The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-14

FROM RESHET S-INJUEY TO THE
STREETS BY SPR1NKLING-sEwERs AND
sEwER-vELTILATIoN DIsCU ssED-1M-
PROvEMENT Of sH0CKoE CREEK
BRlDGEs-RAILWAY TREsTLE AT THE
GAs-WORKs.
The following report OF the City Engi-
neer deals with number Of practical mat
.tersf Of Interest to the whole community,
and should, and doubtless will, be read with
care and attention
CRY ENGINEERS OFFICE,
RICHMOND, VA., f February %, 1870.
TO the Ghairn1an and Members of the Com
naittee on: Streets:
Gentlemen, have the honor to submit
for your consideration my sixth annual re-
port. showing the operations OF this depart
ment for the fiscal year ending February l,
1879.
). The tabulated statements of work done
show In detail the character and location OF
each particular piece OF work, and The
statement OF disbursements shows the ag-
grecatcs OF cost, according to wards.
The total cost OF each piece OF work is
less in nearly every case than the year be-
fore, due in some measure 70 the continued
reduction OF prices, but also to the careful
and watchful manner in which both officers
and employees have attended to the eXecu-
tion OF the work. With our annual apprn-
priation to streets diminished from S76,175
to S60,671.4G-a sum less by almost one
half than that allotted to the street depart
ment OF any other city OF this country the
size of Richmond-,t is very gratifying to
find the results accomplished as good as
they are.
STREETS.
Grdd;ng.-During the year 103,854 cubic
yards Of earth were eXcaYatcd. making
nearly twice as much as was done in the
year before. Uf this a larger amount than
usual was done by contract, the contract
prices being IS cents TO 25 cents, as COM
pared With Is cents TO 81 cents, the prices
of the year before.
An important advance has been made in
the plan OF grading streets by carrying out
in Il systematic manner the grades OF Sec
t;ons Of the city Us whole. Not only does
this settle at once the question Of pcrma-
ucnt grades, but it makes the benefits more
immediate to the public and the work more
economical in IFS cost. If this system could
be adhered to. and the work itself pushed
forward on 4 little more extended scale, in
less than ten years the whole city would he
permanently and completely graded.
The grading now asked for in many parts
OF the city must be carried out in such Or
der as the committee may determine, be-
cause OF the large amount demanded and
the limited means to do it with. A report
was submitted to the Council recently inai-
eating by maps the grades OF certain streets
In Rockets which would place them above
the highest annual ireshets, and thereby
avoid loss and annoyance to citizens during
these frequent rises in the river. TO carry
out this plan completely at once will in
volve Il greater outlay perhaps than the
Council would be willing to make at this
time. therefore recommend that Rockets
street be first raised TO the required grade,
together with such parts OF cross streets
as will be involved in if. and then in 4
gradual manner, to raise Williamsburg ave-
nue., Dock street, Wharf street, and the ad-
Joining cross streets, until the whole section
is made secure against these recurring
floods.
OF course this is not intended to apply TO
the great floods OF 1870 and 1877, which
have been unprecedented since i'll, and
may never recur hereafter. No better op-
por,uniiy for doing this work could be
found than now, when the rirer-dred@ing &
will furnish the material to fill these streets !;
besides, it is about time some permanent
improvement should he made 10 the wharve>,
and all this work could be carried on to-
gcther economically.
SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS.
In the various kinds of surface-work done,
macadamizing and cinderinS alone were
more during the year, both being nearly
twice the amount OF the previous year. The
nrices puiu for this work were as follows
inacadamizing, 73 cents per square yard !;
stone paving, Is cents per square yard !;
brick paving, 514 cents per square yard
stone flageing. SO cents per square foot
curbstoncs, 47 cents per lincal foot; and
gravellng u cents per square yard.
REPAvING AND REPAIRS.
| Rcpairine constitutes the greater part OF
this work. and is each wear increasing i'll
the amount required to keep tie thorough
F.! fares in proper condition. Like new sur
fuce-work. this demands large eXpendi-
lures, and should be amply provided for in
the appropriationS. The prices paid for this
work were as follows: Stone paving rclaid,
81 cents per square yard: brick paving re-
laid, - cents per square yard; stone flag
ging reset, cents per square foot; and
curbstones reset cents per !incal foot.
The paved and macadamizcd streets are
injured by the present system OF sprlnklln9
in dry weather, and it is very necessary that
this should be done by the Board OF Health
already charged with cleaning the streets
I therefore suggest that such addition to The
present force rs may be necessary shall bs
made to enable this Board to properly con
troll the condition and cleanliness OF the
streets.
+ HANDS AND CARTS.
The work done by this force shows
saving for the year OF S3,ST5.41 upon ar
OF work done, in all except Sravelling. the
amounts are largely in excess Of the same
kinds OF work OF the year before.
| CIAIN-GANG.
The saving in cost OF work done by thi:
force was SG7S.42 upon an outlay o.
81, ,72t3S. This amount is small rs com
pared with the year before, owing to large
reduction in the number OF prisoners du'
ring the best part Of the working season
and the expense Of clothing, which is now
chargcable to the city.
The total number Of lincal feet OF sewer:
built during the year is more than that OF
the wear before. Besides the location OF the
sewers, the tables will show where pipe
drains, stacks, inlets, and inet-connec
lions were constructed. The price:
paid for sewers during the year were
rs follows: Furnishing bricks, sand, and
workmanship OF sewers and branches
Sl3.o5 to $3.50 per thousand; stacks and
inlets, S12. 80 to $3.50 per thousand; ce'
ment, Sl.45 to Sl.55 per barrel, delivered
| - i s,.ao,ntinn nd rntillinr of trenches oE