Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-17
COL. CUTSHAW TALKS
EXPLAINS no THE STREET COM
MITTEE WORK OF HIS OFFICE.
REALLY NEEDS ANOTHER ENGINEER.
saws Ills Department Was Not Given
That Fult and Free InvcstIgatton
which should Have Been Given II
water at the Penitentiary.

CIV hNbtHN'i y ohiNe, Win a view or re-
porting 10 the Council upon the ordl-
names and resolutions Of the Retrcnch-
m,nt and Reform Committee. which had
been appropriately referred thereto. There
was "a long-winded discussion over office
hours the designation OF the Engineers
assistants. &C. There were present Chair
man Allen and Messrs. Bahen. Burton.
Carter, Ebel, John J. and John NJ. King.
Lawder. Pollock. and Woody.
Tho body first heard from the CITY Engl-
uccr relative to the work OF his Office
and his views regarding the measures
sroken Of. and he made a most ex-
hausuve statement. showing in brief what
his department had accomplished since his
connection Herewith. covering a period
Of twenty-thrce years. and showing that
the work had steadily increased, and that
the regular force had remained as il
stood in 1873. Colonel Cutshaw was very
emphatic in the expression OF his opinion
qs Oh the fixing OF the Office hours for his
lanartmcut differently from those Of the
other municipal departments He declared
that 20 had not been given that fun and
free investigation that should have been
given d.
COLONEL CUTSHAW'S STATEMENT.
This IS the statement submitted by
Colonel Cutshaw In behalf Of the En-
cheering Department;
To the Chairman and Members Of the
Committee on Streets:
Ccrtlemcn.-We herewith beg leave 10
present briefly our views upon the COR
dnance concerning the Department Of
tho Engineer OF the City and Streets
ard ask that you will discuss IL thorough
ly with MS, so that you may fully under
stand how our department viii be affect
eli when you shall have concluded your
recommendation 20 be made 10 the Coun-
eli.
First. Section 3. chapter IS, City Or
nancos. saws: "Tle Engineer shall per-
sonaliy attend at his Office portion Of
each day. except when leave OF absence
may be granted him by the Committee
on Streets. generally; and mis- Office shall
De omen for the transaction of business
from in the morning until IN the af-
ternoon. from the LIST day OF April TO the
LIST day of October. and from 9 in the
morning until i'm the afternoon during
the rest of.the year"
The proposed ordinance says: "The
oflce-hours of the City Engineer and the
assistants In his department be, and are
hereby. fixed to be from . a. NJ. TO 6
p. H."
WOULD REALLY MEAN 10 CHANGE.
We do not see why the meaning and
intention Of the present ordinance should
be changed, even II the hours are eX-
tended No one except the Clerk is ex-
pected 20 be constantly In the Office. for
The Engineer, and especially the assist
ants have duties outside. as well as in
the office. AS a matter OF fact, the Of
fee is now. and has been for more than
twenty-three years. voluntarily open un-
til J.. NJ. because of our press Of
work.
II this extension OF hours should be
applied to us, common fairness acquires
that IL shall apply 10 all other city Of
fcers and persons who now work from
90 Q. say. or from 10 Z.
Second. Section 3. chapter So, City Or
dinanccs. says: "The Engineer Of the
city shall, by himself, or by his assist
ants. for whom ne shall be responsible.
make all such surveys. plans, and esti-
mates as may be required Of him by the
city Council or either branch thereof,
the Committee on Streets generally. or
any committee Of the City Council"
''He shall also be the architect and
draughtsman Of the city. and. I'm respect
10 buildings and other Improvements.
make such plans. specifications. and es-
Inmates as the City Council may require.
and do in relation thereto whatever else
q may direct"
Section 3. chapter %: "City Engineer.
superintendent OF Grounds and Build
ings."
Section Is, chapter co: Getty Engineer
TO examine and report upon buildings TO
Police Justice"
Section 4. chapter IS: CITY Engineer
Engineer James River QIarboD Improve
ment"
Section !, chapter &c: city Surveyor"
THE LANGUAGE a REFLECTION.
The proposed ordinance says:
The Engineer OF the city and the as
sistants in his department shall devote
their time 10 the affairs Of the city, and
are hereby prohibited from engaging in
any outside work"
The language here used though proba-
bly, not so intended. is rather reflec-
ton on our office. We feel sure that
those who are familiar with all our work
can testify 10 our devoting more than
the citys time to the affairs Of the city.
Where private surveys have been made
outside Of city hours they are provided
lor in City Ordinances, section /, chapter,
THE COUNCILS POWER.
We DO not believe that the Council has
anything 10 DO with any officers time, or
with what he shall engage in after city
hours otherwise the Mayor. City Attor-
nCy. President Board Of Health, Physi-
clan at Almshouse; physicians TO the
poor. Superintendent Public Schools,
Coroner. Clerk 10 Auditor. Harbormaster.
and others would be prohibited from
engaging IN outside work. We see no
objection 10 an ordinance providing that
no city officer or employee shah engage
IN any private work during city hours,
but Il should be made to apply TO all,
and not simply 10 as.
Third. The proposed ordinance says:
"The Committee on Streets shall, at
their second regular meeting I'm Janu-
airy. 1897, proceed with the appointment |
of three assistant engineers in the I'm
glneer Department who shall be de-
signatel as first assistant second as
slstant and third assistant. and they
shall perform all duties that may be
prescribed for them by the Engineer Of |
the city"
MANNER OF APPOINTMENT.
Sections and u, chapter Ss, City Ordi- |
nances. provide that the assistants and
clerk shall be appointed by the Engineer /
subject TO approval by Council in one /
case, and Committee on Streets IN the /
others.
The proposed ordinance would not APP /
ply az the end Of the present term, and we
DO not see why the appointments should 1
be made by the committee now. AS the |
Engineer Is made responsible for the as |
sistants and gives the bond Of the ONCE, |
il seems but fair that he should have Sc /
lection OF them al all times.
The ordinance can be framed 10 carry \
out The reduction Of force by simply say
ing:
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