The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-03-21
sPkCIlL NVTiCHS.

sPkUIiL NV~iCes.
~ In n Gard published In the National
are two ou ss,ion. a,ked of M Knowles, candidate
for the Office of superintendent of our Clty Gas
Wsrks which st all be answered: Let Was not Mr..
nittee on Light for neglect Of duty in his present
Office and only permitted to retain his place, be
he prcfsssed penitsnae and promised re orms-
toni"
The puttfns of this question sncnymously .hai not
prevent snswert hut it 10 to Be horsd that Fair
Play" will verify his claim to bis assumed name BY
answering in return question or two which will be
As early a. the eth Of April III 1851. there wss
Tue estsbliheo In relation 20 gas met sls requiring
the Superintende ut to see them once week; again
on the 18th October, 1851. it was oidered that he
should see them every month, and agai" on the III
November, same year, 1t WAS ordered that the In.
al the meters in Madison Ward ON the LIST of De-
cember in Monroe Ward on the LIST OF January,
and in Jefferson Ward on the lst OF February and 50
on during the year, $50 that all the meters shsl be
visited BY him and their state recorded quarterly"
Mr. Knowles came into FIJI :e about ID of June
lass-of LONG after tho dates II these rssra-
tons.
8 here are about 1900 meters now scattered all
owe city, to visit these weekly would be at the
rate Of 600 per day-monthly a11fe rate Of 60 per
examine and approve all tubines fittings and fixtures
to trial with an air pump, &c He il, when ten
SOP off their sas He il whenever any cor sumer Of
gas discovers any defect in his meter or Pipes and
gives him notice thereof to remedy ths same, the
assistant Inspector 10 to do It, He ID reGui.ed TO
keep a register He is to keep q meter book, which
he 10 to return to the Clerk monthly from which tbs
Clerk to ma ke out accounts against all
Now is there a man living that do all THAI d
there man of common sense that could expect 1t {?
MIR Knowles however. obcyed the order " hch
quit led him to see the meters throughout the entire
eily and in each quarter By whigd ths Clerk makes
out the accounts which, wit The other important
dutie nsmed above conaumseh whole time by day,
ard is frequent y called upon durirg the night.
The introduction of das being novelty to citi
zsns, ana by IN ordinances no enc but the Inspector
Assistant Inspector being permitted 10 touch the
meter, Mr.. Knowles has been literally run down.,
especially during the winter months when ice fJrm
ed in the meters Indeed, Mr. Knowles has dcne more
work-worked more hours and been of more ssrvics 3
to cur city than any other officer agent connect
ed with the Works. and inst ad of beiag blamed By
Fair Play" and others who would crush HIM he d5E
serves the commentator and support of our entire
housewises hay would willingly testify to his uno
kirdness and e'icacy f manner, when epssge( in
The performance OF HIS duties. r
But it seems one of the Committee on Light eeEs
complaint that the Inspector does not visit tn
meters he should DO monthly, and that his state.
ments of their condition, upon wbi the accounts for
payment made out have OF given satlsfacti-
The matter s brought before III. Committee on Light
y hen MIR. Knowles eopesrs, expresses his regEsfs
that there should have besn any compiant--saysfiat
hs has stiven to DO his WI 10 duty and will continue
Bis utmost exer ions to pre-, further complaints
But This did not satisfy certain persons his mus Es
elected. Hence when the tim. care 5sr his 4 lee
tion, the Superintendent makes his sp{ aranc
the Committee on Light, and objects to his fesp-
pointment charging that Mr.. Knowles had not only
violated the duties of his Office as laid down H>hs
ordinances, but had slso employed men, an6 done
h,r acts cont, airy to the tOse. Of the Superintendent;
aud that further when brought before the foIpsr
Committee On Light, he, MIR. Knowles, hsdS MADE
In rs ipSeance violated such tho s.y,pss of
the superintendent. Now. most of his was but the
o d and only charge before a'ludsdrto- his noevlsi
tl IL the soma one had complained to some
ry to the. vf4fes of superntendsn.@tf! veg new
cha ges, ffa in their CHI sracter brought up the
moment u the election gvin g,no time FIJI /defenoe
and pushed to tn uttermo,t. But befofsSke Pr
down The reply Ct Knowles det us ask by what 1aZnt
or authority was the Superintendent befofs The
electlig committte. undertaking to dictate who
should, and who should not be elected! Hephas n
more ight or authority than outside citize has
to address the committee. He found TO fau of it.
He had no vote to give, and if be ad chsfges to
make AGAINST Mr.. Knowles, why wait until thst last
moment, too late for any other defence the part
OF Mr.. Knowles, than h1s Genial? And why were
bis charges 40 indefinite, 10 general and why-all
must xclam, did III Committee allow sucat Icour.s
OF COZ duct! Where was their sen'e eomn l.
Justice? and VIII, was the reply Of MfLRnowirs
thus suddenly called upon to answer such general
charges and before committee evineing no synpa-
thy for him. here is5 hn Knows. re-
tried to do L1s duty and had lahore hard in the perl
formance Of it, land every member Of that COM
mittee knew he had but stated the truth that he,
had never willingly dons aught to oppose the au-
thorty OF the Superintendent any EXCEPT for
the good of the works. What more could he say?
what more was wanted? Ought not this frank as
sarton Of all unatent!onal neglect of duty to bavs
satisfied this committee 1t did not, for the cord
adds Mr. - stated that although he satisfied
that tbs Inspector had not fully performed the du.
ties of his effice yet, he, fer one, was willing to
overlook the p.st, and re-eect Mr.. Knowles provid,
ed he would o. omise the committee that for the fu.
ture he would in all pertaining his office
follow the requirements of the ordinances and obey
the orde OF the Superintendent so tar a. consistent
with the ordinances"
Now, Mr. Knowles had all eady said he had not,
knowingly, done 9TH ng wrong, and that if hs had
he would Try to do better. What did this com.
mittss want? Had snythng specific been urged
against him Had he been tried ana fund guilty
Oh no hut he must be tes ed TO the extent Of hu.
man forbearance-he must be humbled before his
peers. He made this promise and then he was
the answer TO your first question. 10 it not more
than you bsrgaiLsi for
Then, Is to the second question: us Mr.. Knowles
manner he has performed the dut1es of his office"
IT. or not Mr. Knowles win answer this | do not
know; but will say what should be his YER aud
that Is, nj! As soon trust the lamb to the wofthe
sparrow to the hawk; and this, notwithstanding, his
uasninous Reelection By tbs COMMITTEES. he is
wiling however, to call upon the citizens of Rich
In the daily discharge OF his duties and their de-
cision he will respectfully submit
AND now, having fully answered the questions of
Fair Play" will he, in character with his assumed
name answer The following:
First. W by is 1t that tbs present Superintendent
Of our City Gas Works is asking for third 3ss
Holder, which ID to cost the city about $40, 900
hen the two holdeIs in use. perfectly good
SAD bod StU,Oo0 cubic feet, which is 100 TOO cubic
feet more than has ever been burned in any one
twenty.t0ur hcur.?
second. 1T another gas holder be necessary then
now long before mora generating machinery
Wall be asked fJr, to be established to fill thi. adai
Lion nal hoider9
Third If Mr. Charles Campbell IL not to be re-
garded a. a fair rndorser of Mr. Knowles entirely
cut n a. he is from ali city Office and certainly mot
expecting any pati snauge from MIR. Knowles how
much fs or Is the rdurssment of the Sup ,rinten.
sent Mr. Wy nne) by Mr.. Starr, when % d Starr is
bidder for the ST. uctiun of the proposed Gas
doider, VIII CHI is to cost about $40 900 and should
re City Council authorise the holder to DO made,
Mr. STAR expects the job
. And how much Isirer 10 the endorsement of Mr.
ancleve, In favor of Mr. Wynne, when he thus
praises his own plans, for he cons. ructed the old
"ofks. and has aided ana advised In the coastIue.
lion Of the new!
In closion, let it be remembered, that neither
Mr. Knowles, nor his friends. have made an attack
ney were content to let the issue be with the
'oteIs Of Richmond, who az well qualified TO
adse OF MI knowies' qualifications ~ Mr.. Fair
riay" Eut hen attacked, his friends reply. and
eJolce IL ths opportunity make known the infiu-