The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-17
CITY ENGINEERS OFFICE.
The Street Committee DeVoteS Hours
10 It's Consideration.
COL. CUTSHAW MAKES A STATEMENT,
Aud shows why Changes should Not BE
Made In His Dcpartinent-Ihe Mat
ter TlnniI, Postponed Until
Next Friday Night.


The Committee on Streets held lengthy
session last night and considered the or
dlnance recommended by the Cominl''ee
ON Hctrcnchmcnt and Reform. h%ins the
business hours OF the city ENGINEER d.
from A. NJ. 10 6 =. NJ; prohibiting the
said officials from engaging IN any Out
side work in the city's time ana as
,cnsing with the services OF one OF inc
assistants OF the city Engineer
Colonel Cutshaw appeared before inc
committee ana stated az iensth mum o"s
reasons why the proposed ch"hso SnOu,r
moi be made. When the city thslheoi
had concluded an Adjournment was '""0''
on account of the latencss OF '"v "'0''
mill next Friday night At o clock'
rhe committee met at O'CLOCK 'ha"
man otvay : Allen presiding an" '..~
following members present
CARER ebcl Pollock. burton, Jonn D.
KING Rahcn. Iawdcr. Woody ana Johh
NJ King. ,,r,Nt,N.,r
The business OF the evening va 49,.
once taken up and the commute
40 reconsider its determination 10 ."Ne
so ,he nortions Of the ordinance serlatlm'
ana det.rmined TO hear evidence j" t"'
&c as "a whole before taking action. 'o''
NJ - cutsbaw. the city Engineer 'heh
read fhe following statement ,so-
Richmond Va. Jan. --- IH''
70 tho chairman and Members OF the
Comiitee on streets. 49, TO-. 70
,-.sopt briefly our views upon the or
dioan,e concerning the Department ol ~,
,rng,ueer Of the city and streets ana
al that Won will discuss II thorouEhN
.,,,b us so that YOU may fully understand
,,o,, our department will be affected when
Won shall have concluded your recomIuch-
dalton 10 be made to the Council
Tirst-Section .. chapter ~ Ivy oiul-
rances saws "rhc Engineer snail per
sonally attend at his office a portion OF
zach day. except when leave OF absence
may be granted him by the commute
on Streets generally; and his once sh""
no omen for the transaction or business
from in the morning until IN the az
ternoon from the 1st day OF Apiil 10 me
Isl day Of October. and from IN the
morning until in the afternoon uuilhs
the rest of the year
The proposed ordinance says 'Ihe OIL
fee hours of tho City Engineer and the
assistants I'm his department be ana are
hereby fixed TO be from a. NJ. 10
y. NJ"
We do not see why the meaning and IN
tention of the present ordinance shouiu
ed No one except the clerk IS expected
10 be constantly in the office for the En-
eineer and especially the assistants have
duties outside as well as In the Office. As
a matter of fact the office is now and has
been for more than twenty-three years
voluntarily open till L. NJ. because OF
our press of work
IL this extension Of hours should he APP
piled to us. common fairness requires that
II shall apply 10 all other city officers and
persons who nov work from TO j. say
all from TO 4.
Second-Sec ion 4. chapter IS: City or
dinances s9y. The Engineer Of the city
shall by himself or by his assistants. FOR
whom Fe shall be responsible. make all
such surveys, plans. and estimates as
ma be required of him by the City Coun-
CT. or either branch thereof. the Commit
.ee on Streets generally. or any committee
of the city Council
He shall also be tho architect and
draughtsman of the city and i'm respect 10
buildings and other improvements make
such plans. specifications and estimates
as the City Council may require. and do
i'm relation thereto whatever else II may
direct"
Section ?. chapter % city Engineer.
Superintendent of Grounds and Build
ings."
Section Is. chapter 50. city Engine
10 examine anu I'poil hlbil phihiiSN ~
police Justice
Section 4. chapter IS: Getty Engineer
Engineer James River OIarbor) Improve
ment."
Section /, chapter 70. "City Surveyor"
The proposed ordinance says:
The Engineer OF the city and the as
sstants in his department shall devot
their time to the affairs Of the city. am
are hereby prohibited from engaging il
any outside work
The language here used. though prob
ably not sc intended, is rather reiiec
ton on our office. We feel sure tina
those who are familiar with all our wCrl
can testify 10 our devoting more thar
the city's time TO the affairs Of the city
Where private surveys have been mad
by some of our assistants they have bee
made outside of city hours and are pro
vided for in city ordinances. Section
chapter. 20.
outside Of city hours and are provided 70
i'm city ordinances, Section I. chapter. Il
THE COUNCILS POWER.
We do not believe that the Council Ia
anything TO do with any officers time, O
with what he shall engage in, after cit
hours otherwise the Mayor, city Attoi
ney, President Board of Health, physical
AT Almshouse physicians TO the poo
SuDtllIlltlNfHA UNIV f'hF'tFf
Clerk to Auditor IIarbormaster am
others would be prohibited from eneaa
ing in outside work. We see no objcciio
10 an ordinance providing that 10 cit
officer or employee shall engage In an
private work during city hours. but
should he made to apply TO all ana nc
simply TO us.
Third. The proposed ordinance says
THE Committee On Streets shall
their second regular meeting in Janudr.
1857. proceed with the appointment
three assistant cnsinor-s in the Engine
Department. who shall he designated
nrst assistant second assistant, and TIM
assistant, and they shall perform all az
ties that may be prescribed for them I
the Engineer OF the city.
Sections and Il. chapter =. city ora
nanccs provide that the assistants al
clerk shall be appointed by the Enginee
subject TO approval Dy Council In OF
case. ana Committee on Streets in u
others.
The pror osed ordinance would not al
NV at the end of the present term ma
do rot see why the appointments shOn
be made BY the Committee now. As Il
Engineer Is made responsible for the "A
.istants and gives the bond OF the OH
|, seems but fair that he should have $
lection OF them At all lines
The ordinance can be framed 10 carr
out the reduction OF force by simply sa