The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-17

inquired OF Mr.. Higgins whether the Mayor
| sent the paper in question to him or the
committee. ~
Mr.. Higgins: To me, as chairman of the
committee.
Mr.. English Then, hy what authority do
you present it? You have 10 right to do it.
Mr.. Higgins: do it from Il setise Of ny
| duty as chairman Of the committee.
Dir. English You never asked the COLI
mittee's permission or told them about it,
| and you We're not called on to report if. We
Will have It out at the proper time. Ii has
10 business here now, and it Is discourteOus
to the committee for the gentleman to intro
duce it. ! am not disposed 70 shield any
body, and showed that OH the sub-coln-
mittee, but | wish things TO be properly
| managed.
Mr.. Is;tacs called the previous question.
The President: Ii requires two-thrd
| vote to have the paper read.
Mr. IS;tacS: fuu might as well sag llnani-
nous.
The President: Not beinga good cyptcrer,
1 didn't.
Mr.. Higgins dis;lvowed any intention of
| being dscourtro,iS to the committee.
The vote ordering the reading was with.
out dissent. The paper was then read us
follows:
Communication from she Mayor.
MAYORS OPFTcy. September 4, 1872.
| To The Committee on Light:
Gentlemen,-I received from your chair.
man on the 23d ultimo copy of u resolution
| advising Iiie that in your judgment there
| was reason to Slistjcm Mr.. JAMES n. Melton
| of maladmin$tratiO in the discharge of his
| II,
make All investigation into the facts.
at ohGu addressed Mr. Melton note Sls-
pending him from office, and proceeded to
make the desired examination, searching the
books in the Inspectors and Auditors Off.
ces. and examining under oath such OF
| the eInylOy6s as seemed likely to be conyerS-
ant with the matters in question.
THE COURSE OF BUSINESS IN THE OFFICE,
so far rs Its financial aspect l. concerned is
simple: The gas metres automatically re-
gisttr consumption. they are visited month
~ their condition registered iii q rletfe-book
which should Eoritain the name and residence
OF every consumer, dild from this book the
clerk, all attache Of the Aiiditar's office,
makes out the bills, which are left Mt the con-
sllmers' houses. The same clerk furnishes
| in Il book to the Auditor list of the bills.
with the number OF the bill, the name OF the
debtor. and the amount due. The bills
are paid to the city Treasurer, who reports
payments to the Auditor, and he checks those
which are paid daily on his list. After ten
DAYS n thlin1uhnt list ia made out by the
clerk in order tliat the gds Of non-payins
consumers may be cut off.
The efficiency of the system depends
first. upon the accuracy and honesty with
which the metre-book is kept; secondly, on
the fathtuNcss with which the bills are made
out ind prcAented; and h,rdiy. on the rigid
cntorccmcnto of the penalty presented for non
mruent' and llpon the Inspector especially
dcsUlios the tttti Of seeing 10 this enforce.
ment. inasmuch as MI the duty s:.te that
is purely clerical. performed b.: his subord
mates. and thu clerical duty is performed
in his Gnfc" and under his eye.
Nm investigation :atishes me that in nj
these respects
TIE OFFICE HAS BEEN NEGIlGENTLT CONDUCTED
and loss. which ] am glad to believe is o
! romlmratively slight amount his accrued t.
: the city III consequence. What renders tn,
, negligence more retDrehersible is the fact tba
| il ,-tIifitife tiiifrnd rs the benefit Of SOM
one iu the Inspectors Office. There wa
some conflict OF testimony arlGig The wit
nesSes. and some difficulty III fixing reSIion
,ibilty. owing to the number Of hands EN-
plovcd about the metrc-book, but | regar
the following:
/. That Mr. William +. White, the clerk
, VAS
DELINQUENT ~ TO HIS OWN GAS BILLS
from July, 1870. to the present time. neye
paving dollar into the city treasury
f aith3ilgh by Mav; 1871. his bills amounte
, to Sl20: that frolii Mayi 1871, to the mont
oC August, 1872. he did not even pursue tll
: fcrnality of making out bills against hin
self. or of charging himself in any form
and that in more than one instance lie n
4 sumed to lmy the bills of others to whom II
! owed tliuleS. aud neither paid the bills no
4 reDorted the parties as III debt.
+ >: That Mr. John C.: Pryde; rs afl assist
ant Insip;ceCt6r, paid nd gus bills for ninetee
Y mouths. nor was there ole made out agalns
t him during that interval; that his llist lml
ment WIS made and the first taking OF III
metre after this investigation began that o
: uccount of bill due by him to Mr.. f. Lan'
j the latter citizen WIS nllowedto
rsE Gas WITHOUT r4YlNG Fok ~
/ during the witoit 81 tlie year 1871 and som
| uiontGs of tile current ytdr that d BIN l9
: ,isiro+5 aue by Mr.: Pryde, Mr.: II. i
e Knowles. and thS lttA MI. Sweetman, W.
e the OCCASION of allowing the credltSr lMr;: }
SeammcID 10 Use gas without paying tor 1t.
5. That Mr. Christian Shafcr, another en-
pIoyG in the office, was allowed to assume I'll
l,avnent Of the bills of j. Hack, but neithe
: paid the same, nor was the gas Of that Gu
i toner cut of, Mr.. Hack being the creditc
2 of Mr.. Sllaier for goods furnished; and th'
{ like indulgences were ut various times gran
/, ed to other parties on account OF Mr. Sbate
b. !. That Mr.. r. Z. Knowles was allowed
ussl,ne bills iii like manner.
{ d. that service pipe vas laid to the prem
ises of j. Mccarthy, tile father Of ail en-
{ ploye. to the office in December, 1871, bu
That no clIarae was made against him in til
,eryice-pipe book, nor any bill for the wor
T. even presented TO him.
That certain parties were alloWe
. to pay their .a,S bills at intervals Of thre
: or four mcnths, Us /; matter Of conyenisnc
e to them, whereas flle ordinance require
e monthly collections. That because 6f tn
: poverty, or the promises, ar the importunlt
Of various persons whose names L can ful
Y nish tile committee if desired delays wef
f accorded and
GAS FURNISHED WHERE By LAW ITS USE Wa
FORFEITED.
That Mr.. Melton himself used gas for scyt
: raj months without taking his metre or lIa.
Ing any bill rendered TO him, though II
proper 10 add lic liuS now Iklid up in full.
And finally tbal none Of these iitlnerol!
violations Of The law were reported to I'll
Superintendent In conformity tu the forty
! first section Of the gas ordinance. | ma
5 here remark that gross violation of dut
occurred during the pendency of these II
: quiries which deem it proper TO mentio,
Among the delinquent bills were three for th