Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-18
TO DIG BY CONTRACT.
THE STREET COMMITTEE A6oLlsHEs
THE DAv-LABOR PLAN.
A Hard aud Bitter Fight Ended-Mr.
Maynard tho Successful bidder
An Unpaid Judgment


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A regular meeting of the Council Com
mittoe on Streets was held in the Chancery-
Court room yesterday evening. Ihere
were present Messrs. Curtis chairman
Allen. Bahen, Boykin. Brauer. DAVIS:
Gray, Stratton, Thomas, Iurpin anu
White. MIR. J. w. Carter was absent on
account of sickness.
A communication from the Chamber OF
Commerce was read. 1t called the a'ten.
ton of the committee to the condition OF
teenth streets and 10 the necessity for the
proper grading of Lombardy alley between
Ihirteenth aud Fourteenth streets. III
uas asked that something be done 10 re-
l,eve 10 some extent the burden upon the
traffic that is now forced through these
.horouchfares. The matter was referred
10 the next tour of the committee.
A petition for curbing on both sues OF
Hancock street between Clay ana bfoad
was also referred TO the tour. as we're reso-
lutions providing for the laying OF nag
plnc stones across Marshall street on the
east side of Harrison and across HARRISON
street ON the south side of Marshall the
LAYING of curling on the south side OF clay
street from Hancock to Harrison, on the
south side of Catbarne street from bllmer
10 Monroe. and on the south side OF MAT
shall street from Hancock 10 Harrison.
The payroll of the department, IN.
cludinc 81, 1876 for hands and carts. xl55.U
for sewer. hands, and bill of sl,lOO. was
approved and ordered to be paid.
PENCE IN THE TRACK.
The committee recommended TO the
Council the granting of permission 10 en-
close with O board fence tho temporary
track TO be built by the Jefferson. Hotel
peoule on Jefferson street. This enclosure
is not to cross Grace or Franklin streets
Allegations were heard for the grazing
and paving of the alley between Marshall
and CLAW streets and east OF tifth. On
motion OF Mr. Stratton 1t was decided
that the work should be done at the cost
of the auutting property-owners. suoJect
TO the recent decision OF the supreme
Court of Appeals in the case of the city OF
Norfolk against Chamberlayne:
The claim of Mrs. Mary Pegram Tor
81 OOO damages TO her property. No. ~
north Fifth street, by changing the grade
Of that thoroughfare, was rejected.
THE BELLS WILL BE RUNG.
The resolution offered IN the Roard of
Aldermen by Mr.. J. w. White. prohibiting
the ringing of the bells OF the electric
cars in front of churches or within han
block of houses of worship during ulVlne
services, and providing that the cars
sbould not be run faster than five miles an
hour, was voted down.
The recommendation Of DR.. Oppenhi-
mer, president of the Board OF Health,
that the alley between Twenty-seventh
aud twenty eighth and Leigh ana
ssreets be filled was referred TO the ward
Committee.
The bids for feed for the street depart
ment for the quarter ending June 3Oth
were opened. Messrs. Alvey Brothers ana
John /. Anderson & Son submitted pro
posas. The Engineer was directed to
award the contract TO the lowest bidder.
THE SEWER QUESTION.
On motion of Mr.. Boykin the commit
tee took up the question of awarding GER
tain seweT-wOrk by contract. 1t Will be
remembered that this subject was dis
cussed at previous meetings OF the com
mitt,e, and two members o. the BODY
being absent the vote was evenly divided.
Mr.. Thomas offered as substitute for
the old resolution that all the city sewers
be built by contract hereafter instead OF
by the ay-labor plan as heretofore. The
City Engineer explained that from care
ful examination of the accounts of sewers
constructed he was clearly OF the opinion
that the city would save about 80 per cent.
by having the work done by contract.
MR.. BoYKIN's DECISIVE VOTE.
Mr.. Boykin. one of the absentees re-
ferred to, made quite a lengthy speech, IN
which he expressed his regret at having to
cast the deciding vote upon so important
q question. He stated that he considered
himself n representative of his people and
q guardian of their interests and funds,
ana that he could not vote TO give so per
cent. more for work than 1t could be Oh
tanned for. He was opposed to bringing
any politics into the question.
Mr.. 1urpin asked Mr.. BOykln how he
thought his people felt upon the issue,
and he replied that they seemed to be
divided Mr. Boykin thought it his duty
under his oath of Office TO save what he
could for the city. Colonel Cutshaw made
q statement showing that the sewers built
last year cost from 36 cents to 81 per yard,
an average of about 20 or so cents, while
Mr.. Mavnards bid for the Nicholson.
First and Thirty first street sewers was ~
cents "a yard. In answer TO question the
CITY Engineer stated that the sewer hands
hardly made more than twenty-three work
ing days month in good weather. while
there were about four months in which no
work could be done.
SPOKE FOR DAY LABOR.
Messrs. Stratton. Turpin. and Davis
poke in favor of the day-labOr plan, and
teclared that they were not less cognlzant
than those on the other side of the oaths
they had taken after their elections. and
that they were Just as conscientious III
their belief that the best interests OF the
city were being su bseryed by the manner
in which they intended to vote. Mr.. Tur.
pin said II was fact that the city could
get Sergeant-at-Arms for less than 81. SOC
per year and a Clerk for less than 81, 400
and asked those on the other side OF the
question If they were willing to put the
officers now holding such places out and
substitute them with other good, true men,
who could be gotten for much less money.
In the course of argument MIR: Bahen
became nettled and arose to defend the
black man. He stated that he did moi
consider the question one OF whether
white or colored men should work on the
sewer force, but whether 80 per cent.
should be saved to the city and that
amount spent in extra sewers. he stated
that out IN jackson Ward he was Repub'
lican, but in a committee meeting he wa
representative of all the people. he
SAID that he was a taxpayer and had an
eve to business for the city and for him
self He caused much laughter by saylns
that it cost him 81 900 every time he came
up out of jackson Ward.
Mr.. Brauer offered as substitute to MIR
Whites motion that two sewers be giveI
out by contract and two to the presen
force under the day Labor plan, and tha
after this test practical knowledge OF tn
difference could be had. He said tina
after such a trial he would be willing Il
vote for whichever plan would prove &
be the best His substitute was lost, b
being the only one to vote for IT.
SEVEN TO FOUR.
The question was then called upon Mr.
Thomass motion, and it was adopted by
the following vote:
AYEs-Messrs. Allen, Bahen, Boykin
Brauer, GRAY, Thomas, and White.
NoEs-hiessrs. Davis, Stratton, Iurpin
and the chairman-4.
Air. Brauer changed his old vote from
mo" to Aye"
On motion of Mr. Thomas the contrac
for the sewer was awarded TO Mr.. Maynard
at his contract price--49 cents per yard.
Mr.. StrattOn moved that the commltte
decide to make its next annual tour OF IN
spection of the streets next Thursda
week, the body to start from the City In
gineer's Office at IL o'clock. Adopted.
JUDGMENT AGAINST THE TUNNEL COMPANY
Mr.. ID. c. Richardson, counsel for Mr.
s. Is. Woodfn, submitted petition stat
ing that his client had obtained judgmen
for $3.50 against the Richmond and Chesa
peake Railway Company for damages L
his property ON Eighth street caused b
the caving Ill OF the tunnel, and asking TO
the settlement of this award. MIR. Rich
ardson explained that be had complies
with all the requirements of the law an,