St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-10
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CITY ENGINEER
OF THE
CITY OF ST. PAUL,
For the Year 1884.
For the Year 1884.

81. 1854, and such 1actS ID relation W Inc
present condition of the public improve
ments as, in my opinion, may be OF IN
terest.
On January 1st, 1884. there were forty-one
contracts in force, which were let the pre-
vious year and all but twelve of which should
have been completed before this date.
During the year the following contracts
were let:
3treet grazing. .-..-..-.-.'...''.-.... %
Street paving. -.--..-.....'..-...... 10
Sewers '-'---''-'-.'.' -
Miscellaue GUS.
making total of 1I2 contracts in force dur
ing the year. the contract price Of which
was 81, Oy4, S62 60. Deducting from this
sum the estimates allowed on the contracts
prior to the first Of January, 1884, amount
ing to $205, 374.49. and the balance dGe on
all unfinished contracts at this date, amount
ing to S15S, 100, shows the total value OF
contract work during the year to be $780,
697.Il. To this should be added the cost OF
the street and sewer forces, amounting to
$50, sos. 29,-cost Of inspection, Sl5, 3l.oO,
engineering pay rolls, S26, 4U2. 13,-ihe
salary of the city engineer,-S2 3OO,-and
first assistant, 3, 0OO,-which do not ap-
pear on the pay rolls, and bills paid, includ-
ing brick, pipe. lumber, nails, etc, in con-
nection with repairs OF sewers, Sidewalks
tools for use Of street and sewer forces,-
stationery for the use of the
department. and bills for work
specially ordered by the Common
Council, amounting to S9,S59.92, making
total Of expenditure in connection with this
department Of $S37, 999.S5.
For details as to the various contracts,
work done by the street force, cost Of depart
mcnt. etc, Respectfully refer 10 the annexed
schedules.
A. Showing the list Of street grading,
paving, Sidewalk, and bridging contracts.
B. Showing complete list Of sewer con-
tracts.
c. Showing pay rolls Of Office for the
year. as charged to contract, regular work of
the department, and finally as charged to the
several wards Of the city.
D. Showing cost OF Inspection Of The sew
er8l classes Of work.
Z. Showing cost Of the various items Of
work done by the street and sewer forces.
T. Showing the several accounts for which
bills were contracted and paid during the
year.
The preparation Of plans and specifications
and the supervision Of this work, together
with the regular business Of the Office, and
reports on q large number of orders from the
Common Council and Board OF Public Works,
some Of which required extended surveys and
careful estimates Of cost, have kept the force
fully employed during the year, and it is
with satisfaction that ] call attention to the
cost Of the department as compared with the
WOr, done.
We find, from schedule c, that $13, 1910
OF the department Uay rolls was chargeable
directly 10 the contract work; adding TO this
the proper proportion OF the bills paid charged
10 office expenses, and to livery, (sce sched-
ulc F. amounting to 81 800, and the cost Of
one-haIf the salary Of the City Engineer aud
First ASS stant, makes the total cost Of en-
ginceriug in connection with the city con
tracts less than PA per cent. Of the value of
the estimates allowed during the year, aud
only q per cent. OF the contract price Of the
work in progress.
Inspectors have been empoved to super
wise the details OF all work and see that il
was done in accordance with the contract
and specifications. This has resulted in all
of the work being well done and in the use
Of proper materials, and has cost rs shown
by schedule d, SIS, 73l. so, being less than
% per cent. Of the value of the work done.
The cost OF the department not chargeable
10 contracts represents work done ia reports,
etc, 10 City Council and Board OF Public
Works on ~ preliminary orders for street
grading, 36 final orders for street grading
"a preliminary orders for construction of
sewers p final orders for construction Of
sewers 9 preliminary orders for street paving,
10 final order Is for street paving, 81 preiimi-
nary orders for change of grade, 20 final
ORDERS for change Of grade 81 preliminary
orders for street openings, 81 final orders Tor
street openings, 3S street grades established,
1874 miscellaneous orders, IS profles pre-
pared for Crty Clerk, PA pruG.cs prepared
Tor record, together with the regular work of
The department, among which Is tie Issuing
o, numbers Tor buildings throughout the city,
the issuing OF permits Tor use OF streets for
building purposes, the issuing Of permits au-
thorzuu the construction OF drAius
10 connect with tac city sewers
the examination Of pats for
new additions: the running OF
lc,cs or streets for the purpose of establish
Ing grades, the setting Of monuments to
guard important points. aud the keeping up
OF the records Of The Office.
The Issuing OF house numbers and per
mils for various purposes, AMI the fact that
the records of this Office with reference 10
street grades, iiues. etc, are conveniently
arranged tor reference results in the clerical
force being constantly kept busy answering
questions aud explaining these records TO the
public.
-
pended in grading and paving ISIS miles OF
streets. of which i.25 miles were surfaced
with cedar hlo,ks, - mile with pine blocks.
30 miles with stone. 81 miles with gravel
aud 3 miles with the best material found in
the street. In carrying out this work
q WAS necessary 20 move j2D. 600 cubic yards
OF earth, and there were used for suriaciug
$50 600 cedar posts, and 2,259. 900 feet, board
measure. of pine lumber, $1,000 cubic yards
OF stone, and g 900 cubic yards of gravel.
l.. 100 square yards nf stone cutters were
constructed. a little over eight miles Of curb
siouc were SET. ot which about seven miles
src granite and The balance limestone.
A.. of the street grading work, The portion
paved Is the most important both as 10 cost
sud IN the amount "a: traffic 20 De accommo-
dated attach "a map showing the existing
pavcmcuis, from which it will be
pot.cri That within district bounded
10y Third, Broadway, aud Seventh
streets, constituting the busiest p,r-
tuu ol TIE city. about oug-balf OF the streets
arc uup3vcj, AND would respectfully suggest
thSt iur tlc sake ot economy, also for the
better preservation &C the present pavementsA
u is very desirable that the balance % this
district should tr paved Us soon as possible,
s. i1C mui, which IS being constantly carried
by pss~iu- vehicles from tac urpaved streets
Ou 90 tlc l2vcm nt Is uut only very Cxpcu-
sivr 90 r,Wgyc bgt is brought on in such
quantities us to make &c imp5lc;icable 70
keep ,hc streets clean. The method in use
o. clean these uavemCutS Is first 20 thor
oughy soak this mud and then scrare il "a
with hoes, being very expensive aud unsaiis-
factory. owing Co the fact that a thin coating
OF uud IS len upon TIE surface Of The blocks,
which very ggicGy dries out aud is
ground into dust making IS necessary
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