The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-17
.SEWER|NSPECT0R
WAS NOT ON JOB
Committee Recommends That MI
Work BE Done Hereafter
by Contract.
AVOID DUAL RESPONSIBILITY
Total Cost Of Three Breaks Less
Than 2 Per Cent. of Cost
Of Sewer.

Councilman C. p. Davis. for a sub
committee consisting OF himself. AL.
Lynch, reported to the Council Com.
mittee on Streets last night on the
causes of the defects in the recently
constructed Broad Street sewer. placing
the blame on Inspector II. S. Atkinson
and Assistant City Engineer jackson
Bolton. in charge of the work, and
placing the cost OF the repairs and
excavations at s464.95 the total cost
of the sewer having been approximate
ly $4,000.
The report states tina there were
three breaks in all-two between Sec.
ond and Third. which were discovered
and had been remedied before the com
mittee was named, and the third.
which the committee examined. at
First and Broad, where the trench
was approximately twenty feet deep.
The report states that the commit
tee is OF the opinion that Inspector At
kinson did not properly inspect tho
work. and did not realize the import
ancc of careful supervision of the pipe
laying force.
Further. that Jackson Bolton. en-
! gineer in charge of sewers. did not
give personal attention to the construc-
ton work. or see to 1t that his in
spector was continually on the job.
The break at First Street. which the
committee examined. is stated to have
been caused by the sewer pipe not
having been properly joined.
should Avoid Dual Responsibility.
The subcommittee recommends that
the city discontinue It's present policy
of contracting for the trenching and
filling, and laying its own pipe. as
that custom leads to a dual RESPONSE
bility between the city pipe-laying
force and the ditching contractor, the
committee recommending that the work
hereafter be let by contract as a whole,
and the contractor be held under bond
for the success of the work. The com
mittec further reported that the work
of inspection is of too great import
ance to be left to miscellaneous per
diem men. and that an inspector should
not be expected to look after sew
eral Jobs at the same time.
City Engineer Boiling ~concurred in
the main in the findings of the subcom-
mittce. He stated that he thought
the inspector had been negligent In
not seeing that the pipe had been
properly jointed, and also that the
contractor had not properly filled the
trenches. especially in the tunnels, say
ing hat he had himself seen where
the pipe had buckled ecaus the tun-
nels had not been properly rehlled
above tho pipe line. Mr.. Boiling said
that. however much to blame the In
spector might have been. 1t was Just
as much incumbent on the contractor
to carry out the work in proper man
ner as If there had been no inspector
at all.
Bolton Had Many Duties.
Mr.. Boiling did not fully agree as
to the culpability OF Assistant En-.
eineer Jackson Bolton. who. he said.
sewerage system of the city since 1871,
and who had efficiently performed his
duties.
Many sewers, he explained. were
being built by bond issue n other
wise in all parts of the city. and Mr..
Bolton had to rely on his inspectors.
There were as many as ten or twelve
different sewers under construction
at that time, and it was manifestly
for the engineer in charge
to see that the trenches of each were
properly reflled.
IT think the inspector had the OPP
DOTlulllN 10 see, Sdiu MI. 6OlllUS,
but ] do not think that Mr.. Bolton
negligent.
81 fully indorse the recommended
lions as to the employment of careful
The city hould have a
force OF capable men to see
this work is properly performed.
The man on this job had been a lab
orer: he was employed on a per diem
basis for the job at $3.50 per day, and
did not seem to realize his respon-
We should have trained men
employed by the month h could be
held accountable"
Mr.. Davis. for the subcommittee,
said that the inspector had testified
when the section under First
was laid he was absent on
other job, and the subcommittee
had not recommended his
discharge.
I'VE think" he added, that Mr..
Bolton. as the engineer In charge.
have seen that there was an
inspector on the job
The report of the subcommittee was
to the Council With a state
ment of the cost of the sewer and
Of the repairs. which show that the
total cost OF repairing the breaks
less than 2 per. cent. of the cost
Of the sewer.
Qualifications In Chancery.
James T. Lewis qualified yesterday in the