The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-25

/
Patterson was present and made the
same complaint contained In Col. Hans.
brough's letter. Your committee, by
resolution, directed Mr.. Dunlap to fur
ntsh thu plans. and explained to him
the vast Importance of doing so as best
they could, Since that time your CON-
mittee has, on several occasions, re-
peated the request that tho plans be
furnished.
Finding that Mr.. Dunlap did not in
tend to furnish the rlans at their re-
quest, they wrote a letter to Mr.. Miller,
the city solicitor, in the latter part of
January, asking his opinion about this
matter.
| THE ENGINEER ADVISED TO FURNISH
PLANS.
He (Mr. Miller) examined into this
question, and about tho first of Feb
ruary advised Mr.. Dunlap that these
plans should be furnished Mr.. Patter-
son, that under the law he was entitled
thereto, and that he would not be liable
for delays unless he did have the plans
furnished.
MIR. Dunlap, at q subsequent meeting
OF this committee, stated that he
wished the matter in waiting. and Mr..
Miller, on tho 10th day of February,
wrote to Mr.. Dunlap, giving his opinion
as above. 1t may be proper to say here
that Mr.. Dunlap has always contendt d
that it was unnecessary to furnish these
plans and maps, in which, however,
| your com nittee has differed from him
from the beginning. and up to this time
! the plans have not been furnished, and
your committee turns the matter over to
Council for such action as to it NAV
seem proper, they having exhausted all
tho means in their power to obtain these
plans for the contractor, who, they be-
Iove, under the law is entitled thereto,
1T having been decided so in numerous
cases adjudicated in this State aud other
States and in two cases which went to
the court of appeals from this city.
Council is requested to take this matter
up and act thereon as it deems best.
LETTERS FROM CONTRACTORS.
The letter from Colonel Hansbrouqh
to the chairman Of this committee, in
GLIDING its enclosures. to wit, letter
from Didier, Fuller e Griffith, by Scott
~ Dupuy, their attorneys, and the three
estimates; also letter from Didier,
Fuller & Griffith to r. e. Scott, dated
FEB. 20, and letter from VIM. M Dun
lap to the chairman Of this committee,
dated Feo. 90, 1892, and letter from
sauo to same, of same date, and two
letters from VIM. f. Patterson to VIM.
Nj. Dunlap, dated Feb. Is and 10, and Il
stenographic report of questions and
answers Of Messrs. Houston and Dunlap
taken before your committee on last
Friday.
Your committee would respectfully
ask that Council take action on the oues-
tions herein contained. They believe,
and so report, that these matters should
| DO attended to, and that such steps
should be taken as to hereafter insure
that the city will be protected in it's
work and errors such as those above
mentioned avoided.
Respectfully submitted.
j. ALLEN WATTS,
Chairman.
| WALLER l.. HUFF
After tho reading of the report, Mr..
Watts stated that the committee had
had no way of finding out these mistakes.
Ihey had just become known to the
comtnittee, and as rapidly as possible, a
report was prepared.
The contractors should have reported
the matter, 80 should the city engineer,
but 1T was kept secretand Council know
nothing of it. The estimates had been
approved by Council because thew had
been made out by tho city engineer. The
city could not afford to go on in this
sort of style. 1t was supposed that
plans had been furnished tho contrac-
tors. but ii now seems that this order OF
Council had not been complied with.
Council was not to blame in the matter.
Mr.. Houston said, continued Mr..
Watts, that the street forces had been
demoralized because they could not get
their money. The principal thing that
initiated against Mr.. Pattersons claim
was the fact that the matter had not
been reported to Council. It looked
hard that these men should be deprived
OF their money ali at once.
Mr.. Buckner called Assistant Engi-
neer Houston before Council.
what are your duties. Mr.. Houston?"
he asked.
81 am inspector If street work; to SEQ
TO mat the work is done properly, and
that they follow the specifications
WHO makes the estimates?"
Tine figuring is all done by Mr. Hall.
l check up his figures. Where the
great mistake was made was in the est-
mate on grading. | put the decimal
point in the wrong place in making the
calculation.
Mr.. Buckner then pointed his cues
tionS square from the shoulder He
spared no one. Mr.. Houston answered
the best he could, and ackno wledged
that he made mistake c ericallv, but
this was all
Ibid you tell Mr.. Patterson that inc
would get $4,000 for January csti-
mates?"
mo. sir; l did not"
Then Mr.. Houston went on and told
how he had made mistake in the gut
tering, but he could not account for the
estimates in the other work.
~ am yet unable to decide what you
have to do, Mr.. Houston" said the pres.