Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-14
MORE INVESTIGATION.

W assembled for their meeting last evening there were two members absent aMessrs. Sullivan and Leigh-the latter having sent word that illness would prevent his ap- pearance. It was rumored that these gen. tlemen had paired off, for some reason of their own, but MT. Sullivan's appearance, dispelled this, being further disproved by that gentleman's denial of any such an un- derstanding with MT. Leigh.
 Matters of routine nature occupied the attention of the board for about three quarters of an hour and then they were ready to take up the investigation of the city engineering department where it was left off two weeks ago.
 The same young lady stenographer was present, the cause of whose presence was SO enigmatical to some of the members at the meeting two weeks ago.
 The first one to be called was Charles A. Ferry, assistant engineer. MT. Todd then asked him what were his duties and how much of his time it took him.
 Mr. Ferry-I have general charge of sewer work. It takes me about three quarters of my time, the rest of the time being taken up with lot of little things hard to specify.
 MT. Ferry then went on to describe his part in making plans and profles for sew
 MT. Todd-How many do you have to assist you? .
 MT. Ferry-Sometimes two, three and then only one.
 MT. Todd-Do you ever look up the rec ords?
 MT. Ferry-I used to do it few years ago, but have not lately, only sometimes to help some one out. He said that he did all the inside mapping work for sew CTS.
 MT. Todd-As far as you know has there been any outside work done by the depart ment?
 MT. Ferry-Not very much. A few years ago went up to Wallingford with MT. Fow- Ter. Said that he had done a little other outside work on overtime, and that he sewer.
 MT. Sullivan-What compensation have you received for your outside work?
 MT. Ferry-In my ten years experience I don't think it would amount to much over $200.
 In reference to the Gamer street sewer he said he thought the crack in it would not be disastrous. Said he did not think it the best or the worst specimen of work. MT. Sullivan-Why did the department accept the work? MT. .Ferry-Supposedi it to be good, fair job, and that the inspector had done his duty. Did not suppose it to be any gilt edged job.
 Mr. Todd-Do you racollect any instance where the contractor refused to obey orders?
 MT. Ferry-Yes. About cleaning up the street and a few other matters. Next came MT. Davis of the department. | He stated that his duties were draughting, 1 a little record-hunting, perhaps two days since January He said that he did the | engineering work for Wallingford. Con- tinuing, he admitted doing work and re- | ceiving pay for work done outside office I hours, but not inside of those hours. His | salary from the city was $8O per month, | and for a sewer job in Wallingford he was l paid $1O week. He used to go to see the work every morning at o'clock and arrive | in this city at 8 o'clock. l MT. Atwater-Have you made any plans | for any new sewers there? l r.Davis-Estimates for two short ones
 but don't know whether they will be built l or not.
 l MT. Cassius Kelly was next called. Sai6 l that his duties were chiefly in the street | work not connected with sewers, the curl I gradings, street gradings, street lines, etc He also said that he spent considerable l time looking up records, especially witE | reference to the street lines, which he ha6
 side he said that he usually had to have two or three assistants. Mir. Atwater-Is your search of records | conau1ted hv the street insnectOr MT. Kelly-He used to do so. Mr. Todd-Have you ever done outsid' works
 MT. Kelly-Yes, few times; but not il | city hours. There is sometimes 6 grea pressure to do outside work; but try t. l avoid it.
 Mir. Todd-Have you done work for tn l town?
 Mr. Occasionally. Mir. Todd-Could you not tell about hoy much time you have spent in work for tn l MT. Kelly-Perhaps three or four week l in the past year. He thought the present arrangement very good one for the city, as we'll as tn park commissioner.
 Mir. States of Mr. Hill-If you have al your record work done for you by others
 can't you send MT. Ferry and MT. Kell.
 more outside?
 l MT. Hill-No; because we are weakest il
 the field work.
 l H. H. Gladding said that he did any l thing which was left with him by the on l above. Principally instrumental work il
 summer and record searching in the win | ter.
 MT. States here asked of MT. Hill
 Can't this matter of titles of ownership
 more economically ascertained from req
 estate men who make it business9 MT. Hill--It can be done as well tha l way, but it will not prove so economica
 because we now have our men do it whe, | there is but little field work to do. He sail
 that in their system the work was indexes
 by streets, which was much mora conven
 tent for them than the method of real ee
 tate men, who index theirs alphabetically
 MT. States made a suggestion that i
 would be 8 good thing for the board t
 look this matter up and see if sometime
 one to consult with in this matter of titles
 MT. Hill then had whole list of ques
 tions to answer.
 MT. Atwater-How much time did yo
 spend on the Shelton bridget
 MT. Hill-About two and half days.
 MT. Atwater-Did the county commif
 sioners pay you for five days works
 MT. Hill-No, sir. Didn't spend fiv
 days on it and have not been paid any
 thing yet.
 MT. Atwater-You said nothing abou
 this bridge the other night
 MT. Hill think not. MT. Todd-Isn't it fact that this d.
 partment furnishes work cheaper tha
 elsewhere?
 MT. Hill-Would be sorry to know ths
 was so. Had not heard anything of ths kind.
 MT. Atwater-I have heard good man
 complaints of that nature.
 MT. Todd-Didn't you make the stat ! ment that the contrator on the Came | street sewer made poor job of it and ha
 a friend at courta MT. Hill-No; not exactly that, but pe . haps I meant to intimate as much. M Hill then went on to give the history that sewer from the first time it was pr' posed to the completion. When the wor had progressed to 8 certain point, said M : Hill, while certain it was going on a !, l right, nevertheless he thought certai change would be better. Instead, tI
 board went up and voted to put in ere, 3 soted platform, which he thought W, 3 wholly unnecessary. l Then MT. Hill contradicted stateme, , made by Contractor O'Brien, to the effe ) that he was afraid of the platform fallir 3 and put ups wall of patchwork at his ON