The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-14
1C|T'Y ENGINEERS
OFFICE UNDER /: FIRE
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Spirited Debate Over Let
ting yWorkin Su-.
burbs to Contract.
SCORE WORK OF
DEPARTMENTS
president Peters Vigorous in
Charging That the Cost is
lixorbitant, and That
City Could Save Fifty
Per Cent. by Con-
tract System.

The recommendation Of the award Of :
contract for the survey, plating and II
other engineering work in the annexed
territory to local firm Of engineers.
instead OF having the work done by {
the Engineers Department ut nearly
double the amount Of tho bid. precipt-
tated a spirited debate at last nights
meeting of the Council, In which the
Engineers Department was severely
Ecorcd.
One member charged that the city T.
could save hundreds Of thousands OF
dollars by letting It's work by con-
tract rather than having It done by the
several departments as Is now. done.
Other members defended the Engineers
Department and still others commended
tho ability and character OF the sue
cessful bldders. One member declared
that great deal Of money was being
lost annually by not doing work BY |
contract and that politics was at the |
back OF It, Finally, the recornmenda-
tion OF the committee was adopted
There was some delay In getting
i, quorum, but when the session ffnaliy
opened there were twenty-six mem
hers in attendance. including h1essrs.
Atkinson. Barber, Bliley, Cary, Davis,
Don Leavy, FERGUSON, CARRIER, Gates,
~. A. Hobson. lynch. Mills. Miner,
Eeagle, Philips. Pollard. Pollock, Pow
n :
Williams. D. NJ. White, w. l. White
tand President Peters.
Mr.. Mills AIl,keH Report.
As soon as the presence OF quorum
g was announced Mr., Mills chairman Of
lthe Committee on Expenditures In the
ANNEXED Territory. called up the orr
,dinance marked IA recommending
the award of the contract for survey
Ing and plating the now territory at
their bid OF $10.600.
Mr.. Mills briefly explained that the
ccmmittee had secured specifications
of an iron clad character from the
City Engineers own specifications,
had advertised for and secured COM
Epe tasive8 bids. and u had recommended
the award OF the contract to tho low
est bidder, T. Crawford Redd g. Bro
a thoroughly competent engineering
firm, and an entirely reliable one.
The conditions Of the contract were
that the work was to be done under
the supervision OF the City Engineer.
and subject to his approval. Their bid
was about $4,000 leses than the City
Engineers department. He commended
the successful bidders and stated that
they would give a bond Of $4,000 for
the proper execution of the contract.
Hardly had Mr.. Mills resumed his
seat before a spirited contest over the
Recommendation OF the committee to
award the contract to firm by bid
Snstead OF to the engineers department
cnsued. continuing nearly an hour
Mr.. Mills stated In answer to ques-
lions that the estimate OF the engi-
t,ecr's department for the work was
s21,79O. and that the bid rec mmended
was nearly 5000 less than half that
estimated cost w
Mr.. Don Leavy objected to letting
She contract outside of the engineers
department He said the City Engi.
neer's department would have to cnl'
ploy an inspector. II am opposed te
letting this work at $4,000. for The
reason that 1t will cost 10000 moro
before It is finally completed"
at will hardly cost nearly s11,nOl
more than the amount bid" SUGGESTED
1T might cost that much moro I
Il I1one by the engineers department,
Clipped In President Peters.
Sneak for the nid,lcrx.
Mr.. Mills stated that the firm
n. C. Redd & Brother have probnp'.
done 90 per cent. OF the surveyin;
anne around Richmond IN tho las
twenty years. ~.
Mr.. Phillips, contractor, paid A1g
tribute to the ability and rel.ablllty 9
the t1rm Of T. c.. Redd & Brother, sla. .'.
ing that lie had done work for the y,
Engineers department ana LOT ,,,e,, r,eu
{. brother, and for nearly every wei wei
known engineer, and that he wou]
nncent their estimate as soon as n
anglnccr'a he knew. Flo advocated I'll
.,,,,ard az the contract to the ilrm an
Tho saving to the city.
Work Costing TOO Much. i,
Presiaefntt afnted ieah that the the discussion ha
al Hraught TO to light a thing that al oug, i,
to Know-that 1.-THE the %oph %Tepartments =, It's WI WI
uastirc undeir 'i'h tho people hundreds Of thou,
enaa"e eos1,nef "ef dol dollars more than It could /.
gotten done for u nnaef naeitv cotrfa1t or that II
tofdo Eaid Mr. II Peters ''This relabia, ,a,f IT +
ngrees to do this work orks fpr 1ennrtmen nrtI N
phat ,htars IS ana Meth that is Why tie Englneer
pepastmenta Is 1penpartment Dpnosftn N waits Wan to
ihn ,te work itself" he declared; ~, !.
tns s1r' W Don Leavy defended the he, Eng ~,
neers Departtm1lneant. t1lna .bers ag'',,as Vas somethr
ono a,,nnu ueIt ahout the statements that y n
heen made on the floor about lhe =
gineer's Department ta1Mnnts yero true, sor
we1e w @aae mH. Known. Know II the Engineers, !,
partment must Inspect ,ant thIs da WGrN ,t?" ask
not let that depart''ioNs "
nv f'fH the fasts sz statsd| sa|a as it, 70
lsngqqofers o,dan pspatt'tH ont and iAss We M aEe
eontendod, eo1ne nnI however that m Unjust
xvns sbeing done the department
5"Practically an army, Of young e " 4
neers have been retained TO q a 40 ;, y
Mii,k, MT1,S 50 ! have anae's'o0a' sA'4 =
stt''s' w. politics Hack Of Vt.
Mr., Cary declared that, IN his ha, pp,
1oaf 1oai by + not doing work hy contract, q
that politics was At the ,fsoI haHk els Ts 11n
reeftipn n,,nf n thn hhnph statemen .ne le'
a'Sn" NJ ri Richards stated, TINT he ],
oth'ng, 70 say but e