Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-01
THE STREET COMMITTEE OeFeRs AC-
TION ON THE TUNNEL MATTER.
Alleys Ordered to BE Graded and Paved
The Bricklayers Go Back TO WORK
E;ectrIc-LIght Contract.


streets. ms work was recommended.
A petition was received from a number
OF citizens asking that the sidewalk on |
Pickett street be paved. The work was |
ordered TO be done.
A sidewalk was also ordered to be laid |
on the west sdc of Shafer street near
Park avenue.
Tho City Engineer made report in ref |
erence to the contracts for the oils, grease, |
etc.. TO be used by the street department |
during the coming year. He stated the |
lowest bidders aud the report was adopt |
ed
On nmotion OF Mr. Bahen, allegations were |
ordered u be heard IN reference TO the |
grading of the alley between Coutts and |
Hill and First and Second streets.
THE TUNNEL QUESTION.
Mr Belvin read letter from Mr.. n. T.. |
Reed. president OF the Richmond and |
Chesapeake Railroad Company. which |
stated that he was sure that in q very short |
time negotiations with English capitalists |
would be concluded, and that there was |
no doubt in the world as to the ultimate |
success OF the enterprise. The president |
closed by asking for an extension OF time |
in which to give the indemnity bond re-
quired by the city, or. IN other words, Tor |
renewal of the tunnel franchises. Mr. |
Belyin also produced a cablegram from the |
Lord Mayor of the city OF London, and |
stated that he was one OF the sgners OF |
the agreement.
ASKED ONCE FOR REFERENCE.
Mr.. Gray called the attention OF the |
committee TO the fact that he asked Mr. |
Reed in a meeting of the Committee on |
Streets last July to furnish him with the |
name of one member of the syndicate with !
which he was negotiating, and that that |
gentleman refused to do so. saying that 1t
was not " busIness-like" for HIM to do so. |
After some further discussion Mr. |
Thomas moved that the company be al |
lowed thirty days more TO complete their
plans, and the City Engineer and Attorney
were instructed TO correspond with Dir.
Reed and his foreign syndicate and ascer-
tain how the financial negotiations are pro-
crossing.
A few other routine matters of much i'm
portance were tran sacted. and the commit
tee adjourned.
Public Grounds and Buildings.
At the meeting of tho Grounds and
| Buildings Committee last evening Messrs.
Curtis (chairman), Brander. FERGUSON,
| Hardwcke, Houston, and Turpin, and the
| City Engineer were present. Messrs. David
| A. Lacy, Joseph T.. Lacy. and Lewis Sl.
Pettus were listed for work on the new
| City Hall. The bills and pay-rolls Of the
department were ordered to be paid.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that after care
| full consideration he had decided the ques
| ton raised by the bricklayers OF the new
City Hall, which was that their union
would not allow them to cut brick chases
| with stone-cutters. The Engineer e1-
pl aimed that, though he still thought the
bricklayers had acted hastily and really
| had no grounds for complaint, he had no
| desire to antagonize their union and au-
| thorized them to go back to work. telling
| them that they could cut the cbases them
selves.
| TIE TALK OF CONSTITUENTS.
| The chairman told Colonel Cutshaw that
some of his constituents had asked him
| why the chases were not LETT in the walls
| when the hall was built. The Engineer
| laughed and said if the members OF the
| COMMITTEES were Just beginning to receive
| complaints and having people to offer sug-
| gestiops they should feel thankful.
| A petition offered by Mr.. Ferguson for
temporary sidewalk or pathway through
the property, purchased by the city for
| Jefferson Park. on the east side or Pickett
street from Clay TO the intersection or
| Marshall and Twenty-frst streets, was
| laid upon the table TO be taken up after
| the budget has been made up by the Ill
4 nance Committee.
ABOUT The ELEcrRIc-wIRING.
| Colonel Cutshaw then stated to the CON-
mittee that he thought it would be wise 10
| throw out all bids for the contract to do
| the clectric-wiring in the new CITY Hall.
| The bid of the Richmond Railway and
| Electric Company was $40. l0.57s.26-some-
thing over $4,000 less than either OF the
other propositions. This, the Colonel
| stated, he had been informed by Captain
Pizzini, had been orroneously prepared
and did not include the amount for con-
duits, which the specifications called for.
1t was explained that the Richmond COM
| pany could be required TO forfeit It's certl-
ned check for $500. which had been placed
IN the hands of the committee when the
bid was handed in. A Chicago companys
| bid, which did not reach here in time To De
| opened at the last meeting. was opened.
1t proposed to do the work for Sll,Z2O.
SPECIAL MEETING.
Mr.. Turpin moved that the committee
meet this evening at O'Clock ana that
representative of the electric company be
requested TO attend and inform the body
| what his concern proposed to do. This
was carried.
The question of the employment of
superintendent of the wood work IN the
new City Hall was then taken up; Colo
mel Cutshaw nominated Dir. William
Gibson, ST., for the position and the com
| mittee approved the Engineers recon-
mendation and congratulated him upon
having secured SO efficient man tor this
| work
The meeting then adjourned.
Tho EIectric-Light Contract.
The Committee on Electric Light met
Yesterday afternoon. Present: hessrs.
w. Deane Courtney chairman. Bowden,
Glover. j. w. Carter, Mann. and Ar. W. b.
PizZini.
Mr. Glover inquired if SIr. G.. E. Fisher,
of the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company. had yet signed the contract for
the 500 electric lights. Mr.. Courtney
stated that the contract had not been
| signed. Mr. Glover moved that If the con-
tract was not signed by Monday meeting
of the committee be called and the matter
reported to the Council. The motion was
carried. -
Mr.. g. p. f. Burgwyn appeared before
the committee and spoke in reference TO
lights near the Clyde and Virginia steam-
boat wharfs. After considerable discus
sion the position of the lights were agreed
upon satisfactorily to Mr.. Burgwyn. After
routine business the committee concurred.
Other Committees.
The Committees on Claims and Salaries
and on Police held sessions yesterday and
transacted business of minor importance.
Nothing of public interest was done.