|
R, C. P,
<br />
<br />November 16, 19 15.
<br />
<br /> Its accessibility by street cars--the present Churchland line running parallel to the en-
<br />tire tract only about 200 feet distant, which car line crosses one of the Avenues in Westhaven
<br />every 360 feet, making it possible to 4ave as many emtrances along the High street front as is
<br />deemed necessary or desirables- The Committee can have little faith in the proposed extensions
<br />of street ca~ lines after the City's experience in West Park View.
<br />
<br /> Its natural beauty-- fronting on the main waters of Western Branch, with riparian rights,
<br />at a point where the Branch is a mile or more in width, being bordered on. all sides by handsome
<br />trees which would not hate to be disturbed in laying out the place for a Cemetery.
<br />
<br /> Its area-- seventy-four acres, will furnish about 6,000 lots which will not all be sold,
<br />estimating for the natural increase in population, for about seventy-five years.
<br />
<br /> Its ideal location at the head of High Street, which most important thoroughfare could be
<br />extended nearly a mile further by using less than two acres of ih~ land. This would give the
<br />Cemetery $400 feet frontage on High Street and extend said Street to the main waters of Western
<br />Branch.
<br />
<br /> Its perfect natural drainage, every foot of land above the bluff line (74) acres being
<br />available, for graves under any weather conditions with no'expenditure for establishing a drain-
<br />a~e system, and no annual ~utlay for its maintenance.
<br />
<br /> Its reasonable cost--$50,O00.O0 for the ,8? 1/~ acres above low water, is in line with ot~er
<br />sales of nearby lands within the last few yea~s, and very cheap compared with prices asked for
<br />lands adjoining with no street car facilities,
<br />
<br /> It seems to meet all the requirements ~or the purpose in an unusua~ degree, i.e., ~ccessi-
<br />bilit~ location with reference to the future growth of Portsmouth, drainage and naturaz beauty.
<br />
<br />Respectfully submitted,
<br />
<br />ISigned) M. B. Langhorne, t
<br />SSgned~ R. L. Moore, Committee.
<br />(S~gned) B. S. See,
<br />
<br /> Minority Re~ort:
<br /> The undersigned men, ers of the Cemetery Committee dissent from the action
<br />of the majority of the Committee, and beg leave to file their minority report as follows:
<br />
<br /> We believe ~hat it would be a mistake for the City to purchase the Beaten property as
<br />commended by the three other members of the Committee, and leg leave to recommend the accept-
<br />anco of the proposition made by Mr. H. L. Alexander, repr.?senting t.he Tidewater Realty Company,
<br />for the purchase, for the sum of Sixty Thousand Dollars ($60,000.00) of:a tract of land in the
<br />County of Norfolk, Just west of Portsmouth, fronting on Rodman Avenue, and extending weetwardly
<br />t.o Bruoe'.s Creek, as.shown on a plat, dated October lB, 19lB, of a survey made by J. F. Benson,
<br />Oivil Engmneer, submmtted herewith~ The proposition of Mr. H. L. Alexander is alee attached
<br />hereto.
<br />
<br /> ~- have given seriou~ consideration and investigation to the variouS'sites offered, and
<br />the propositions submitted with respect thereto, and believe that the purchase of the property
<br />of the Tidewater Realty Company will be for the best interests of the City in all respects.
<br />
<br /> This prope~t~ shows a total area of nearly One hundred and seventeen (117) acres, with one
<br />.and a ~uarter (A0i 1/~) acres available for use at this time for cemetery purposes, and another
<br />acre which could be easily made available. The Tidewater Realty Company has recently expended
<br />upon this property approximately Six thousand Dollars ($6,000.) in betterments ~nd improvements,
<br />and while the Company agrees to close all streets platted through the portion-of the property
<br />offered by it, yet we are of the o~.inion that much of ~he work~already done~gn the 'property
<br />could be retained for use at a eavmng to the City of Five Thousand DolSars (~,000.),. including
<br />a new dwell'ing house recently erected upon the property at a cost of emghtee~ hundred dollars
<br />($1600.), which has n~ver been occupied, and which~would serve as a Keeper's residence.
<br />
<br /> Taking these improvements into consideration the cost price of the property is really re-
<br />duced to Fifty-five thousand Dollars ($55,000.00), or about Four hundred and seventy Dollars
<br />($4?0.00) per acre for the property recommended by us, as against Five.H~ndred and seventy-five
<br />dollars ($5?5.00) pst acre for the Beaten property. There is only ~ difference of Ten Thousand
<br />Dollars ($t0~000.00~ in the price of the two properties, and for thzs Ten Thousand Dollars
<br />($10,000.00) the City, by purchasing the Tidewater Realty Company's property, gets the benefit
<br />of Five Thousand Dollars ($~,000.00) worth of improvements recently made upon the proper~y, and
<br />about twenty-sight (~8~ ac~es additional of land available for cemetery purposes'.
<br />
<br /> Allowing one fourth of the area to be devoted to roads an~ paths, the one hundred and two
<br />(102) acres of land suitable for cemetery purposes can be subdzvided into eight thousand two
<br />hundred and sixty-two (8~6E~ burial lots of the present size, ~0' x ~0'~ which would meet the
<br />needs of the City for many years to come.
<br />
<br /> The-revenue derived from the sale of cemetery lots at present prices - fifty dollars ($50.)
<br />for whole lots and thirty dollars ($30.) for half lots, during the next twenty (~0! years,ehould~
<br />zn our 3u. dgment, be suffzc~ent t pay for the property in .full, togekher with all .znterest ch. ar-
<br />ges, and the cost of establishing and improving the cemetery, ~nd leave at least szx thousana,
<br />two hundred and sixty (6~60) burial lots ~for sale, which should yield the' City a clear profit
<br />of three hundred and thirteen thousand do~la~s ($~13,000.00); and the fifteen (15) acres of low
<br />and marsh land,, which can be filled in from time to time, should 3~ield an additional profit of
<br />about fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), or a total nero profit of three hundred and sixty
<br />three thousand dollars ($363,0C0.00), or a revenue of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00)
<br />more than the city could realize on the same ~erms from the Beaten property.
<br />
<br /> Possession of this prooerty can be giv. en~at once, and the p. rop?rty.i.~ so..la~d, off~ that a
<br />portion of it, say fifteen ~15) or_.t~?nty !.~_0,~ acres,' oo.u.ld be~eve~'ope~ ~mme~a~e~y ~-or come-
<br />
<br />179
<br />
<br />
<br />
|