The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-22
The Common z, Cosar,cil,

a meeting OF the Common Council was
held yesterday afternoon President Bradley
e. Johnson, of Clay Ward, In the chair, Pre-.
sent at roll-call: Messrs. Babcock. Bright:
Carter, Christian. Curtis. Davis Of Marshall
Ward, Foster, Gilman, johnson of Jackson
Ward, Lauer, Manson, Metzger, Newell,
Oliver, PulliaD, and Talbott-i7.-
STREETS GENERALLY.
Mr.. Curtis, from the Committee on Streets
Generally, submitted a.report recommends
ing that the petition Of A. 8. Jackson, ask
ing pay for the loss Of bis mare, valued at
$40, injured in drawing load of wood
through the entrance of the alley on Cover
nor street near the Richmond House, be re-
Jected; that sewer be constructed seventeen
feet long at Second Market.house 10 prevent
cellars, &c.,!from filing with water esti.
mated cost $l2; that gutter on Twenty third
street between Broad and Marshall streets
be repayed- estimated cost $50; that culyert
be constructed on Marshall street from
IWenty-fourth to Twenty.second and along
Twenty-seeond to Broad street, to connect
with the sewer on Broad street, the work
to be- done when there are funds to the
credit OF the sewer fund estimated
cost S., 800; that petition Of j. B.
Burwell. Tor improvement of hickory street,
be rejected: that petition Of S. G.. Flournoy
and others, for opening Twenty-frst street
from Grace street, be rejected, as it Is inex-
pedient at this time; that Twenty. ninth
street be graded from Main to Broad, &c.
estimated cost. $500; that it is inexpedient
at this time to lay foot bridge over Gillie's
creek at its intersection with Williamsburg
"a ha 1as ~
fifth street from Main to Broad street, also
resolution as to the expediency of running u
cuvert on Twenty.fifth street from Broad to
Main, be granted, the work to be done when
there are funds to the credit of the sewer
fund-estimated cost, 500; that flIggiDg be
laid on the corner of DuyaI and First streets
ION the north side of DuvaD, and on jack
son and First streets (north side of Jackson)
be granted-estimated cost, S2l3; that St.
james street be graded from Jackson to Ba-
con streets estimated cost, S543; that gut
ter be relaid on north eide of Broad street
nant water, &c.-estimated cost, $40; that
time be allowed George Fl. Bright to remove
his house to the true line of ST. James street,
until July 1, 1875; that petition OF Charles
Halzhouser for restoration of Leigh street,
rejected; that petition of George W.
smlther, for curbing to be laid on the north
side of Cary near Laurel street, distance of
125 feet, be granted-es estimated cost, SI12.
In regard to the petition of James Thomas,
Jr., and others to restore the grade Of Grace
street, between First and Second streets, or
to make such modification OF the present
grade as will come nearest the original grade,
&c, the committee recommend to reject the
petition, and that the work be proceeded
with, the sidewalks to be lowered and the
curbing reset to the true grade estimated
cost, 1892. The committee recommend an
appropriation of Sl00 for the purchase OF
earth from foundations, at the discretion OF
the Engineer, there being no funds to the
credit of that account.
Resolutions to carry out the recommends.
tions of the committee were also presented
to the Council.
Mr.. Johnson, Of Clay Ward (Mr. Babcock
being in the chair), presented The following
as substitute for the resolution In reference
to the matter of grade on Grace street be.
tween First and Second:
ResolUed by the Common Council 1.-THE
Board of Aldermen concurrlng), That the
Committee on Streets are hereby instructed
to complete the macadamiZing of Grace street
between First and Second streets, restoring
the grade, curbing, and guttering, according
to the grade heretofore used and established
MIR. johnson addressed the Council al
length upon the subject, giving in the course
of his remarks, the history of the improve
ments on Grace street, in the neighborhood
in question, up to the present time, and con.
tended that the city engineer had acted in
this case without any authority whatever,
and as far as possible the street ought to be
restored to its former grade.
Mr.. Curtis, in reply to Mr.. johnson, sus-
taned the city engineer and said he meant to
sustain him under all circumstances.
Mr.. English said that he felt as Mr.. john
son did. He thought that Mr.. Cutshaw had
acted improperly and without authority.
Mr.. Talbot thought that the city engineer
had gone beyond his authority; that he had
no right to alter the grade.
Mr.. Bargamin said he meant to sustain the
committee and the city engineer, too. He
thought be had improved the street instead
of injuring it.
Mr.. Davis, of Madison ward, said that
when he was on the Committee on Streets
it was customary for the Council to order a
change of grade. He never knew before
that The city engineer could cut down any
street he felt inclined without consulting
anybody.
Mr.. Christian said that he claimed to be as
warm friend of the city engineer as any
one else, but he could never give his consent
to ratify the illegal act of the engineer In the
step he has taken. He (Mr. Christian) lived
on Grace street. and instead of improving
the street by changing the grade he believed
that the grade had been injured. He begged
the Council to put its veto upon the spend
ing of money for such illegal acts. As to iDiu-
ring the trees, which gentleman had said IS
such a small matter, he had put up his house
on the lot on which it now stands because OF
the trees which were on the streetin that
vicinity. He went to the city engineer, when
he built, in order to get the grade. He as
certained the grade and put up his house.
In twelye-month the grade was altered
and he was compelled to cut down his yard,
and now the trees along that street are all
dead or in dying condition.
Mr.. Davis, of Marshall Ward, thought it
had been clearly shown that the city engi-
neer had acted without any authority what
ever.
Mr.. Johnson's amendment was agreed to
by the following vote:
Auss-Messrs. Babcock. Carter, Christian, Davis
(of MadisonI, Davis (of Marshal), English. Foster,
Gilman, Jenkins, Joanson Tor Clay, Manson,
Metzger, Newell, Oliver, Pulliam, Talbott-16.
N1us-Nessrs Bargamin, Braselman, Bright,
Curtis, johnson (of Jackson1, Lauer-6.
The remainder of the report was adopted
and the accompanying resolutions agreed to.
WOODEN BUILDINGS.
Mr.. Talbot, from the Committee on the
Fire Department, reported that the commit
tee have considered the petitions OF the fol-
lowing persons to erect framed houses and
recommend that they be granted: T. Jinkins,
D. N. Kelly, n. Yancey, 81. 9etzger, T: Ma
honey, j. Hart, Edmund Richardson, Cath
arine i. Harris, James Andersen, Mathew