The morning call., 1894-03-11
ABOUT A SEWER.
Veterans Try to Round Up
a Plumber.
FIND HIS BILLS TOO LONG.
They Have an Enjoyable Time
Discussing Them.
ARBUcKLE DISCOVERS AN AXIOM
Some Curious Things About the Con-
tract for Plumbing at Yount-
vile Veterans Home.

| sewer it's obligatory on one man as the
other to first find tie sewer"
This dictum was laid down with fiery
! emphasis by Director Arbuckle at a
special NEE ing of the directors of the
Veterans Home Association last night
| the whole meeting was taken up by the
consideration of the report of the commit
tee appointed to investigate the alleged
excessive charges Off. f. Ward. the
plumber. The committee consis ed of Di-
rectors Arbuckle. Fuller and Hyde. They
agreed in finding the charges altogether
too high Tor the plum bling done, but Hyde
dissented to the recommendation to cut
down the item from S349 to S175 for con-
q Getting pipes with the sewer. He claimed
that the contract did not call for connec-
ton with that particular sewer, and 1t was
his position on that point that called forth
torrent of scathing rebuke from Ar
buckle. chairman of the committee. who
completely knocked out HYDE by the ques-
ton, "lf the contract reads the sewer
and there is no other sewer but this par
tIcular sewer. how could he connect the
pipes with any other sewer when there
was no other sewer there? 1t is as plain
as pike staff" 1t didn'' prove so, how
ever, to the directors. They fought the
thing from dozen different paints of view
Contracts aud specifications were read and
reread.
Director Hyde said if the plumber were
paid at all for that item of S349 he should
be paid all or nothing. Director Arbucke
Informed Director Hyde that he knew
very little about the matter. The mai lrity
had taken an expert to YOuntvilIe and
therefore knew what they were talking
about. The definite article was used and
every child knew that the definite article
me Mt "a ertain thing" A certain thing
! in this particular instance was The sewer
Il want to say" began Director HYDE.
'Pve got the f1oor," interrupted Director
Arbuekle. land Pm not going TO give way
| until / explain this simple thing to the
board" Then the director read what he
supposed 70 be the contract. After he had
read it he lectured the board on not under
standing it.
THAT is not the contract" said Director
Hyde quietly. You have read the wrong
ODe."
Then Director Arbuckle said he guessed
II was the wrong contract. Architect
/ Wharf wanted to say word. The board
Informed the architect they proposed to
discuss their own affairs without outside
interference.
The wrangle continued until at last DR..
McAllister slipped away YEARLY. Finally,
after all the discussion, it was concluded
that the adoption of the reuort would not
bind the association TO paying out the
specified moneys, and call for the question
4
| 10 adOpt the min ority report was lost by
| vote of to 5. The majority report was
then adopted. The bills were referred to
the auditing committee and an adjourned
meeting was set for Wednesday evening
next.
The probabilities are that Mr. Wards
bills will be very much cut down. The
report of the investigating committee
shows a curious state of affairs. Some
bills in the general contract for plumbing
have been already allo" ed. The aggregate
amount claimed is S13S7 81. and the de-
crease recommended amounts TO 1927 80,
making il $1,000. On one bill for S27O, for
| slabs and plum bling, The committee recon-
mended cut of $50 On bill for four
days work of SO cut was made of S1I.
Another of S14 had 81 knocked off. From
bill of S24 IS for four aud half days
work for running gaspipe S13 rs was
| deducted.
The biggest deduction was made in bin
for S349 for running sewer pipes under the
dining-roam. This was found too large by
STA 60 1t was this item Director hyde
dlssected. The committee found that
lack OF cOnciseness in the plans and in
completeness in specifications and nom
superintendent were the immediate
causes of this surprising outlay. Ii was
conclusively found that every foot OF
ditch was done by laborers employed by
the commandant and paid for by the
association Such instances of error in
allowing charges 10 be made against the
association are evidences of inefficienc,
from some cause on the part of those who
represented the association during the
progress of the building.
The consideration of the auditing COM
mittee's report at the adjourned MEETING
on Wednesday will prove an exciting one.