Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-06
Board of Public Works.

Board of Public Works. An Interesting Session-The City With
 an Engineer But No AssistanIs-some-
 body Left and Engineering Work at a
 StandstilI.
 regular meeting of the Board of Public Works was held last evening. Present, His Honor the Mayor, presiding, Messrs. Pond, Sargent, Feldman, Gilbert, Holcomb and Coleman.
 Bills for the month of August amounting to about $22, 900 were approved.
 Dr. J. P. Phillips appeared in behalf of Judge Bronson, who was trustee for the chil- dren of the late Arlow Sperry, who owned property on Hotchkiss street. He said that they had built a house on the street and de. sired to connect with the Chapel street sewer, a distance of about two hundred feet He said the trustee or heirs would not oppose sewer on Hotchkiss street if 1t should be or dered in the future. Tabled for executive session.
 August Schmidt asked that the order for sewer on Hamilton street, between Collis and Greene streets, be carried out. Tabled for executive session.
 Captain L. O'Brien appeared and asked to be heard in regard to his bid for the sewer on Chestnut street from Greene to St. John streets He said his bid was the lowest and was made in good faith. He said he had no idea of getting the job when he bid for it. He thought the bid was low enough and that he should have been heard before the bid was rejected. While he was satisfied that he lost on others, in justice he should have the contract on the price bid.
 Engineer Hill stated that when the bids came in he gave it as his opinion that the work could be done for considerably less than the bid of Captain O'Brien. He said that the material had been ordered and the work had been commenced for the sewer. The matter was laid on the table for ex- ecutiYe session.
 W. IL. Warner asked for license to con meet with water mains and sewers, which was granted.
 John Warner asked to be released from the bond of W. F. Bristol, plumber. It was voted to release MT. Warner when MT. Bristol furnishes good and sufficient bonds man in Mir. Warner's stead
 Mr. Sargent moved, and it was so voted, that if the building of Solomon Rosenblnth on the corner of Temple street and Congress avenue, which is an encroachment, is not re- moved before the tenth of September, then it shall be removed by the superintendent of streets.
 The matter of violation of the city ordi- nance in regard to connections with sewers, as alleged was made by Dr. Stetson on Mans field street was referred to the Committee on Sewers to inquire and report.
 Orders for the laying of cr osswalks in the vicinity of First and Second streets and Greenwich avenue were passed.
 It was voted that if the contractor for brick for city purposes fails to fulfill his agreement for furnishing brick to the city as needed within ten days then the contract shall be cancelled.
 It was voted that the superintendent of streets be instructed to lay crosswalk across Shelton avenue at Division street.
 On the application of Dr. Phillips to con- meet house on Hotchkiss street with the Chapel street sewer, it was voted that 1t be not granted.
 The resolution discharging the assistant engineers and fixing their pay and reappoint- ing the same at fixed salaries which was laid on the table one month ago, was taken up.
 Engineer Hill made 8 statement in support of the resolution He said the purpose was to equalize salaries according to position and defining their duties. He spoke well of the officers named in the resolution. The resolu- tions were considered separately, and the first discharging the assistant engineer was adopt ed.
 MT. Pond moved that the name of Sylva- nus Butler be inserted in place of Charles A. Ferrie for assistant city engineer and that the vote be taken by yeas and nays It was so voted.
 lows:
 For Ferrie- F eldman, Gilbert and Sar gent.
 For Butler-Pond, Holcomb and Coleman.
 There not being a majority in favor of either candidate, Mir. Pond moved that the resolution be laid on the table. A yea and nav vote was ordered and there were thr ee yeas and three nays, the same as before-
 His Honor said that he presumed that he had casting vote on this question. He said if this vote was passed it would block the work in the engineers department. He was reluctant, he said, to stop the work of the department in this way.
 At this point MT. Coleman left the room, and as matter of course no further votes could be taken, as the charter requires that full board shall be present when officers are elected.
 Mir. Pond said that the Republican mem bers of the Board had endeavored to have everything their own way and now the other side was ready to meet them half way. The resolution that had been passed had dis charged all of the assistants in the engineers 8 department and the other side felt though Mir. Butler should be elected assistant engi- neer.
 AS Mir. Coleman had Left no 1artner vote could be taken as the charter requires that a full board shall be present when there is an election of officers.
 An adjournment followed and the city is left with only chief engineer in the person of MT. Hill, and he in 8 position to do little or no work without assistance. All the en gineering work of the city must therefore be at a standstill until the matter is in some way adjusted
 After the meeting there was 8; discussion betv cen MT. Pond and MT. Sargent and oth- ezs of the Board in regard to the matter and aa excfsSsz ATTsIrsn s1asRnF<en the members of the Board followed. Canes were raised, but rb blows were struck and the disinterested outsider stood by and laughed at the fun. What the outcome of the whole matter will be no man can tell One thing is certain, and that is that the people will insist that they shall not suffer in consequence of a difference of opinion between members of aly city board in regard to the qualifications of John Smith or John Brown to hold any particular position. If politics are at the bot toLn of the matter the sooner they are re moved the better it will be fer the interests of the taxpayers