The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-16
CAPT. CARTER DECLINES.
Official Duties win Prevent, His Act
Ing as Consulting Engineer.

ih8 ao tUHAulLlNS LuSlhtCl,
He Reconside-ed FFis Letter Of June
90 and Wrote Yesterday Declining
the Invitation Commissioned Carson
Thinks the Board Should stand Pat
on Maj. BIandfo-d's Reports-Capt.
Carter Says Pressure Of O1deial Bust
ness Was the Only Reason for IIis
Declining TO Act.
Capt. 0. NJ Garter will not act as con-
sulting engineer to the board of commits
sioHcrs Of Chatham county.
This was settled definitely yesterday
by letter from Capt. Carter to Capt.
mo. r. Dillon, clerk of the county com
missioners, declining to act for the rea-
sons set forth.
Capt. Carter stated in his letter that
he had found the pressure of his Off
cial duties so great on
account of many accumulations recently,
that he would find it impossible to under
take the work Oh July - or thereabouts,
as the commissioners requested, and that
he did not know when that pressure
woald be relieved On this account he
recousidered his letter Of June 26, accept
ing the position, and declined to act as
consulting engineer to the commissioners.
THE LETTER FINAL
The letter, which was received by Capt.
Dillon about noon, was sent at once to DR..
j. T. Charlton, chairman of the drainage
committee. This seems to finally settle
the matter that Capt Garter viii not act,
and it will probably place the board in
quandary as to what course to pursue.
As the work was TO have been taken up
on July 25, and as the commissioners do
not hold another regular meeting until
tho Sc ond Wednesday in August, is pos
sibe that a special meeting may be called
to consider the matter, though nothing
has been said about it as yet.
ERE QUESTION ARISES WHAT WILL BE DONE.
The question naturally arises, what will
be done. Capt. Carter was asked to IN
dertake this work on account Of the fact
that there were certain charges of
extravaganza and improperly resting
against the present engineer, and indi-
rectly against the majority Of the board
who voted to retain Maj r.. A. Blandford
in oAice.
LC LCilOIU " MIN AtJb. NdEJtI WAS GN-
pected to make was intended to set at
rest these charges, he being
considered thoroughly compe-
tent engineer, by determining whether
the work had been FdOne extravagantly
ami improperly or not. Upon this report
was TO depend largely the action of the
board in the premises. 1hcqucstion now
arises as to whether some other engi-
neer viii be asked to take up the work.
WILL STAND on THE REPORTS.
''What do you think win be done?"
Commissioner Carson was asked ycster-
day afternoon.
81 think, he said. chat we will stand
pat on Maj. BlaudfOrd's reports
The action of the board was
taken out of Difference to the opinion of
the minority as well as to satisfy the pub
lie, with some of whom certain impress
siOns were created which may or may not
have been erroneous. While we main
tanned that the work was properly done,
the question was TO determine that fact
by the Investigation Of n competent en-
gineer and SET all doubts at rest.
II WAS unaware that Capt. Carter had
declined, but now that he has done so, l
think the course 20 pursue is for the en-
tire board to accept the reports of the
present engineer.
1T is to be regretted that Capt. Carter
will not undertake the work. His report,
whatever it might have been, would have
set all doubts at rest and action could
have been taken accordingly.
CAPT. CARTER TALKS.
Capt Carter was seen yesterday after
noon and was asked his reasons for re-
considering his letter of June IS, accept
ing the invitation of the commissioners
and OF Mai. Blandford the county engi-
neer.
1t is just as I stated in my letter" he
replied. "SinCe writing the letter, &C
cepting the invitation, my official duties
have increased so largely in one way and
another, that ! lind il impossible to at
tend to them and TO begin the work which
the commissioners asked Inc TO undertake
on July %.
NO CHANCE OF UNDERTAKING IT.
''Ihe pressure of my Official business is
so great that it viii require my close at
tention beyond that time. and | was un-
willing to disappoint the board of com
missioners by delaying the work on ac-
count of Official matters, which might aC-
cumulate aud require my attention from
time, after that cate. Finding ID impOs-
si5le to take up the work, al that time, |
decided to decline the invitation"
Capt Carter was asked if there was
any other reason for his declining tho in
vitatiOn. He replied that he only took
coguizance of such matters as were
brought to him in an official way, and
that there was no other reason whatever
for his declining to do theEork requested.
CHIEF PUDER INJURED.