Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-25
OUR CITY ENGINEER.
ms DUTIES AND THE WORKINGS
OF MS orrrcE DISCUSSED.
The subcommittee Takes rp This
subject and colonel Cutsbaw Ex-
plsfas in Detail How HIS Depart-
/. mcnt IL Conducted.

pose OF looking INTO the WORKINGS Oh ihe
various departments OF the city govern
ment. The Subcommittee. which was
given the examination of the Health De
partmcnt, and that OF the City Engineer.
was the first one TO take the matter up.
II met last evening In Room No. II Of the
City Hall, with the following members
present: Messrs J. j. King (chairman).
Ebci, and HARRISON. Mr. starke was the
only absentee.
Colonel w. E Cutshaw. the City En-
Yineer, appeared before the body and
made detailed statement as 10 the work.
sng OF his department.
The Engineers Department, ne said.
comprises the Engineer, four assistants,
and one clerk. There is also another as
sistant, temporarily employed by action
OF the City Council TO compile the pro-
perry records and prepare maps Of all
the sewers existing in the city. Besides
there are three managers OF the hands In
the three districts sewer foreman.
blacksmith and help, a wheelwright, and
q Waterman at the city stables. This
IS the same force which formed the de-
partment twenty years ago. with the ex-
ception that there Is now one manager
less. when Colonel Cutshaw entered the
department. In 1875, there was also
stable niaiH ger. but in 1874 the duties OF
that position were conferred upon one OF
the district managers of the hands and
carts The present force is practically
the same as II was twenty years ago.
Messrs. f. S. and Frank T. Bates. s. H.
Jacobs; the clerk. and the three man
agors--J. n. Gardner d. F. Craddock and
G. II Toot--have been connected with the
department ever since.
THE TERRITORY ENLARGED.
The territory has recently been en-
1arged. Colonel Cutshaw continued, by the
addition OF Lee District. and the work
OF engineering IN the city has been very
much Increased In fixing the grades Of
streets laying out railroads. etc. During
the past twenty-tbree years the demands
made on the department have multiplied,
nut the Office has endeavored 10 keep up
with the same. II the force was TO be
reduced, II would be difficult to say where
the curtaillng should be done. The en-
gineer who is temporarily employed has al
ready completed five or six sewer maps and
the others have been outlined. There will
be perhaps fourteen In all, and they Will
be printed and copies OF them furnished
TO the various departments while the others
viii be sold to those who are interestec
in city property.
The city OF Baltimore has within the
past six months completed its Topographic
cal survey at an outlay OF S125.0O0. while
this work In this city has been far less
expensive. There is no regular sewer sys-
TEN in Baltimore. and the city will be
compelled to expend from five to ten mil
lions OF dollars during the next ten years
for the introduction OF sewer system.
After these sewer maps have been com
pleted. the property maps viii be made,
especially those OF the public parks
a ho nd apfo NJ ho cff H.
vded off into three districts. The men UP
10 about Ave years ago received n.25 per
day. but since then they are paid $3.50 per
day. This is somewhat more than what
is paid by individuals, but city en-
pioyes should justly be paid a little high
er. The men work ten hours per day.
and Il Is In the interest OF the city TO
have a manager for each of the three dis
tricts.
Colonel Cutshaw agreed with Mr.. King
that the city mules were often too slow
in their movements but he thought that
evil was difficult TO remedy.
THE WORK on SEWERS.
The sewer foreman supervises the work
OF constructing sewers under contract
and also repairs, continued Colonel Cut
shaw In his statement. and the expense OF
employing him Is charged up to the
costs of the sewer. The blacksmith and
helper shoe the mules, while the wheel
wright repairs the carts or makes new
ones when his time is not otherwise oc-
cupied. He is paid by the day and the
material necessary is furnished him.
luton under which the men are paid for
each day on which they have reported at
the stable, whether they go TO work or
not. on account of rainy weather.
Colonel Cutshaw stated that neither the
duties of the engineer nor of his assist
ants are strictly confined TO engineering,
10 the execution OF street improvements,
and construction OF sewers. The City
1Englneer is required to look also after the
public parks. the superintendent of which
he 81. He is also the architect OF the city,
and since about two years ago the en-
gineer Of James-river improvements. Be
fore that time the last-named position
was held by Major Whitcomb. and the
city paid him s2.ioo annually for his ser
vices. while he drew a like salary from
the United States Government.
The City Engineer Is further directed
60 do what the other branch OF the Coun-
ell or any Council committee may re-
quire. Under this provision the City
Engineer has built the new pump house
and the new reservoir. has made the de-
signs for the laying OF the new gas
mains, also OF the trestle at the Lower
gas-works, over which the co2l-cars en-
ter the yard. He has also made the plans
md supervised the construction of a
nsmber of school buildings has made
she plans and constructed two market
houses. and under the Fire Committee
drawn the designs for three or four en-
g.ne-houses, before that matter was
turned over 70 the Board OF Fire Com.
missione-s.
HIS WORK ON BUILDINGS.
The City Engineer built the new City
Hall, took down the church that stood
or It's site and rebuilt the same, made
the designs for four armorles and bull
i've. ia all. some twenty-odd buildings
besides the City Hail. were constructed
under the supervision OF the City En-
ctneer which represent a value Of about
$4,000. The force OF the ofIics has never
been increased. but the ssl2Sios have, as
the work increased. The city ordinance
provides that the office shall be oper
from A. NJ. 10 p ~ IN winter, and
from $50 A. NJ. until 3 y. NJ In sum
meT but the officers never leave until
p NJ, or later. Under the ordinance
they have right TO do private worl
after Office hours.
Besides looking after the perks, IN,
City Engineer also supervises the nursery
near the new reservoir. comprising abou
ten and one-half acres OF land. IL con
tains at present about 10000 OF all sort.
OF forest trees. which are to be plantet
in the streets Of the city. or IN the pub
lie parks. Last year about 500 trees were
planted az an expense OF not quite 500
this year Il Is proposed 10 plant be
tween $500 and 1000 trees. They are 4e
ous In streets wherever property-owner
desire them, and all the latter have 4
DO Is 10 place boxes around the trees fo
their protection.
The three district managers then ap
peared before the committee and ex
plained IN detail the working OF the hand
and carts. The committee then went int