The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-17
HOLDING UP PAY
Of CONTRACTORS
No Money For Digging Broad
Street Conducts Until
Work Improves
TERMS OF PERMIT
NOT COMPLIED WITH
City Engineer Boiling Says Police
Should Prosecute Concern
For Scattering Dirt Over
Thoroughfare.

The pay Of the Mckay Engineering
Company, now engaged in digging
trenches on Broad street. has been
held up by Consulting Engineer z.
w. Trafford. because of the unsaIs-
factory quality Of their work. City
Engineer Boiling has received a letter
from Mr.. Trafford, in which the lat
ter states that he has informed the
engineering company that they need
not expect another cent in payment
for their work. until they have re-
stored the street surface to its former
condition.
Mr. Boiling is largely responsible
for this course OF action. Several days
ago he wrote to Mr.. Trafford, calling
his attention to the miserable state OF
affairs existing on Broad street as a
result OF the digging operations In
this letter Mr.. boiling declared hat
the work was not being done in ac-
cordance with the city regulations. or
according to the terms of the per-
init issued by him. In conclusion, he
stated that the engineering company
was not entitled go it's paw unless the
work done by it should be satisfactory.
Under no circumstances. wrote Mr..
Boiling. could he approve the work at
any stage that has progressed thus
far.
May Restore Street
Br. Boiling also wrote TO the Nc
Kay Engineering Company demanding
that they restore Broad street to its
former condition upon completing the
digging of an every section. He re-
minded them of the terms of their
permit, and warned them that they
had better see to 1t that the contrac-
tors to whom they have sublet the
work Of digging trenches are more
careful
In response to this communication
Mr.. Boiling receive da letter from the
Mckay concern, informing him that
the contractors knew that the present
condition of Broad street. where 1t is
supposed to have been restored =
would not be accepted. They realized,
they said. that the work would have
to be done all over again, and we're
satisfied that this waa SO. The pres
ent work Of restoration" they char
'acterized as being merely preliminary
TO thorough going over OF the entire
street, making the paving as smooth
as 1t was when frst laid.
II they do%thia" said Mr.. Boiling,
they will have satisfied the require
menIs OF this office. In the mean
time there is nothing that l can do
but wait
say Police should Act.
This does not mean that the citi-
Gems must be forced to endure the
present condition OF affairs. however.
Practically every charge made at the
meeting OF the street cleaning COM
mittee Tuesday night is true. The
streets are unQuesttonably filthy, and
fun of mounds and hoilows. II is
also true that crossings which should
have been provided by the contrac-
tors are not there.
All these things can be remedied
by the police department. The
spreading of dirt, the failure to pro-
vide street crossings. and a majority
of the offences charged against the
contractors are punishable by fines In
the police court.
II myself cannot act. but the police
man who sees such violations can and
should. He need only make a report,
to get action"
LAS to the quality of the work done
by the engineering concern, can only
say that they must do as they promise,
and as they have contracted. or do
without their pay. They have a
large Job ahead Of them however.
They have dug trenches on Seventh,
Eighth, Ninth. Franklin, Bank and
Broda streets. and In not one single
instance thus far Is their work ac-
ceptabie."