The morning call., 1892-09-23
DODSON WILL NOT PAY.
A. G. Hester Tries to OinCh
q Contractor.
INTIMIDATION Is USED.
The Victim Declares He Will Not Be Robbed
and Appeals to the Street Commit
tse-His Case Ignored.
INTIMIDATION is USED.

There came 10 light at meeting OF the
Street Committee of the Board OF Super
yisors Yesterday a case showing the meth
DDS by which the Stock Report has man
aged to cinch the prOperty-owners OF TINS
city and county.
That such a state of affairs should be
allowed Ia civilized community seems an
outrage on decency and a satire on mu-
nicipal government.
Yet the proprietors of the sheet men,
toned, because they have the contract Tor
public printing, have fer years, under the
guise of printing bills, compelled property
owners to pay much more for advertising
than the value of the work done.
THE CALL has shown up many fragrant
instances of this from time to time.
The case of yesterday, however. trans
cends in gall and impunity anything that
has yet appeared in the way the people have
been mulcted by the Stock Report
A. c. Hester, one Of the proprietors OF
the Report, appeared before the committee
Yesterday and said some hard things about
g. DobsOn. a contractor, VINO hau refused
to make certain payments.
DOdson secured the contract to construct
q sewer in California street. between Fair
and Esmeralds, and it became necessary to
advertise in the Stock Report.
The first bill submitted by the Official
organ Was S2S1 for SIX Inches OF space.
DOdsOn declined TO pay any such amount
and claimed il was case Of barefaced rob-
berry, as he was being charged for the ad-
yertising of work which he had not done,
namely, the putting In OF a crossing III the
locality mentioned.
Hester Informed Dodson that If he did
not pay the bill be would have hard time
of 1t.
Last Monday night the final passage of
the order WAS prevented at meeting OF the
Board of Supervisors.
Dodson still declined to pay, and Holster
concluded the best thing 10 do was to make
a cut in the bill.
So on Wednesday he submitted another
and smaller bill to DodsOn.
This time the bill was for S16S rs, the sum
of SIP % having been taken off.
Dodson claimed that even this bill was
SOS more than it should be. and said he
would appeal to the Street Committee for
relief.
Both men entered the committeeman m
yesterday morning aud glared angrily at
each other.
Hester first addressed the committee and
| claimed that the bill was not exiortionate.
Then DOdsOn took the floor and scorched
Hester and his paper in CALLING terms. He
said:
Gentlemen, this is robbery, and do not
propose TO submit to it. am willing 10
pay SlUU, TIE plOpei hulOuDt VI WIS Dltis Duk
l will not be 'cinched' for a printing bill for
work l have not done or mad anything to
| do with"
The remarks were too strong for Hiegter's
liking and he turned to DOdson and said
You're no good. You would not pay
any bill"
"PIl pay what is Just" said DOdson, but
/ will not be robbed"
Il say this bill is all right" remarked
Hester.
81 say that it ls wrong and viii not pay
| IT," was the prompt reply of the contractor.
well, you will pay IL"
"Well. | guess ! will not. If the bill was
correct why did you adopt the eleventh
| hour tactics and reduce il SHIP | received
this second bill only yesterday, and as it
stands now. there is charged S6S for adyer-
Using work | had nothing 10 do with"
This statement caused Hester to say ex-
| citedly, You're no good, anyhow, and wont
pay any bills"
This remark aroused the anger of Dod-
son and he replied: 81 am as good as you
are, Mr.. Hester, and II you don't believe 1t
| I'll make you think So"
After this remark from Dodson, who had
| fire in his eye, Hester hurrieuly left the
room, while the contractor continued to
insist upon his rights.
"What / want" said he, sis relief. /
would like the committee TO take cognizanee
| of this matter"
"How much are you willing to pay ?"
| asked Chairman Taber.
Il am ready and willing TO pay the proper
amount. 500. The additional Sos IS rob-
| berry and should be stricken from the bill
| There is no use 10 person being robbed !;
| God knows the bills are big enough as they
are, without having tackled on to them ad-
| dltional sums. Must | pay for work that is
| advertised, and which have nothing to do
with, simply because the Report sends in a
bll?''
Not receiving any answer the contractor
| continued:
chester said he would make me pay 1t,
| whether | liked ii or not, and he seems TO
| be using the Supervisors to do ii by having
the order passed 10 print postponed until
| he can accomplish his purpose. have paid
| other printing bills, and | do not owe the
sheet cent, and did not come here to be
| nsulted."
After Dodson concluded the committee
seemed TO ignore the whole business aud
| took no action in the matter.
The following few figures will show more
| than any language can tell the cx0rbitant
charges made by the ''officiai" organ. No
wonder people called upon TO pay such bills
get psralyZed:
In the six inches of space for which the
Report charged Mr.. DOdson 1921 there are
| 21S4 ems OF agate type After January l
the Report will be permitted to charge only
cents per 1000 ems, or 1928 cents for one
| insertion.
If this advertisement goes In six times,
which is a liberal allowance, the total charge
will be 91.7 cents-quite difference when
| compared with S2Si.
The committee received petition from
Archbishop RiOrdan protesting against the
| grading and macadamizng of Masonic
avenue between St Rose street and Point
| LObOS avenue. The protest stops the WORK
| for six months.
A. d. Ottewell submitted plans and speci-
fcations for the construction Of a stee
draw bridge over Channel street, at Fourth
As soon as the plans are approved con
tractors will bid for work.
The bridge when completed will supper
q weight Of forty tons and will cost $50, 600
TO0M TkDIn INN nTTIN A