New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-12
MIR. ROEBLING RETAINED.

THE VOTE TEN TO SEVEN IN HIS rANVh'
AN ANIMATED MEETING OF THE BRooKLfN bh'p'N
TRUsTrEs-MR. LOWS RESOLUTION DEFEATED
AFTER A PROLONGED DEBATE-A LETTER fhON
THE CHEF ENGINEER
After long discussion Yesterday afternoon '"c
East River Bridge trustees by vote of 10 TO 4 de-
fo,ted Movor Low ~ resolution to make Chief Ensi
neer ROebng consulting engineer OF tine Drlueo'
and to nut Assistant Engineer Martin in his place
The interest in the subject. which had been ll'd
over from the last meeting. was sufficient to induce
the attendance at the meeting of seventeen OF inc
twenty trustees. They were Mayors Grace anu
Low. Controllers Campbell and Sender, and MessrS.
Agnew, Murphy. Kingsley, Marshall BUSH van
Schaick Slocum. Stranahan, Clarke, HW"n'
Barnes. Macdonald and WHITE. "hen
the routine business had been TRANSACTED
Mayor Low said that he desired 70
call from the table the resolution which he hau
presented at the last meeting. lie reinarNeu III ~
he had little to add TO what he had sad before ~
was To be determined by the trustees whether 'hcJ
would remain content with the existing arrange
ments as the best within their reach. ii the ma
ortv should say that they were, he should eel 'ha'
ne had done his whole duty. No one would De
more glad than he TO find that the facts would JUS
tifv their Judgment He had presented the resolu-
non because he sincerely believed II would ne tue
best pledge to the public that nothing W"uIu mir
fere With the speedy completion of the work Inc
effect would b. instantaneous upon the employees OF
the trustees and upon all the people with whom
t hey dealt 1t would impress them with the lIea
that business was meant. and in tins he dId NOT 9e-
sire 10 reflect upon the former management, lie uS
MED that he meant to reflect directly or ndlIecly
upon Mr. Rocbng. At tins point President MUIR
phV intrrrupted the Mayor and SAID he had lrttcf
10 read from the chief engineer, and perhaps II
would be best to read II at that time; plli Mayor
Low asked to be allowed to finish his remarks; lie
added that he had made proposition when me
chief engineer could honorably accept ana oug1t
to accept. In its essence 1t was Kindness IL LOOK
Mr. Roeblng out of "a false position and put nm III
a tTue one and would relieve hImffTOm all adverse
criticism An incident IN the days proceedings mao
shown the need of chef engineer VINO could meet
with the trustees. Mr.. Low said that he had not
consulted Assistant Engineer Martin before making
his notion Mr. Martin was a loyal 1Ichd 10 HIS
chief The matter concerned the trustees most.
MIR Murphy then gave Chief Engineer kOeblnG
letter TO Secretary Quiniar TO read. IL was dated
September 9. After reciting Mayor Lows rcsoiu-
tiOn, the letter sad:
Before n vote Is taken on this resolution wish The
trustees 10 hear few words rom me. ~ any tlhe
during the thirteen years that have been on me bdsc
majority vote in the Board OF Trustees could hn't re-
loI ed me il it had been deemed best for tie interests oi
the work 10 make change ~ the engine Ilii- u'lHi.
but at no time would have ACCEPTED non mem
any position bui the one oi chle ti5h''.' w ''
appointed 10 succeed me Is ht Tor the position ne o,s ut
media consulting chS.heef. Nn'n ui ,r 'to'.
the responsibility OF Ihishlhg lhc nlu-e tHr st., -
must it, and shall leave the work entirely IN
their hands. To make me consulting engineer hi."h'
that to he bur, ned win Inc same
have always had. have iu,t as much BRAIN WORK 10
Nnyor Low in lis resolution took the trouble To oncrlne
the place OF consulting engineer after po'liNgy refused
il Tie interview al Newport where lie announce" '"'I
must Dee rut out al any cost.
own advantage be well, but should Ike SOME facts 10
sustain his Judgment that my absence nom the post oil
active supervision is necessarily IN many way source
OF delay. have made every possible aIang'nel' I"
prevent work of such magnitude behg cNl9Se1 !" any
the vicSsitUdcs Of my health The hnal clause OF
Mayor Lows resolution is particularly offensive to nc
A. thcrc is necessity that requires the chang he
w,hc. to make The -tnony to thg IeTNiirs ,i nnH"
lff erred
,,ro, nrciIdicc ,,t me- ana are anNious go
r. ,, - '.t t. fr-ir Interest of tlc bridge
ask therefore. that y"ur vote bee taken Simply II" 10
wa, tner . not am to remain chief engineer
Mayor Grace said that he would again second
Mayor Lows notion and. that ihiS views as before
expressed WcI" unchanged.
William Marshall opposed the motion and de-
Tended the chief engineer. IL SAID there was no
reason Tor the removal; MI bOeDlng had never
kept back The work ON che bridge Tor day. As an
engineer and bildge-bulder ne had no equal
The work on the bridge had been delayed b. some
one and - The engineer Was 10 De Sac.'H,e' IL
was xyt night for the trustees TO sneak ont 81 ther
resp Visibility and pm IT on The chlrl engineer;
Mr. Marsial's remarks were applaudei ny ,OehSIaI
SlUcum. The resolution was oppooel DS ono
Witte who claimed that none of the delays were
traCc.be 10 Mr. ROebhn9
ChIei Engineer ROcbliug 10 meet the trustees ana
supervise the work personally caused utIay' he
hoped the resolution WOud prevail. Buj nv esilga-
ton had traced no delay % the eG-lceT. Inc
changes III the plans which had caused the gieatts.
delay were due 10 certain trustees VINO acled
without authority. IAe engineers condition
did not hinder the WORK. General \. I.
Barnes said that II not GlslonOr 10 retire hc
Chief Engineer /; he unable TO do his iu Work.
lie was to be given his idI salary and remain ~ an
honorable position. ii . Illness was his ms oitunc
Pubnc sentiment favored the proposed acton: mr.
ROeb.ugs advice AID experience would SIN be
available, ahG ms plans would De CaIIlod out bh'
the MAN question was whether 1t was
Iecdful to refine Mr.. koeblng. There was
one experiment when had not been tried
Mayor Low motion, tdat the cuiet engineer be re-
quc>ted 10 be within call al the meetings Ol tEe
Trustees. or. If ne was unable 10 be present, 10 he
represented by one OF his ,Sisans and mat pend
ing tine satisfaction Of the trustees with this ar
rang .incnt the resolution Oi Mayor Low he upon
The taila.
Coltiollcr Scn.er renewed his motion fer com
miitcc OF three 10 investigate the WhOir manage
mert 81 the bridge IL Touid be- dlscouricouN 10 Mr..
EoeDling me thought, 10 dismiss hlm without It,
cCPrc,id AT h!u-s - urged fhc need 0f decisive
action at ouCe aud Mayor Low sad that hc felt
the same way. lie did NOT desire TO 90 mo the
Controller Campbell next earnestly supported the
re>oiu non OF Mayor LON. lie GlG not mink tie
Other propositions would cure the matter. W hti was
needed Soinc One IN authority ~ the hea1 oil ne
work. lie. hoped that they WOdd ne
saved from az investigation, Whch Woud
further delay the competitor II the bragg.
/ ne engineer was SICK and absent from ms pos
Wa such laan 10 be re aimed at the mead Oh great
engineering department: ihcy had aShet MI.
R1cb!ing WLeu the bridge would be d0ne ana the
ogfD b. fixed h,d been named 10 The Legislature
and he Governor. Now Sir. EO,b.ing had written
10 the trustees that the bridge might IL completed
some time next year. This extraordinary PROPOSE
ton IuCk cd II c had no proper KnONicdgo OF the
matter. There remained much Work 10 90 which
required ectvc supervision, and ii would IeeI
be pushed forward IN order TO DC completed ny
the middle nest year. Inc work codd NOT Dc
pushed with "a feeble Engineer like air hOeOlIng T.
wac no injustice to INN 20 gave linn an honorable
position H. consulting engineer
j. > I. Stlanahan briefly opposed the removal OF
Mr. Roe ,lug as his advice and skill were needed.
Not A4ng would Uc GaIneu lac hald ny making Nj.
Martin cnitt engineer.
CoLtro.l Ter Senior "a this point withdrew his mo-
ton. q neral DANES : motion was lusi by Il large
majority, and then the vote Ndo taken upOa Mayor
Lows resolution. Ii LOST by the following vote:
Afil1native-M c>sIs Grace. Low, Campbell, Mac
.l..-.-L IL Ann Sn L.A ILl1 Rurles. unLallNe