The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-25
HE LOSES HIS CONTRACT.
WEAVER WILL DO NO MORE WORK
ON THE NEW WATER WORKS.

Weaver, Decided to Allow the w ater
Committee 90 Take Hold of the
Conduit and Finish 1t - Weever's
Men and Machinery VIII Be Retained
by the City-WhaS the Mayor and
Chairman Cam Say About the In
vestigation and It's Results.
The water committee made a report at
yesterday afternoons session OF council OF
the result Of its recent investigation OF the
charges made by Contractor c. B. Weaver
against Engineer Curtis and the inspectors
Of his department and Contractor Chaplin.
The report exonerates Engineer Curtis
and his assistants and Contractor Chaplin.
Contractor Weaver's charges are reported
20 be not substantiated.
Yesterdays meeting of council was called
60 hear the appealed liquor cases. Council,
however, spent over an hour in caucus.
probably discussing the finding Of the COM
mittee.
room at $50 O'Clock the following reports
were submitted by the water committee.
THE TWO REPORTS.
The first report generating Engineer
Curtis and the others against whom charges
we're made follows:
SAVANNAH, GA. Aug "a, 1892.
The committee on water beg leave to report
that they have fully investigated certain
charges made by Mr.. c. B. Weaver. OF the firm
Of Robertson & Weaver, contractors on the
water works. a copy of which is hereto ct
tached. and End that the charges have not, in
their opinion, been substantiated. A copy of
the testimony taken In this investigation is also
attached to this report
W. G. CAM, Chairman
j. A. @. CARSON
The second report was something in the
nature of a surprise. Contractor Weaver
is deprived of his contract, and the work
upon the conduit will be taken charge OF by
the water committee:
SAVANNAH, GA, Aug a. 1892.
The committee on water beg leave TO report
that the conduct Of the work upon the water
conduit. for the completion Of which Robertson
& Weaver are under contract to the city, has
been SO unsatisfactory, and the delay in prose
cutting IL has been so great that they have for
the city taken charge OF the work as provided
for in the contract and will proceed TO complete
W. G. CAM, Chairman
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
The reports were adopted without discus
sion.
The testimony taken In the case was not
read before council, but was filed with the
clerk
The evidence does not contain anything
new. All of the principal facts have been
given by the MORNING News despite the
attempt at secrecy on the part OF tie COM
mittee.
Contractor Weaver submitted no positive
evidence TO sustain the charges. He simply
stated under oath that he believed that
he was not being fairly treated
In the matter OF the conduit work
by the engineer and his assistants. while the
other contractor, Mr.. Chaplin, was al
lowed TO 10 pretty much as be pleased. On |
this account he believed that Engineer |
Curtis was in oolusion with Contractor !
Chaplin, and that the reason for his unfair |
treatment was because he had made no ar
rangement Of this nature with the engineer. |
He instanced occasions where he had been |
compelled to do. as he thought, unnecessary |
work because of this lack OF favor with the |
engineer and his assistants.
Mr. Weayer's testimony was supported |
only by his employees on the conduit, who |
claimed to have noticed the same things |
charged by their employer.
There was no definite evidence calculated |
TO inculpate any Of the parties charged with |
such misconduct.
Tue charges were denied in toto by Engi- |
neer Curtis and Contractor Chaplin and |
their assistants.
ALL THE WORK SATISFACTORY.
The chief evidence in favor of the &C.
cused was the result Of an examination of
the work by the water committed. The
aldermen comprising 1t reported that
they found all the work that
had been done, both by
Contractor Chaplin aud Contractor Weaver,
of the best character and in satisfactory
condition, with no evidence to show that
there had been any favoritism upon the
part of the engineers. The only complaint
was that the work was not being completed
as rapidly as the contract called for.
This probably ends the whole matter, 30
far as charges of improper conduct are oon-
cerned, unless Contractor Weaver should
carry his case into the courts which is not
probable.
The truth of the matter Is that Contractor
Weaver made his charges under protest,
and that the investigation was made by the
water committee on its own motion, and
was not demanded by Mr.. Weaver.
The matter first came up in private talk
between Mr. Weaver and a member of the
water committee, in which the former made
statements seriously rejecting upon his
associates in the construction OF the water
works The alderman insisted that he
should repeat those charges to the
chairman OF the committee, which Mr..
Weaver declined to do. A meeting of the
water committee was then called, before
which Mr. Weaver appeared by request
He declined, however. to make any charges,
and was only drawn out by the alderman to
whom he had made his statements rehears-
ing them before the committee. Whatever
reasons Mr.. Weaver may have had for his
belief, he was unable to substantiate his
statements by any direct evidence.
Mayor McDOnough said last night after
the meeting OF council that the direction Of
the work upon the conduit would now be
assumed by the water committee, under a
clause IL the contract with Robertson &
Weaver which provides for any failure to
complete the work as contracted for on
their part.
TO RETAIN WEAVER'S MEN.
The city will retain all Of Contractor
Viewers force, including the super
intendent, will use all Of the ma
chinerY at present engaged upon the
work, and will continue the work
just as at present The committee will en-.
deavor 60 complete the contract within the
price specified, in which case the contract
ors, Robertson q Weaver, will receive the
difference between the cost of completing
the work and the price agreed upon in the
contract. If the cost Of the work exceeds
the price specified in the contract, the con-
tractors surlties will be proceeded against
Mayor McDonouRh is of the opinion, from
what be has observed Of the work, that
there should be several thou sand dollars
coming TO the contractors. The conduit
work is about three-fourths completed,
though only about one half has been paid
Tor. The work is paid for by sections as