The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-10
THE CONTRACT LET.
The American Dredging Company to
Do the Work.
CHANNEL FOR BIGGEST VESSELS,
Thirty thousand Dollars was Saved TO
the Government by the secretary
Of War Advertising for Bids
Instead OF Letting Contract
as Authorized. - Elec'
tric Car Mail service.

WASHINGTON. August 9-speciaL-
The contract for The work OF widening
and deepening the channel Of Elizabeth
river at Norfolk has been awarded 10
the American Dredging Company or
Philadelphia. whose bid OF "A 1-2 cents
per cubic yard was the lowest. other
bids were made as follows. George
Leary. New York. j. $40. virginia
Dredging Company. Richmond, - 1-l0;
j.. Sanford Ross. Jersey city N. j.,
IA 81. Baltimore Dred sing Company
Baltimore. l5 4-l0. A channel $50 feet
wide and IS feet deep al mean low water
is 10 Doe completed by November 90. ls9s
and tine work is 90 DE completed June
800. lss. This work Will cost about S3-3,-
O.O
Some sharp criticism has been INDUCED
in iu The Virginia and Washington press
recently concerning the Advertisement
for bids
TIE ORIGINAL MEASURE
The original measure ass introduced in
Congress required that % channe. large
enough for ships to pass should be re1dy
iu thirty days. and the entire work CONF
picted iu three months.
CHANCES IN TIE LAW.
The critics OF The Engineer Department
OF the government were probably not
aware that the resolution underwent
certain changes before lt became O. law,
the time limit being eliminated and
when signed by the President 10 read as
follows:
Improvement OF Elizabeth river. Tho
Secretary or war bee, and he Is hereby
authorized and directed 60 proceed Inn
mcd.ately TO cause the channel of Eliz-
abcth river from Hampton roads TO the
United states Navy Yard near Norfolk.
Va. tO DO improved. widened ana deep
encd to width of not less than $50 feet
and to a depth of tWenty-eight feet
opening frst FL channel one hundred and
nfty feet wide. so as t1 ldmi- o. The
Norfolk Navy Yard tho largest vessels
in the navy, and thereafter as soon as
possible, completing the said channel %
the fun widtl OF 80 feet aforesaid. The
said work may be lct under contract ai-
ter "a ten days advertisement for bids.
or in the discretion of the Secretary of
War without amy advertisement. And
for the purposes aforesaid the sum of
$4,000 or as much thereof as may be
necessary is hereby appropriated TO con-
tinue available during the fiscal year
lS99'
WHY ADVERTISED.
The bin was passed as q war measure.
but the great urgency was much lessen-
ed by the practical destruction of Spain's
navy and conforming 10 the policy of the
government Co always secure bids when
possible. the Secretary OF War availed
himself Of the privilege accorded in the
Jaw. The arbitrary time Limit having
been eliminated from the bin ho secured
much more favorable bids by fixing
later date for the completion OF the
work. The proposal of the American
Company when tho matter was first un-
der discuss ION was tO do the work. for
l6 ccnts-L e., 10 complete the improve
ment iu ninety days. Their bid under the
advertisement was 14 l-2 cents. Or net
saving of $ao.eo0 TO the government
Had the Secretary decided 90 Jet the
contract without advertisement after the
turn affairs took in the war with Spain
he would have laid himself open %
charges Of gross negligence In protecting
the government
OTHERS WANT 1T.
However much the people of Richmond
nay wish TO secure quicker mail service
by the utilization Of the street cars. some
difficulty Will now be found in having
10 established ou account Of IL recent
action OF the Common Council. / was
told Yesterday In the office of the Second
Assistant POstmaster-Gcnerll that re-
solution I'm opposition 10 the proposed
improvement had been adopted by the
Richmond City Council and transmitted
TO the Department The resolution
stated IL was understood that move
was ON foot to carry the mails on the
cars and requested that nothing be done
In the matter.
was told that the demand for this
service on the part of cities was SO great
and the appropriation so small that It
was seldom established unless the De-
partment felt that it would receive the
hearty cooperation Of tho municipal au-
thouues.
RATIONS FOR CUBANs
The Adiutant-General has issued gem
oral orders designed 20 introduce uni
formity i'm the work Of rationins the en-
listed men.
The ration for ISSUE to troops Of the
Cuban army Will consist of the follow
ing articles: To each ration eight ounces
OF bacon and twelve ounces of flour or
sixteen ounces of corn meal. To each
100 rations the following: Six pounds
green COMFEf A|H lANlANAr aLhll lMU
quarts vinegar; four pounds salt; four
ounces pepper. and four pounds OF SOAP
RICHMOND OK POTOMAC
An amusing blunder appears I'm Nc
Clurc's Magazine for August. and some
humorous comments have been made
here on the marvellous eyesight of the
man responsible for the error. on page
$50. at the beginning of the last of Mr.
G. 4. Dana's "reminiscences of the Civil
War. IS a picture Of Richmond giving a
view Of the city after II had been burned
Quite "A number of these pictures have
been printed. and nearly al have been
views from the James river The pecu-
liarity OF the Mcclure Illustration is that
IL is described as ''View from the Po-
tomac River"
PERdONAL.
The following are among the visitors to
the city;
Metropolitan-Mr. and Mrs. +. S Val
entne, Miss F. Tyler r. Carter Scott.
Richmond: u. r. Covers. Hampton. a.
y. Wright
ST. James-C. J. Billups, p. A. Blenner
and wife. Richmond; Il. w. Carpenter
and daughter Amherst
4 new po7,oaice has been established
az BdSon. Halifax county, Va, With
kliShs IL Crews pOstmaster