Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-02
BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDER
MEN.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM
THE MAYOR.
Messrs. Brown and Hill Take their
Seats,

The regular monthly meeting Of the
board OF mayor and aldermen was held
at their chambers, Exchange building,
yesterday afternoon, al 3 o'clock. Pres.
ent: Hon. Mayor LOfiaRd, Chairman
Hubert, Aldermen Powers, Clancy,
Cochran, Wickersham, Amis, Hoist,
Shaw, Rufin, Lemon, Smith and Pass
more. The board was called to order,
when DR.. Brown, one of the aldermen
elect from the Fourth ward, was sworn
In and took his seat. The minutes OF the
last meetings were read, and ordered TO
stand as recorded. The following mes
sage from the mayor was then read
MAYORS oFFIcE, CITY HALL, I
MEMPHIss TBNN., October l. 1851. !
To tho Honorable Board OF Aldermen;
G~enaeHieH: HAVING suspended Francis Foster,
ESQ, city engineer, / proceed, according TO the
ing.
Icharge Nj. Foster with q want Of attention
20 the details OF e work under bis superv1s-
ion, and a want Of competency as an engineer
10 have charge Of such important public i'm
prOvemenLS As are now In pHOgress.
The unfinished condition of the sewers At the
bayou on the streets to be paved is an evidence
OF a want OF kill or judgment that csnnot be
overlooked. These sewers should have been
finished and allowed 10 settle days before the
pavement l. laid on them but, instead Of this,
LnEN were nDk commenced uuLAl lue pavement
was laid so near 10 them tuat the contractors
were obliged % STOP the work untl they were
finished. causing great Inconvenience TO the
contractors, ana perhaps Damage and loss 20
the city.
The ALTERATIONS made in some instances in
the pavement, after IL was laid, and IN many
instances n the grades and fills on the streets,
during the progress OF the paving, is another
evidence OF the want OF attention, or a want OF
sktll In his profession.
These charges OF a lack Of daty and a want OF
professional skill can be established, al OF
which, together with his counlerm snding an
order Etven by me, TO two OF his assistant engi-
neers, 10 measure and estimate the amount OF
paving done on jefferson and Old Madison
streets, and Charleston avenue, were The NOV
ing causes Of his suspension. An estimate had
ben returned 20 me by Mr.. Foster, certified by
himself, making the amount due FOR work on
those streets, sl7i,6SE Acopy OF his estimate
accompanies this communications marked A.
l did not believe this return as correct, and
detei mined TO have II tested before a settlement
was made Wit the contractors, who had been
promised a settlement and uayment by one
o'clock on Friday In order 90 en- bic me to
comply in time with the prgmise made Them,
/ directed Messrs. Hood and Stockton, assist
ant engineers, to measure, etc, estimate the
work, and report TO me as soon as practicable.
They had nearly completed Il, when they
were ordered by Mr.. Foster TO stop he meas
uTeIaent, for the reason that al orders for
work in his department should emRnate from
him. Ny. Foster also tsld me that he had
st0pucd The measurement, besause he tcdS salts
ned le GStnidte lCGs c0TTecf, aud HGt u Il toGs not,
MS bOadS1leH ue6e responsible 70 he city for his
eTFNTHs
Ness. Hood ard stockton were directed to
measure and estimate The work for the pur-
pose OF detecting and correct ug the errors and
blenders OF Mr. roster, and IL did not become
niAl 20 countermand an order TO accomplish
this object. For this unwsrrantsbls interior
euce with my order, and want OF SKIN in his
prof ssiJnal duties, / suspended him, and di-
rerted those gentlemen TO proceed with the
measurement and es'imate-the result OF which
fully sustAlns my opinion OF the incOrrectness
Of Mr.. Fosters estimate. A copy Of their re
port, marked b, accompanies this, and show =
difference n 6r. Fosters estimate Of s3f 2S9 GS
GgGiHstD The ciy. NeEsrs Hood and tOcktOn made
two careful measurements of the work, and |
am fully satisfied OF { e correctness Of their re-
port, and see no reason why / should recall my
handed me by Mr.. Foster was intended fer
final estimate or the work done o. the streets
mentioned, and. uron II, the contractors ex-
pee ed payment In fun.
In view Of the immense amount involved,
over 81 100000, now under contract, besides the
general interest Of the city. / leave &c for YOUR
proper 70 leave this vaSt Interest In the hands OF
an officer who, either fCom culpable neglect OF
skill, commit such blunders as are here COM
As s measure OF retrenchment. directed the
street commissioners 10 reduce his force TO
twenty-five men nom this date, and make a
corresponding reduction IN hired carts. Ny
opinion is Tia the whole force had better be
iischaIged. They cannot give the city an
equivalent in WORK for the smount we have to
pay them, to make their wages In scrip equal to
HHhQs II aulOuuAs 70 nearly AUuE collars per
DAY to the hand, and there IL now ne improve
ment that can be made by the street rolcs
which will warrant such an outlay o. city In
ieBttdness.
Under the management ofyour Improvement
aud street commissioner, the streets
bridges are in better condition than they |
been 3or years, and I an sure that our !
,,tzaus are, IN the main, satisfied with the ef-
made on these Improvements, and will
tpgTOve, II they do not expect, a very great re-
iucfiOu ia the expenses Of this department I
Dot as some Of the members OF your hOnOrab e
BODY think 10 is the best policy TO retsin q pOr- i
fOn Of the force Ior the present month, to I'm /
sh % work already commenced, / have 81 &C.
ed the street commissioner 10 retain twenty
I've men. until the end Of the mouth, and hope
action Will meet with your approval.
There mas been Of late no order OF the board
20 f. crease or diu inish the street fOrce-the
mmissiOuer exercising his discretion, as his
necessity for hands might equire. hence my
lire tons TO discharge a portion OF the fOree
an order ofthe board.
The acting city engineer informed me there
,Oull be four employees dispensed with in his I
.elleve that number OF men from duty.
The eight men whose Wag 5 are allowed by
he board, now employed on the sanitary de-
12Ttmsut, under the direction Ofthe metrOpOl-
p, lice commissioners, viii be discharged
a a Few days.
Ihope your honorable body will approve Of
nd sanction these efforts 10 retrench our chr
lent expenses, and to accomplish more effect
tally a reduction Of expenditures. l suggest a
triCt adherence 10 the following ordnance,
which has been overlooked for sOme time by ali
fus, tn-wtt.
Page 2n, Eectiou 6: No work shall be ordered
or conLra-t entered into by the board of al
dermen involving an expenditure Of i've
hundred dollars or over, unless the money be |
actually I'm the treasury tor the payment Of
the same. or unless the finance COMMITTEE
shall have rep rted that funds will be on
hand 20 10 Get the same when due"
All Of which IS respectfully submitted,
W. O. LyFLAND, MAYOR,