The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-18
BROAD street IN
WRETCHED SHAPE
But Consulting Engineer Traf-
ford Says City Will
Not Lose.
CONTRACTOR MUST REPAvEl
Cents Per Foot Is Being
Deducted by City From
Pay Checks.

- q y S~AA'S~iNS'
Although admitting that Broad
street Is In a wretchcd condition. al
most impossible in places. Consulting
Engineer Trafrord, who is supervising
construction OF the now municipal
electric plant, says that the city will
lose nothing through the character OF
paving being laid on that thorough
fare IN covering the. trenches dug for
underground electric conduits.
The contractor, the Mckay En-
cheering Company, fully under
stands" said Mr.. Tranord yesterday,
that as soon as the trenches have
settled the surface will have to be
repaved, the work done so far having
been only temporary. After consult
ing with CITY Engineer Boiling we
have deducted from every voucher paid
the Mckay Company 20 cents per
lineal foot to save the city In case
the contractor should fail to properly
relay the street paving Mr.. Traf-
rora exhibited his estimate on which
the last voucher for payment was
based, showing reservation on ac-
count Of S1,100 for $500 feet OF
trenches covered in that voucher.
City Fully Protected.
In addition, Mr.. Trafford stated that
the city was still further protected
by bond given by the contractor to
Keep the street in order, and repave
over any sinks for period OF ono
year from completion OF the work.
He said that he was only waiting
for word from the City Engineer that
the trenches had sufficiently settled
to instruct the contractor to lay the
stnal paving, which, ~ the way, the
contract specifies must be laid TO the
satisfaction OF the City Engineer,"8
making 1t apparently necessary for
the street to be put back into condi-
ton satisfactory to Mr.. Boiling before
the final payment can be authorized.
Mr.. Trafford, Mr. Boiling and all
other engineers and most laymen who
have looked over Broad Street re-
ecerEly, agree that it is In mess. And
the pity of it is that 1t Will probably
remain so Tor some time, for the
work OF digging it up Is not half done
Last year the Street Committee laid
deep sewer along tho south side OF
Broad street to drain the cellars OF
stores. Many merchants failed to,
make connections as the sewer was
being built, and the street was opened
from time to time for that purpose.
Much More Work to he Done.
The present complaint is over the
trenches being cut for underground
cohduits for the electric plant--a part
lighting of Broad Street. In addttn.,,
TO the present trench being cut along
the south side of Broad, the contract
calls for similar underground con-
duit along the north side, work on
which VIII begin in the next week or
two, from Adams to Twelfth Street.
Then the deep sewer necessary for
proper drainage Is yet to be laid on
the north side OF Broad, only one
block between Second and Third hay-
Ing been laid when funds available
gave out
While urgently recommended by the
Street Committee, this work is indefi-
nitely delayed until there is special
appropriation. City Engineer Boiling
has urgently recommended that no
steps be taken for smooth paving the
street until all this cutting under the
/ surface has been completed IIe told
the Street Committee thatEit would be
| folly to spend a large sum in paw
ING with brick or sheet asphalt only
to have 1t cut to pieces few months
later. Meanwhile, each cutting has
lleft Its imprint. which is mass of
ridges and valleys in which dust and
dirt collect in dry weather and pud-
dies Of water to the shoetops stand
after rains. Not only has the con-
tractor for the electric plant utterly
lalled to relay the paving as he found
IT, but the same can be said OF the
contractor for the deep sewer, and for
1 the Workmen of the Gas and Water
Departments, traces Of whose trenches
can be seen in front Of almost every
new building In the city.
| Lights for Christmas.
AS for the electric plant, Engineer
Trafford says that If all goes well tho
merchants and public will have the
ornamental lights with which to do
their Christmas shopping. The power
! house proper is within six weeks of
completion, and only the failure of the
Southern Plumbing and Electric Com
pany, one of the minor contractors.
has kept 1t back that long.
The last section Of the dam IN the
river is now being constructed. De-
spite the criticisms OF the manner OF
Its work, rapid progress is being
made by the Mckay Company In the
underground district. Practically
nothing, however, has been done by
the overhead contrac tors. Storms 8:
Company. of Newark. The Committee
~
have notified the Newark concern time
and again thai 1t would be expected
to live UP to contract. but not a pole
has yet been set in the ground, though
several carloads are here, and no t an
overhead wire has been strung. The
ornamental iron poles for Broad Street
are due for delivery October 4, and
Mr.. Trafford now hopes to cut \ the
entire plant early in November by
which time the transmission line to
7 the new pump house will be ready
I The water pumps, to be driven by
Electric power, are already in place
and will be put into use as soon ns
1 the power house is ready. # En- Is. Il
1 Puts 1t Up to Police Department..
AS to the repaving OF the trenches
on Broad, Main, Eighth, Ninth. Bank
and other streets, City Engineer oil,
| ing has notified the contractor thai
the paving is not satisfactory. aid has
been assured that the street will y
Ipropery restored. He holds that y y
entlrely In the province Of IN e. 20 rs
lice Department to report the contra NJ e
tor to the Police Court for maintain
| ing a nuisance on Broad Street 70 !,
ure to light 4obstructions,so or to provide
( n Il