The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-22
MANY THOUSANDS
FOR IMPROVEMENT
Contracts Given Out for Work on tho
City Streets.
BIDDERS WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL
Col. Cutshaw Reports His Brick Test.
Recommends the Goods Of Three
Manufacturers The Finance
Committe to Meet Tonight.

The Street Committee, at its special
meeting yesterday afternoon. gave ont
| contracts for a great deal Of street work.
and the city Engineer was urged TO push
it to completion as rapidly as possible.
| This work includes the laying Of side
walks. grading and paving of alleys con-
struction Of street basins and also Of a
great number of sewers. the work
amounting in all to many thousands Of
dollars.
The committee met soon after 5'o'clock'
with Major Otway s. Allen presiding, and
present Messrs. King. Gibson, Whittet,
Woody. Burton, Peters, Bahen and Law
der.
The meeting was called for the purpose
Of giving out contracts for the large
amount Of. street Improvement recently
ordered by the Council and approved by
the Mayor. the same having been printed
in fun in The Times.
TEST OF BRICKS.
Before going into the question Of award
ing contracts. the city Engineer read
10 the committee his report of the tests
made by him OF the various kinds Of
bricks manufactured here. the tests hay
inc been made at the request OF the
committee. in order 10 ascertain what
kinds Of brick weqe suitable for use in
city work, mainly the construction OF
sewers.
After stating in detail the severe tests
which had been made under the direction
Of Messrs. Bolton and Bates. Colonel Cut
shaw thus concludes:
while AN these bricks can be improved
I'm their manufacture. most OF them need
correction Of defects before We should
Use them in sewers and sidewalks. The
bricks Of Burton q Bass, Mann, and
Maynard. are recommended for all uses.
The bicks Of Balm and Thomas * Gibson
are recommended fOr all uses AS soon
as they can DO shown satisfactory inside
structure. better burning. and a mini
mum Of surface cracks. The bricks Of
Ready. Davis. and Westwood are recon-
mcndcd now for street iulets. ordinary
stacks. and general purposes, but should
Dee brought 90 a better standard before
we can recommend them for sewers and
sidewalks"
Iu consideration with the above recon-
meudations. Colonel Cutshaw submitted
"a table. showing the qualities of the va
rious bricks named. and the thorough
tc-, 10 which they had been subjorted.
CONIltACIN AN AltbEb
After a full explanation by the city
Engineer. n a long discussion of the
report. the bids were opened. and the
contracts were awarded as follows:
Brick work on the Fifth-street sewer
10 G.. e.. Burton. with the u'oviso that
Burton * Bass or Maynard 81 Mann brick
should zoe used.
Excavation work on the Fifth-street
sewer to the lowest bidder, Mr.. A. a.
Chapman.
The committee increased the bond re-
quired for this last-named work 10 5000
Tine contract for the Eleventh-street
sewer was awarded 10 Mr.. w. T.. Fnetch-
or: for the Graham-street sewer % Mr..
j.. A. Guide; for street basins TO Mr.. G. @.
Burton.
Bids for all the other work were re-
ferred to the City Engineer. with instruc-
lions 20 figure ont i'm every instance the
lowest bidder and award the contract
accordingly. with attention 90 the bonds,
SO that i'm each instance sufficient secur-
itv shall be required.
The city Engineer was also instructed
10 push the street work forward as much
as possible.