The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-20
MIR. EVERETT wADDEY IN DEFENSE
OF THE COMMITTEE.


The Times printed yesterday a COM
muniCation from Mr.. Everett Waddey de-
Tending the Committee on Grounds and
Buildings for it's action in awarding him
the contract to furnish the new City
Hall metallic filing cases. Mr.. Waddey,
after presenting an argument in the COM
mittee's behalf thus states his reason for
publishing his letter:
My excuse for appearing In print is
| that no imputation OF improper motives
| on the part of the committee can be
made without its attaching TO me also,
as being one Of the successful bidders. |
must necessarily profit by any improprie-
ty on their part in awarding this con-
| tract, and TO this l cannot silently sub
nit.
This may constitute, to Mr.. Waddey.
a good reason why he should appear in
print in the committees defense, but the
| people of Richmond will think that If
there is to be an appeal to public opinion
in behalf of the committee, ii would be
far better If they were represented in
that appeal by some person other than
the one who was benefited by the action
| on their part, which is being called in
question.
Mr.. Waddey states, with great elabo-
rateness of detail, the facts and circum-
stances which led up to and constituted
the final action of the committee in this
matter, but we do not perceive that he has
changed in any degree the understanding
which the public got Of it at the begin
ming, which was, and still remains, this:
Mr.. Bowers made bid to furnish the
gas fixtures for the hall according TO
samples exhibited by him. MIR. Phillips
made a bid to furnish them according to
samples furnished by him. Mr.. Phillips
bid called for $1,000 more OF he city's
money than Mr.. Bowers bid. The City
Engir Ger is entirely trusted by the public.
He is the skilled architect who has had
charge OF the erection and construction
Of the hall. The Engineer said 10 the
committee that Bowers samples were
more in keeping with the design of the
building than Phillips and, for that rea-
committee awarded the contract to
Phillips at the greater cost OF $500.
Mr. Waddey made bid for furnishing
metallic filing cases according to sam
pies exhibited by him and Mr.. S'arke
made a bid according TO samples furnished
by him. Mr. Waddey's bid called for $500
more than Mr.. Starkes. The Engineer
said to the committee that he preferred
Starke's samples for the reason that the
rollers used in them were short rollers.
whereas the rollers used i'm Waddey's were
long rollers, and he considered the in
creased number of bearings in Starke's
TO give them an advantage over Waddey's.
Nevertheless the committee awarded the
contract to Waddey at the greater cost
Of $500.
Mr.. Waddey argues for the committee
that they are elected as representatives
Of the people to act, not as dummies
but as sensible men endowed with dis
erection and judgment. and that il was
their duty TO their constituents to cam
Vass the whole matter and do what In
their opinion was for the best interests Of
those constituents.
The position is unquestionably sound
one. But the public says that when their
skilled man, TO whom 1t has entrusted
the duty Of supervising and directing the
construction OF the City Hall, tells the
committee that a certain article offered
for its equipment is the article which the
building needs. and when that article can
be secured at a much smaller price than
another article which this skilled officer
pronounces against. 1t is the duty of the
committee in exercising that discretion
and judgment conceded to II to adopt
at once the award OF the skilled officer.
That is the way In which the members
OF the committee show that they really
have discretion and judgment. 1t was
Colonel Cutshaw's business TO pass on
Just such questions ~ these. and the