The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-06
HOLDING UP OF
SEWER ROLLS
City Auditor S Contention That Office
observer Foreman Was Abolished.
ENGINEERS OFFICE DENIES IT.
Comp.Iaflon from Council Records to
Show That Attempt to DO Away
With the Position Failed-Thc
City Attorneys Opinion.

/ pTecipitate1 IN munlclpdl tlltiSS pF e''
refusal Of City Auditor Warren to pay
certain sewer warrants wherein the name
! OF A. r. McGhee appears as foreman.
Sewer warrants or pay rolls are audlteo
and Maid every two weeks and those That
| have Deen h. ID up viii average about $40
| fortulehtlv The first payment refused
/ was for the pefiod from June i6;h TO 9th.
| Each successive roll has been held up. so
/ that now about $500 has Accumulated
representing the wages Of the force, IN
! cludiAs the foreman The men are SIN
shy in the matter Of wages and the
deprivation has. IL is said. embarrassed
I them considerably
! THE AUDITORS CONTENTION.
/ THE action of the Auditor is based on
/ the contention that the Office OF sewer
foreman was abolished by the Retrench-
! ment and Reform Committee several years
ago. He refuses not only TO pay the
/ amount Of the foreman's salary but hoius
! up the wages Of the entire number OF
| those other workmen. OabOrers) employed
4 under him. However, he Is not aullo-
RED Co divide the roll. and in order to
/ avoid paying he foreman, Il is necessary
/ to refuse TO pay the entire OIL
/ The Engineers Department contends
( that the position of sewer foreman has
am ordinance was framed for the purpose
I NJ doing away with the office. but the
r,rord, show that the proposition was
efcated after II had been considered In
! regular order by the Committee on Re-
/ trenchmcnt an ReformA the Street Com
/ mitfee the Common Council the Board
/ Of Aldermen ANA finally again by the Re
/ trcrchment ana Reform Committee
WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW.
! The Engineers Office has compiled from
| the municipal records a statement tracing
! the legi ladon bearing on the place OF
sewer foreman.
! At the outset the record Of the ReTench-
| ment and Reform Committee Is quoted as
| fol ows: Report of The Subcommittee
| of Retreuchment and Reform August 20
1876: Section THAT the services OF the
/ sewer foreman BE- dispensed with. ana
! that The duties of the office Of sewer fore
| man be made a part of the duties OF one
| Of the corps Of city engineers on mo
| ton Of MI Jones, adopted
From Council journal September = 1895:
| zone hundred copies Of the report Of the
| Retrenc hment and Reform Committee Or
/ dered 10 be printed for distribution 70 the
/ members Of Council"
From Council journal october .. 1896:
! Mr. ROuntree moved that the Fourth
/ section be amended by Inserting after the
/ word foreman the following. in addition
I o. his other duties The iao,ion was
/ adopted The ordinance as amended was
adopted"
THE BOARDS ACTION.
From records Of the Board OF Alder
men. October g. 1906: '"Mr King moved
| the resolution on ordinances as adopted
| by the Common Council october 6, 1896.
| De laid on the table until the Committee
| on Retrenchment and Reform snail have
| made a complete report. Adopted.
November .. 1896: Mr.. Cutchlus moved
! 10 refer all ordinances to the Retrench-
| ment and Reform Committee for report on
i Streets. Water. Gas Health, Grounds and
Buildings. etc. Adopted"
December j.. 1896: "Oriinances Of Re
| trenchment and Reform Committee. OH
motion Of Mr.. Carter was referred TO the
| Committee on Streets
on December D. 1896. the ordinance was
considered by the Street Committee: ION
motion Of Mr.. Carter the subject was
referred TO "a special committee OF three
Messrs Carter Foster and King
NECESs rY FOR FOREMAN.
February 3 1897 the special committee
made the following report: I'VE do not see
how a sewer forem4n can be dispensed
with any more than a foreman of pipe
layers i'm the other departments Of the
city. This foreman is required to be on
hand to call his gang together TO make
repairs when reported just as the pipe
layers 30: his regular and constant duties
are 10 make the pipe connections from the
main sewers 80 the curb line and 10 in
spect sewer material as 70 Is brought 10 the
ground. where mis- work goes on. When
several large sewers are being built az
the same time we need "a man for each
IN inspect the material and work, and we
then put on a temporary Inspector Tor
each. the same as every other city does.
Although an assistant goes TO all this
work to give lines, grades and directions
and to measure up the work, u is lmpos
sible for him 10 su ervise the work IN
such a manner as 10 prevent bad material
or construction. or both, so that some one
Is needed on the work constantly 70 see
ga this. We believe 10 is 20 the citys in
ierest 20 retain sewer foreman
February q. 1897. the Street Committee
returned the ordinance 10 the Board or
Aldermen with the recommendation that
the sewer foreman be retained.
on MAY 9. 1897. the ordinances were re
ferred 10 the Retrenchment and Reform
Committee.
THE SECTION STRICKEN OUT.
From record Of the Committee on Re
trenchment and Reform. April = ls9l;
Section T. Of The ordinance. as follows
was then read: The Engineer shan desig
nate one of the assistant engineers IN his
department 10 perform the duties OF the
position Of sewer foreman, In addition 10
hts other duties. and the sewer foreman
now employed shall no longer be engaged
10 perform the duties Of said position
NJ Toras moved that section T. as con-
tanned In the ordinance be stricken out
The motion was adopted by the following
vote: Ayes-Messrs HARRISON. Jones'
King Zimmerman and Allen; Noes
Nessrs. Noble and Rountree. Mr.. Har
reisOn moved that the following be adopt
Cd as section g. Of said ordinance; The
Engineer Of the city shall designate an
assistant engineer in his department.
whenever necessary. 10 superintend and
inspect the construction or repair OF
sewers The motion was adopted.
THE PRESENT LAW.
Aprll y. 1891. the Board Of Aldermen re-
ceved the report Of the Retrenchment ana
Reform Committee on the ordinance. and
ON May 3 1897, the ordinance was adopted
and Is as follows;
IAN ordinance concerning the street de-
partment (became a law June %, lSD;
BE II ordained by the Council Of the
City Of Richmond
CO.
90
"s-The Engineer Of thecity shall desig-
nate an assistant engineer In his depart
ment whenever necessary. 70 superlntend
ana inspect the construction or repair of
sewers.
All ordinances or parts Of orai-
a