Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-03-05

Mayor BIantOn's Absence-The
Contractors Must Pay weekly
In Cash.
The joint board of aldermen and ad-
visors held meeting in the mayors
Office yesterday afternoon shortly after
3 o'clock. There were present Aldermen
Waddell, Starnes, Brevard, Mcdowell
and Leonard, and Advisors Scott, Sum
mey, Hunt and Conant. Mr.. v addell
was called to the chair, as Mayer Blan-
ton was absent.
appointment Confirmed.
Mr.. Starnes, for the committee, reported
that the rental of the city's steam road
roller had not been fixed, but would be
done as seon as the machine has been
accepted by the city. On motion of Mr.
Hunt, the board decided to pay for the
fuel used for running the machine during
the ten-day test.
Mr.. Starnes reported that the Joint
commit tee had engaged !. L. Murray as
inspector Of street work, at salary of
SIS a month. The committee recon-
mended Mr.. Murray as good man for
the position. On motion of Mr.. Scott,
the report of the committee was accep-
ted and the appointment OF Mr.. Murray
confirmed.
Bond Filed.
The bond of L. H. Britt, who has the
contract for retaining walls, ETC., was
presented and accepted. 1t is for
$1,000, the sureties being S. w. Ray and
J. X Starnes.
Mr. Starnes suggested that the ma
cadam taken up on Depot street be put
down on West Haywood and Spring
streets. On motion of Mr.. Scott the
board so instructed the contractor
]. A. Tennent, agent for the Merritt
property on Depot street complained to
the board that in widening that street
several of the houses were made almost
inaccessible by reason of the high embank-
ment. He asked that the property be
placed in as good condition as it was
before the work was begun. The mat
ter was referred to Messrs. Mcdowell
and Scott for adjustment and report.
Mr.. Scott moved that the city clerk
should prepare complete list of all the
committees which have been appointed
from the joint board as some of them
were appointed so long ago that the
fact has probably been forgotten by
some of the committeeman. The matter
was finally laid over until Monday.
Want weekly Payments.
Mr.. Starnes read to the board section
l6 of the general stlpulations of the
specifications, which is as follows:
Contractors will punctually pay the
workmen who shall be employed by
them upon the work under their contract
in cash current, and not in what is de
nominated store pay or order, and vii
from time to time, and as often as may
be required by the mayor furnish tc
the said mayor satisfactory ev
idence that all persons who have done
work or furnished materials have beer
paid as herein required. And ii such evi
dence is not furnished, such sums as may
be necessary for such payment may III
/ the discretion of the board consisting
of the mayor, board of aldermen and
advisory committee be retained until
such claims be fully satisfied"
Mr.. Starnes tlen showed the board q
check paid one of Contractor Cor
penng's hands for days work. Mr.
Starnes said he was informed that Mr.
Corpening was paying off his hands il
these checks, which could only be lifted
by certain merchants. There had beer
much complaint to him. Such an ar
rangement was not satisfactory to him
to the merchants of the city, nor to th'
laboring people. To make the men worl
ten hours and then npay off in store check
was something ridiculous, and he wished
to enter a protest. He had been inform
ed that Mr.. Csrpening had told hi
workmen that he would pay them 7,
cents day cash or 81 day in stor
checks.
MIR. Corpening, who was present, salt
he had told no such thing to anybody
He said the merchants were not t.
shave his checks, and if his hands wer
able to hold their checks until thei
month was up, he would take them u
and pay them the cash. This system
made every man his own timekeeper
H. B. Brown and Tom Fcrney, co
ored, were before the board on this sui
ect. Brown said he did not come t.
dictate to the board, but he wanted t.
remind it that promise had been mad
that hsme labor should have the prefer
ence. Instead OF this he had understood,
that outsiders were getting the bulk G
the work. Forney talked in simia
strain.
Mr.. Corpening said but few home ne
groes had applied to him for work, an
they wanted soft jobs, while he had II
seft jobs for anybody.
The motion was finally disposed of b
motion of Mr.. Scott to refer to tn
Joint street committee for report a
next meeting.
A bill of $11.30, for fixtures for til
clerks office, was ordered paid.
The Joint board then adjourned t
f Monday afternoon at o'clock, the tim
for holding the regular monthly NEE