Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-20
HEAR THE ENGINEERS
COL CuTsHAw's ASSISTANTS Ex-
PLAIN DUTIES TO COMMITTEE.
gETRESCHNEST AND REFORM TALK.
what the Mryor ana Common
y,caIth's Attorney Have 20 Say
departments Can't Make Contracts
when they Have No Money.

No. 8 OF the City Hall last night. and
heard the testimony OF the City En-
e.reers assistants relative 10 the duties
of each. with a view OF ascertaining
whether or not any retrenching IS prac-
tcable. 50 far as reductions in force
and the lcngthening Of office hours are
concerned. Each man carefully ex-
planned what he had TO do. and II was
shown that all are engaged with the
city's business from o'clock in the
morning until c o'clock in the evening
as a rule. The general tendency Of the
evidence was 20 show that the force in
the Engineers Office is not now sufficient
20 properly attend TO the constantly in
creasiug volume Of work there.
After hearing all the witnesses the
committee adjourned without taking ac-
zion upon the retrenchment and reform
ordinances upon which 1t was working.
GETS TO WORK PROMPTLY.
The committee met promptly at s
o'clock and there We're present Chair
man Allen and Messrs. Bahen, Burton.
Carter. Ebel Foster. John j. and John
ST. King. Pollock, and Woody. As soon
as the minutes OF the last meeting had
been read the body called Mr.. S. T..
Bates. First Assistant Engineer, TO the
stand. and asked him regarding his duties
on behalf of the city He corroborated
what the City Engineer had said at the
previous meeting Of the committee re-
earding the general duties of the as
sistants in his office. Mr.. Bates stated
that TO explain the general character
of his work Il would only be necessary
20 tell what he had been engaged upon
during the past week. lie mentioned that
his special work i'm this time was
making the plans for the new colored
almshouse. consisting Of nineteen draw
ings. making plot for the colOred aims
house grounds, making plot of Mr. Con-
ner property, which Is 10 be exchanged
with the city, examination Of the roof
trusses Of the Armory of the First Vir-
ginia Regiment, examination Of the con-
demned building at the corner Of Seventh
and Byrd streets, and performing various
other pieces of work.
Mr.. Bates stated that his regular work
consisted If the care of parks grounds.
and buildings, and the architectural
work OF the department He was gene
rally engaged in attending TO his duties
from a. VI. until T. NJ, and explained
the cramped condition i'm the office OF
the Engineers now because Of the
work of the department.
MR.. BOTTOMS DUTIES.
Mr.. Jackson Bolton, Second-Assistant
Engineer. was next called. and gave an
exhaustive account Of his duties He
said that his work embraced repairs TO
streets. sewers, hands and carts. street
lines for building purposes, grades and
lines for extension Of street-car lines,
location Of telephone and telegraph-poles.
Mr. Bolton explained how much labor
and trouble each branch Of this work
ontailed He said he always reported for
duty II o'clock A. NJ, and seldom COM
pleted his work before TO $3.50
o'clock in the afternoon. While, as a
rule. he could finish his work by
o'clock. there would be days when this
could not be accomplished.
In reference to the statement that he
had gone 10 Charlottesville with Mr..
MAYNARD upon one occasion during the
time Of the city, and did some work
there. Mr.. Bolton said that he got leave
of absence from the City Engineer and
went 10 Charlottesville with Mr.. May
nard. whom he helped while there 70
make ND some estimates. The witness
added that ne had not received one cent
for this work and even paid his own
railroad and hotel expenses Mr.. Boil
ton said that Mr. Maynard and Mr..
Myers. both Of whom were familiar with
these facts. were present and would
speak for Themselves in this matter.
The committee held that there was nc
sort Of charge against Mr.. Bolton, and
that no further testimony was neces-
sary. but subsequently heard them, and
they entirely corrcborated what Mr. Boil
ton had said.
THE OTHER ASSISTANTS.
Third Assistant Engineer Frank T.
Bates was then placed on the stand. he
explained very cOmprehensively his du
ties saying that he conducted most Of
the correspondence of the office, KEPT
the pay-r0ls. gave information to the
public. and explained that the latter
work alonc-examining records. etc.-tooi
fully one third Of his time. \ vast dea
Of work performed by him each year was
I'm the compilation of figures for tho
annual reports Of the Street Department
Nr. Bates said that ne went 10 his Office
al A. NJ. and never left before $50 e
G.20 in the evening. He could not on al
average. finish his duties earlier than
o'clock.
.Do YOU ever do any outside work p
asked the chairman.
Il have done q great deal Of outsid
work. but Of late my own duties hav'
been so heavy that have not been abb
10 30 outside, except when some Of tn
others were absent, for one cause or an
other" was Mr. Bates's reply.
The next witness was Mr. =. =. Talia
ferro the Fourth Assistant Engineer
who explained that his work was givin
lines. grades etc; making plans an
drawing specifications for street i'm
movements OF all kinds. His specia
duty was the charge OF what was cale
the new work He added that he Away
cot 10 the office al 9 A. NJ, and was
mile M work for the city from tina
time tin O'Clock i'm the evening. He di
not think A. could be possible for IN
work OF the Engineers office TO be don
between the hours Of 9 A. NJ. and T.
with the present force.
OTHER MEN ARE HEARD.
The committee heard the statements o
nfessrs John II. Gardner ID. e. Grad
5ocl. q. III. Toots. the Superintendent o
Hands and Carts. and A. p. McGhet
sewer Foreman. Many questions wer
asked. with q view Of ascertalning
ANN economy could be brought about i
tho lines Of work under the charge o
these men. -
From the line Of inquiry in the cas-
Of the Superintendent Of HANDS an
Carts. il was plain that members OF IN
committee were anxious TO change IN
civ into two, instead OF three, districts
and nave only two superintendent ~
witnesses testified that this could not D
done 20 advantage. -,
Some members Of the commlttee-M
j. j.. King, especially-thought that IN
city could also dispense with the service
Of the Sewer Foreman, as one OF IN
sewer