Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-07
TRYING TO RETRENCH
~ovN,rrEE LOOKS INTO THE
rNc,NEER's DEPARTMENT.
N GROUNDS AND BUILDINGS
Interesting Session Held Last
,,aht-Armory J"nitor Retained
-, ,o curtaIi Expenses Of the
v..t,h Forcc-Other Business.


,..r. important meetings Of the sub-com-
,,,,teo a. the Committee on Reirench-
,,fat and Reform. appointed 10 look INTO
,,o affairs OF the office OF the City In
..resr. OF the Grounds and Buildings
committee. and OF the Sub-Commit7
t,. on Health. 90 which was assigned
.s. dutv II ascertainiug u the e, penses
,.this department could not be reduced.
rbe fr.t session held was that Ct the
7,etrerchn.cnt and Reform. sub-cOmnit-
ice 40 t llch every member II the city
Ercnecrs corps OF assistants was Ques-
tones az length as 10 The nature Of his
t,grs. the number OF hours he eiyes
80 tho city and the amount Of salary
received. There were present at this
meeting Chairman King ana Mossrs. Ebel
and Harrt son. Of the committee. The
nrst Hoer Of the department called in
was Nr y. S. Bates. First Assistant
-ne'ustG who was interrogated in &C.
c1rlanca with tho line aforementioned.
Sir Bates explained that he was in
charge or the grounds and buildings and
III improvements connected sws,itih them eTa
mics. "and have also to answer to calls
fr1m lho various committees for intorma-
ZION upon almost every line. our office
hours are from A. NJ. TO Il. NJ, in
r.umcr and from a. NJ. TO =. NJ. In
winter but we never specially regard the
office hours. but frequently work late.
Tla office ls always open T. 4. NJ. Ny
main work this year was me sIattin 9i
tle work on the new RNndOlph-stfeet
school building, Work on parks, drawing
lr Il contracts. am doing general once
Work las Colonel Cutshw may direct.
time rs been fully occupied. / also
have TO DO Vlrk on ne streets When
lr.s are contested. streets or alleys to be
opened etc. here 10 Is necessary TO
reach the records and make surveys.
several matters have to be held over
1sionally for the lack Of time.
ID nave also given lines 10 private lots.
tut ID is g. small matter. / have cone IL
ll three instances during the past SIX
months but 90 was done after oihce hours.
in dM not bring me more than ~. ms
work was started on account OF the aD-
gence OF city surveyor. My salary ls
81 s1o a year and 1 furnish my own buggy.
ln 1873 we had the same force ia the
M Fqtes suggested 10 the committee
70 10 around with him some day On order
40 ascertain what cOmpOses day WOfk
WIN Sim he stated that ne took charge
81 the huldiu. OF the New reservoir, New
pufnp-houae, schOOi-hOuses, the transfer
b. ife church and the City-Hall work
CITY-HALL VENTILATORS.
when questioned Bog Mr. Ebel Mr.. Bates
exnlalrod that th- ventilators In the
INV Hail were constructed on the exhaust
Fyatem a. owned his horse ana buggy
thew were kept at The city stables,
where bis horse was fed by the city.
IT. Jackson Bolton vas next called IN
81 am second assistant engineer ne
taII Il have charge OF repairs, sewers,
hands and carts. and give all street
lines. ] come 10 the Office at 2 a. Al,
ana often earlier, and usually leave De-
49,, 4 FL u n and T. NJ Il have
Seen the mules In the department walk
sIIr sornetim mes. but have not seen the
rryrrs Sitting as " they were asleep
sly salary S. 81 so q year. and / lurnlsh
frv horse aud harness, while the city
flpplies the wagon. The horse IS also
II have been engaged in making sur
rers OF private lines, but the Work ala
not amount 10 much IN a year We neil
der seek this work nor ask Tor IL
have 10 DE in tie Office daily atter
O'Clock In the evening 10 see the managers
of tne teams IN res d 10 the work. ]
mink ar the managers are efficient. Ire
tarfg are supposed 10 take their dinner
between 10 and / o'clock, ana don
know that any Of them stay out longer.
think a. wise 20 have each manager
hold responsible for a district; i don
fh.1f u would be advisable 10 divide the
civ ir two districts only. ] have been
r1rre.t tea with the department since
larch lEe ] never have been connect
ei w,h any contract In the city or out
gfe I h given advice 10 contractor
lfout es..er work In Petersburg End
Charlottesville. I went there during the
Citys time but i had permission from
Colonel Cutshaw. have been called
upon rer satedly 70 do Wof& at night
time IN case Of emergency.
PAYNAsTER FOR THE DEPART
MENT.
Afr. Frank r. Bates was next called,
and exI .a.nel that his duties were rather
1ard o. define He said. i am paymas-
ter f- the entire department. j nave 10
attend 10 al the correspondence OF Colo
mel Cutshaw j have also all the work
20 10 preparatory TO the opening Of al
lcys which requires searching OF re-
cords. 4 assist IN calculating the wofk
~ construction. and about one third or
lay time is taken up bv waiting on the
public Az the end Of ne year / calcu-
laie an the work for the annual report.
My salary Is 81. 800 a year, and i receive
IS a month extra as clerk 20 the Commit
Tee on Grounds and Buildings
Mt J.. g. Taliaferro the fourth assist
INT engineer followed Mr. Bates, saying:
'My salary Is $3.50 year have
cha % - the new work, paving OF streets,
Curbiug. glttering, sidewalks. allows, and
The grading Of the Lee District He 500
t.at he Lad no regular Office hours. Dut
that HIS work usually lasted from 3 A.
81 fIl r.. N while he was offentimes
Kerr busy until II o'clock or later al
night lie hes his own horse and buggy.
igt The former is cared for az the city
stables. ut is necessary" said Mr. Tall
aferro. cor me 10 have a team, as / have
POI many instruments TO carry around
With me. have been connected with the
City Enf.neering Department since 1883
Mr. Baskerville. who is temporarily en-
p'oyed in the DEPARTMENT. stated thai his
office hours were from 10 3 and from 10
Z O'Clock daily and that his salary was
f'aI Z Qf this work
sxpislnei he Character Of az iabors say
ns fha. the sewer map Of the West-End
and the sections down 20 Seventh street
5a're absat another YEAR YEAR to finish the
NQrk. Sold Mr. Baskerville:
The sewers are located from the man
1 holes' ana .he sewers are then taken a6ee
ufchiitciu!al work on the new city nan
ana 7 have dr wn the plan FOR The How
i1fs AImo
THE CLERKS STATEMENT.
Mr Jacobs. the clerk OF the de-
ye4r 7 reach the oa.co about A. N. and
Tower leave before y 81. ! have all bills /
~ check attend % cOrrcspOA lcncc, issue /
.Nes'tlons ana give Information 70 the (
genera. public. ] receive also $50 per
ir.r a1 clerk Of the Street Committee.
ih4er al ordinance passed about eight or I
.N tsfs ago. ] have as much work as
t ANl anu HnNflliAtH niue DtA uiyi'' J
cyan work with the department In De- |
tember 1893
Mr IcGee. the foreman Of the sewer |
h.rf. gave the following informal ton. /
Ny Office hours are from A. NJ 10 5 /
T. 81. end often I have 20 work Sum |
.a}a N) salary ~ So month / have |
.o wa.ch ere work Of the contractors. Ny /
Time is fully occupied. I have from six I
to ten hands FOR rer8lr work. who are /
fHrulnrlY employed They receive 81 80 q
.iY have 20 make he sewer connec- /
I lns FOR tho new houses up 20 the curb /
line ! also supervise the putting In OF /
man-hOles"
Captain Foot. one OF the managers OF |
the hands and carts who Is la charge Of /
ihe stables blacksmith and wheciNright- /
fUnr. as.ltiraF tha uafura ~ his dulles