The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-16
A WATER WORKS INVESTIGATION.
Charges Against Officials Being
Looked Into hv Councilman.

Charges Against Officials Being
Looked Into by Couucilmen.
An investigation was begun by the water
committee Of council yesterday afternoon
that promises to be of consi ierable interest.
Whether there will any sensational results
to the investigation is question that can
not be answered. Il is stated that serious
charges have been made against officials
connected with the erection of the new
water works.
The charges are made by one Of the con-
tractors, Mr. c. B. Weaver, who Is engaged
In the construction of the conduit. There
have been reports for several days of
trouble at the water works, but Of what
character could not be discovered. Yester-
day morning it became known that the wa
ter committee would hold a special session
at the exchange in the afternoon for
the purpose Of investigating charges
made by Mr.. Weaver against the engineers
and the contractor upon the building and
foundations, Mr.. w. F. Chaplin, The
main charges were understood TO be against
Mr.. w. K. Curtis, engineer in charge OF the
work.
The water committee, consisting Of Alder
men W. G.. Cam, chairman, Herman
Myers and j. A. G. Carson, met at the
mayors Office at 4:S0 o'clock.
Contractors Weaver aud Chaplin, Consult
Ing Engineer Johnson of Chicago. Engineer
Curtis, and a number Of the employees OF
the water works department, were present.
The committee decided that the invest.
CATION should be private, a the matter had
not yet been brought before council and
had not been made public.
The investigation lasted for about two
hours, at the end of which time an ad-
Journment was taken until this afternoon
at 4:30 o'clock TO allow Mr. Weaver, who
brings the charges further time in which
to secure evidence in support of his charge.
Chairman Cam of the water committee
was seen after the adjournment, but de-
clined to make any statement with regard
70 the investigation or to the changes which
had been made, as the investigation is still
in progress and be did not consider IL proper
to make any expression or give any infor-
nation on the subject until It is concluded.
The parties principally interested in the
investigation were also seen, but declined to
make any statement or to discuss the matter
at all until the conclusion of the investiga-
ton.
1t is known, however, that charges are
made by Mr.. Weaver against EnglneerL urtis
and Contractor Chaplin. He charges the
engineer with having Disseminated against
him in his super vision of the work and hav-
ing put him to unnecessary trouble pur-
posely. He further charges on tine other
hand that Contractor Chaplin was favored
in bus work in the construction of the build
ings, that work which did not CONS
up to the specifications was passed
upon and accepted as first class and ordered
paid for as such. 1t is also stated that there
are other charges.
MIR. Weaver, when seen last night after
the adjournment Of the committee, declined
to say anything beyond that he regretted
very much that things had come to such q
crisis.
Engineer Curtis preferred not TO make
any statement last night, but seemed per-
fectly satisfied toawait the result Of the 1n-
vestigation. He did not appear to have
any fears as TO the result.