The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-17
"ASTOCNDiNG FRAUDS, GROSS EX
TRAY NAGANCE, AND GENERAL
lSMANAGEMENT."
THE MAYOR ALSO MAKES A REPORT.
EVIDENCE NOT IN THE COMMITTEES
STATEMENT.
Lively Scenes I'm the Council.
Another Investigation to be Held.

port Of the Committee on Light prepared In
| response TO Il peremptory resolution of the
! Council. \ large crowd of spectators teSti-
| Fed to the general interest in the matter
| under consideration. The members present
were MesSrs. Wynnc (president, Bargamin,
BosSieux, Cottrcl. ChcStcrmn, English OF
Marshall Ward English OF Monroe Ward,
Eukcr, Forester. Hall, Higgins, Isaacs, Lips
comb. Manly. Metzger. Starkc, Scott Of Clay
Ward. Scott of Jefferson Ward, Stokes,
StrauS. Talbot, Thornton, Wagner, Well
ford. and Whitlock.
The Chair having stated the object Of the
meeting the report was presented us follows
Report OF Committee OH Light.
| The Committee on Light, in accordance
| with the requirements of the resolutions
adopted at the last meeting of the Council,
| herewith make full report of their pro-
| ceedngS in the dismissal and employment of
sundry employees Of the Gas Works. assign
| ing in full their reasons for such action,
what charges were preferred against the enl-
ployt> discharged, and whether the said par
ties had IN opportunity Of appearing before
the committee, what investigation was had,
the per diem Of those dismissed and those
appointed"
A SOLEMN PROTEST.
Before entering into the details which this
resolution renders It Necessary to give for a
ull understanding of their acts they cannot
refrain from entering this their solemn pro-
test against the course pursued by the COun-
Gil i'm adopting these resolutions for the fol-
lowing reasons: The ordinance under which
they are acting gives them the control Of the
Gas Works and every one connected there
with, and rs they intended to make a full
report of their actions after they had COM
pIcted the reforms which had been inaugll-
rated, any inquiries such as these being Ill
4 timed, implied that the committee do not
understand their duties or are aispoa,l to
violate the ordinances
They also protest against this action. and
feel they hmre ciil>c to complain not on their
own account. hut on behalf Of the parties who
are mentioned in this report and their friends,
rs the resolution calls for information that ii
would barp been more agreeable to them to
withhold, and which would not have been
reported by the committee for the reasons
, that it would have bcen unnecessary and
would wound the feelings OF somr Whose
names would not have teen mentioned in
their report had they been allowed to carry
ont their plans. But we have no alternative;
we obey the resolutions. and if any one is
a%grcvcd thereby he or they must blame the
authors of the resolution and not the commit
tee. With this preface we will proceedto give
; HISTORY OF TIE WHOLE OF Tue yRAHs.C-
fluXs
: If the "ommilnr froni their first meeting to
, the present time. The first meeting of the
committee was held July 18th. 1872. At this
meeting, on motion Of Mr.. Bargamin, IL sub.
committee of two was appointed to examine
=, the Works and rcr0rt to the committee
. The Chair appointed Messr>. Barg1min and
: William English.
At Il called meeting of the committee. heJ
August Eth, the Subcommittee made tlt
f following report:
! The subcommittee to whom was re
!cIrCd an examination Of the Gus Works an(
! the operations of the same report that the,
entered upon the duties assigned them Will
q oulv vague idea that reformation WAS re
RI quircd in some portions OF the estabis hment
o but mt the same time with Il determination
! TO do their duty witliert fear or favor.
will be remembered that at the meeting o
a the committee which appointed the sub-com
mittee the Superintendent, then present
made improper and not very courteous objec
tons to the same, and we have to report that
in keeping with this conduct, when we visit
n
information his manner and language to
\ wards us were very offensive. This nigh
be ascribed to apprehensions that an inyesti
CATION would reveal delinquencies on hi
y, part: but. being well aware of his cXcitabl,
nature, we have no hesitation in attributin!
it to this cause. After looking through th'
works we made an examination of the In
spector'S department, and we regret to state
, | that here We're revealed
TIE MOST ASTOUNDING DELlNQrESCEs AND
} FRAUDS.
In consequence OF the manner in which
= the books have been kept evidently with ;
view to cover up the deiections) it is diff
cult TO ascertain the extent to which the city
has been defrauded. Enough, however, has
been learned to prove beyond doubt thai
Mr.. Melton, the Inspector, has not paid fol
any gas since January, 1870, and. as the state
of his metre has not been taken, it is impos'
sible to ascertain how much he owes. 1t Ii
also certain that William +. White, who act
us bill clerk, has not paid a bill since he was
appointed, and we know that he has con
>umed gus to the amount Of S237.12.
In addition to these. which We have estab
lislled, it is evident that minor frauds have
been perpetrated, but to what extent W,
|
Inspector and Clerk are of necessity thu
principal and accessory to all of these frauds
and we unhesitatingly recommend their i'm
) mediate discharge, and that legal steps bt
taken against theirSecurities to recover what
ever amounts can be discovered as due to tht
city.
| GROSS EXTRAVAGANCE At THE WORKS.
AT the Works we find that extravaganza
has ruled the day. In building the new gas
holder carts hired of George Bell Il Co. were
paid 81 900 for 1000 days work, while it is ;
notorious fact that the same kind of cart.
can be hired for $50 instead of 81 pei, diem
] by which useless expenditure the city was
mulcted to the extent of 81 300 without TIN
least shadow Of Justice. We find also tha
q portion of the grounds on which buildings
have been erected for other purposes have
been diverted from their proper uses allt
turned into stables for horses and shelters iol
the vehicles owned by Mr.. Bell. In addition
to the above we are convinced that there are
many unnecessary employees, which shout
be dispensed with.
From list of these furnished by the Su'
pcrintendent we learn that at the old Gas
Works there are employed for running
street main and services" seven persons
Er,id 81. Sa.25. and $3.50 per day. We re
commend that three of them be discharged
We also find two men put down rs ''relalir-
ers" ut 500 per day, and two under the
head of ward" ut Sl.25 and $l.I5--the first
/ named a colored servant to wait upon the
others. and neither Of them necessary to the
Works. 4 bricklayer ut 2.75 and carpen.
ter Mt -. 80 ara not required constantly, and
| 80 ,o,.,,,,,nopd rhat they he discharged. and