shed H6presentati~s'in Con~ress of the Uhi~d State~ ferthe Second Congressional Di~{~lct 'are respectfully requested that all necessary stepS'be taken to ~xp~d~tethisimpr~vement~wlrich is so vital to the the development and expansion.of the large,manufacturing 'and oil-'interests located in the~City o~Portsmouth, Virginia, Which-ha~e long been penalized by double pilotage ch~es,-ex~tug' hire, i~creased' insuranee ~r~tes ~nd ~±th-cert~i~ large cargo ships being prohibited.from entering the Southern B~an~h-"of the-Elizabeth River at the Navy Yard because of this bridge. HE IT FURTI~R. RESOLVED tha~ a copy of t~is' resolution be forwarded to the ~onorable Harry Flood By~d, and the Honorable A. ~illis Robertson, and th~ Honorable Porter Hardy, Jr., Hepresentatives in Congress for the Second Congressional District, and also a copy to the U.S. Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia."