The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-08
Would Help Citizens.

Mr.. FERGUSON, while Joining heartily
In the resolution not to sell any more
Il sand after Mr.. Sloan's contract is per-
& formed. still holds that he cannot SEQ
the impropriety OF allowing sand to be
sold TO persons In the East End. so that
they will not be required to haul 1t from
the Tredcgar and other points far up
the river.
Mr.. Gilman takes practically&t he same;
view. Colonel Cutshaw, on the other
hand, while believing the committee act
ed according to their best Judgment.
S contends that there should be a fixed
policy in the committee and that this
policy should be rgidly followed.
He is opposed first to the osale Of
any sand to any one, and secondly. If
sold. he holds 1t should only be after.
competitive bids are called for.
* Not City's Business.
IIe does not think the city should be
called upon to look out for sand FAM
ines among the citizens any more than
! to undertake to supply lumber. iron or
& other building materials In case of scar
city Colonel Cutshaw is also of opin-
ion that there Is too much speculation
in the sand sold by the city, and
s gentleman was present the other night
to testify that It went through the hands
OF as many rs three dealers before It
reaches the consumer. but the witness
for some reason was not introduced.
Bnt. above all this. the engineer be-
lIevcs when the city Is maintaining an
expensive dredging plant to improve the
harbor. It should be kept at work pump
ing sand to fill up the flats along the
river, thereby improving the streets while
deepening the harbor
Mr.. Funsten's View.
e Mr. o. Fl. Funstcn, one of the mem
bers of the committee who did not at
! tend the meeting on the river, and on
whose molten Colonel Cutshaw's policy.
4 was adopted the other night. Is heartily
In favor Of keeping the dredge at work
in the harbor with the purpose of pump
ing the sand into the streets and flats
along the shore. He says the time Is
so short at best, owing to weather con-
ditons, when the work can be prosecuted
that It should be pushed during the
summer months.
Mr.. Funstcn. with the other members,
believes In the city living UP to its con-
tract with Mr.. Sloan, but he regrets that
It was made.
There is another effect Of the con-
tract. Some important work had been
started in the way of repairs to the
dredge and now 1t has TO be postponed
so ms to pump the sand into Mr.. Soan's
basin In order that the quantity he gets
from behind the gas works may be
mnimized.
Without Insurance.
In order to get Insurance or the dredrc
the manholes had to be made to con-
form to certain regulations, and this
work had started under Colonel Cut.
shaw's directions.
1t will now be postponed and until
Mr.. soan's basin Is filled. tho plant will
be operated entirely without insurance.
The price paid for tho sand this year
Is ten cents per cubic yard. whereas on
competitive bids last year 1t brought
sixteen cents.
Mr. Sloan has already gotten about 5000
cubic yards of sand andais entitled un-
der the contract to 5,000amore
Colonel Cutshaw thinks tho pumping
of Mr., Sloans sand will delay the city
improvements at least two months
Says He Lost Money.
Mr. Sloan, In discussing tho matter
last night, said
Colonel Cutshaw said that ho had
been told that this sand sold by the city
was speculated upon, and that ms many
as three dealers made a profit on It.
] do not see how that can be. when
sell direct to the consumer. The sand Is
used. as all know, by builders In the
construction Of houses. and It Is as much
to the benefit of tho city to build resi-
dences and increase values In general
as to utilize this sand In the proposed
Improvement of streets.
'While ] do not think Colonel Cut
shaw intended any reflection upon mo-
as i am conducting u legitimate busr-
ness on business basis, yet must
say / hardly like tho manner In which
he expressed himself
'"rhe sand business is like all other
businesses, one loses some years and
makes in others. AS matter OF fact,
II lost money on my city contract last