The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-22

tied 10 compensation I'm the way 1t was
maze. Mr.. Todd did not like the way
the claim was sneaked into the bid. II
Anderson's plans were adopted, what sort
oil danger could result IL the contract were
given TO other experienced hands +? An
derson could not object TO the use OF bis
| pans ~ he was paid for them. A sense OF
justice should undcrlie the awarding of
contracts when put ont TO the lowest re-
sponSible bidder, whether a resident OF
Richmond or not. There Is no record, and
there was no understanding between the
committee at any meeting previous TO the
one at which the contract was awarded that
Mr.. Anderson should have pay for his
plans at the expense OF other bidders. This
was all he charged. He did not believe
the committee had done any intentional
wrong, but they bad done
GREAT WRONG,
and ii was the duty OF the Council to cor
rect. The committee should be guided by
the ordinances governing them. These
had been utterly disregarded. This dis
regard OF city and State law had caused
the city TO lose the school trustees. II vas
time we were learning law. No delay
could occur in annuIling Andcrson's con-
tract IL the work was at once given to
Gardner Brothers, the lowest bidders.
Mr.. Dutlield said he thought the appropra.
ton should be rcccnsidered. He was sur
prised to read that the contract had been
awarded Anderson. He said Anderson
positively stated in his hearing that he had
no patent rights TO sell or claim to make
for services rendered.
DR.. Cabell thought that the rule of award
ing contracts to the lowest bidder was not
an iniallible one. He favored giving the
contract to Anderson. A mans moral
character and fitness for the work contract
cd for should be considered. He thought
the citizens would agree, If they knew the
particulars, that it would be fair to give
Anderson the contract.
MIR. Glasgow "a member OF the Commit
tee on Light explained the awarding of
the contract just as it was stated in the
Dispatch. He did not think Anderson de-
served compensation as n consulting engi-
neer, as he ought to stand upon the same
footing as other contractors: : but Anderson
had ag1eed to leave the question of pay 10
the committee. He was willing to bear
his share OF the blame. but the committee
made n mistake in not first settling Mr..
Anderson's pay before the bids were
opened. There was grave responsibility
upon committee. when inviting bids from
the public, to see that all bidders received
exact justice. Ii the matter were referred
to the committee again, he would insist
upon the course OF finding out first all
charges before opening bids. He believed
the committee acted upon what it conceived
to be the best interest Of the city, and he
wished the matter could be reconsidered
some way. AS to the responsibility, the
Pittsburgh house ranked double as high as
the Anderson one in commercial circles.
Mr.. Williams said he thought there was
a manifest feeling OF the people TO have all
work done in the city that could be done
here IL this irOn-work were done here it
would make Richmond the fifth market for
such work. Only four were in existence
now. He differed with Mr.. Todd, for il
the Pittsburgh people did the work on the
Anderson plan, and it failed, why, they
would say: 1t was your plan; we have
done our work. He thought the re-
solution requiring the officials to resign
degrading TO the committee il the Council
tied their hands in this matter
A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Mr.. Todd asked Mr.. Williams why he
voted for this resolution, which he thought
degrading; why he advocated it privately
in conversation with him, as did also the
chairman and too members Of the gas COM
mittee?
Mr.. Williams said the resolution did not
degrade in itself, but it would If the COM
mittee were interfered with. He thought
the committee acted with the best hight be-
fore it.
The vote on Mr.. Todd's resolution stood
as follows:
AYEs.-Messrs. Burwcll Chaflin, Crump, DUFF
field. Glasgow. TOdf. Wexford, and BASS
NOEs.-Messrs. Cabcll, Colo, DickersOn, Pleas
ants, Powers. Rankin, Taylor, and Wiams-S.
And the resolution to annul the contract
with Anderson was declared lost by a tie
vote.
Adjourned.