Year: 1869

To the Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch:


would most respectfully ask, through
YOUR columns, of the City Council whether
or not the report of the City Engineer and
the Superintendent of the Water Works,
in connection with the report of the Water
Committee, will not be early laid before the
public In all other cities when any great
outlay of the public money is contemplated
it is almost universally the custom to sub
NIT to the public full reports of the matter
mplated-reports not only of the COM
mittee to whom the matter may be re-
ferrcd, but also Of the public officers
to whom such matters are specially en-
trusted Both Mr.. Crenshaw and Mr..
Hays are men recently appointed by the
military commander at the recommends
ton of the Council and we have every rea-
son, therefore, to conclude that they are
not only fully able to attend to the public
works now entrusted to them, but also to
recommend what improvements may be ne
cessary. They are both men who have eve
rything to recommend them to the present
| City Council; and we cannot but consider
| it as n most unjust slight to them both that
the Water Committee, without even wait





that those two gentlemen might have
to make, should have felt themselves JUS
tilted not only in making their recent
northern tour, but also in going to the ad-
ditional expense Of bringing hither Mr..
Kirkwood. 1t is but just to those two gem
tlemen that they should also be heard, and
that their reports relative to amending our
water supply should be laid before the pub
| lie. There is an old adage which contains
II great amount of truth in it: "There is
no use keeping q dog and barking yourself" /"
We hope the Engineer and Superintendent
will pardon the proverb, as it is only used
| fguratively and in justice to them.
| 1t is but just to them that their
suggestions should be heard and their
reports published before we can unhesi-
tatingly accept the suggestions of the Water
Committee. We are entitled to have full
statement of the expected costs in full de-
! tail and Notwithstanding oil that has been
said by the Water Committee in praise Of
Mr. Kirk wood, we must conclude that the
present City Enginest and Superintendent
of the Water Works are fully capable of
performing at least the easy task of giving
to the public in detail statement Of what
the proposed reservoir would cost, and
also whether they themselves endorse
this recommendation, or would suggest
something else. Their estimate of the
PROPOSED new reservoir, or Of any other
plan suggested by the City Engineer and
Superintendent, should be fully published
It cannot be point with the commissioners
to conceal from public view the interior oi
their scheme, and only expose the outside
covering, in anticipation that the poor
easily ly-dccciyed public would swallow the
bait unconscious of the hook. We have no
yet been told even the approximate cost Of
this new reservoir. OF ourselves, we ven
tered the low estimate of 100000; but, il
truth, we believe the cost would be nearer
$500, 600, if the cost of the land and thu
connecting pipes between the reservoir anc
the pumps be taken into consideration. Why
did not the commissioners throw some light
upon cost Of building and maintenance o.
this new reservoir? Are the figure!
so alapming that they thought they
would frightcn the Council and thu
people out CT their senses; or art
they waiting until the little bill fol
their northern tour has been paid Why
again, did not the commissioners presen
some estimate of revenue, so that we nigh
know how the necessary funds to erect thi!
new reservoir may be raised 1t is to bt
hoped that after their extensive tour, ant
with two such efficient ddjutors as the
present City Engineer and Superintendent Of
/ Water Works-not to speak Of Mr.. Kirk.
wood-the committee can speak inteligently
in reference to these questions.


An early answer will greatly oblige, sir
yours truly, RICHMOND.