The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-23
GAS HOUSE MATTER AGAIN.
The Board Of Aldermen Tables the Com
milteeS Ordinance.
NOTPlYcUABLE FOCUSING MEREDITH
Several of the Members Argue Against IL.
The Conduit Railway Matter Sent Back
to the Comm ittcc-The We've
ofthc Members.

her. for the purpose OF taking some ac-
ton In regard TO the construction OF I'M
dercround conduits IN certain streets or
the city. regulating the use OF telegraph
poles by different companies In the va
rlous sections Of the city. The Board was
also to take action with reference TO the
investigation Of the gas-house defaication'
The following members were present.
Messrs. Allen, Bahon. Blake. Boykin, bur
ton. Hardwicke. King. Mitchell Moore
Mopntcastle. Noble. Reeve. snead, Tan
ner. Vaughan, and President TURIN
caDtain Pizzni. who was present, was
granted the privilege OF the moor. ne
stated that ne had been requested by the
REPRESENTATIVES, Of the Richmond Railway
and Electric Company TO ask the CITY
Council that the time be extended Tor
one year from the date. lie Thought that
IL would be unjust to compel the company
10 make these Improvements, WINE the
present contracts for the furnishing OF
electric lights were In existence me US
10 make the required change would ne
from $500 to 5000 and the privilege
granted 10 any company would not eA-
tend over more than fifteen years
CAPTAIN Reeve desired to know whether
any company had applied Tor the prNl-
lege Of constructing these condults' anu
whether the work could be completed IN
the prescribed time. In his oplhlon' 'nc
four months left for the carrying out OF
mis- imoroyement would be entirely too
short. ,..
Nfr Allen chairman or the committee
on streets stated that no arxlicaiion FOR
these franchises had as yet been received
srSr BACK 70 COMMITTEE
captain Reeve said that under the cir
crmstancos he would not vote Tor the or
dinance in the present form ana ne
moved that the time he eNte-ldeu t"eNe
months from June j., 1870.
Nj Noble stated that he was IN FAVOR
Of the extension of time, as far the re-
moval Of the clcctric-light wires ana
poles was concerned.
on MIR Boykins motion. the matter was
referred back 10 the Committee on streets
ON motion of Mr.. Reeve the ordnance
was taken from the table, which seeks
to regulate the joint use Of telegraph
poles 10y different companies. Mr.. Reeve
offered as an amendment to correct
typographical error. but II was lost.
Mr. Reeve next asked for information
as to the amount of revenue TO be de-
rived from the tax 10 be paid for telegraph
poles and II this tax would bear equally
on all parties concerned. None OF the
members present was IN a position TO
give the desired information.
Mr. Noble then moved that the ordinance
be referred back to the Committee on
Streets. for the purpose of obtaining the
desired information and TO give the mem
bers an opportunity to become familiar
with the contents of the ordinance that
had only just been distributed in printed
form The motion was lost. but. on mo-
lion by Mr. Reeve the matter went over
until the next regular meeting OF the
board ON Mr. Kings motion. the clerk
was directed TO request the City Engineer
and Commissioner Of the Revenue to be
present at that meeting.
Tnr GAS wongs MATTER.
The ordinance adopted by the Common
Council then came up fOs concurrence re-
lating to the defalcation I'm the Gas
Works. and providing for the discharge of
the clerk and bookeeper. Mr.. }. T. Mere
diih.
After the paper had been read MIR.
Blake arose and stated that ne had come
prepared to stay all night. if necessary.
I'm order that every member might have
an opportunity to express his views. ask
questions and obtain desired information.
While ne had a high regard for the re
ports Of the comittttecs. but In this ease
where the destiny Of "A man was at stake.
ne wanted TO have all the facts made
known. He. Therefore. wished TO ask Mr..
H. H. BOudar the expert accountant.
few questions. This was agreed TO. and
Mr. Boudar stated In detail the condition
OF affairs which he found at the city Gas
Works. lie was asked numerous ques-
lions by Mcssrs Blake. Allen. King,
Reeve. and Sncad. and others. and stated
that upon q question asked by Mr.. Muir
ply during the session of the Common
Council as TO the qualification of Mr..
Meredith. he felt compelled To say that ne
considered Mr. Meredith incompetent TO
keep the books.
The report of the committee 10 the
Council in regard - the inv~ tigatiOn.
vas then read wher"apon the qucstionii
OF Mr.. Eoudar by various members was
continued He spoke about the condition
of the general and auxiliary books. and
said that II false entries had been made i'm
the former. It wcIld not have ini erred
with the balancing Of the books. r.. gen
eral books only comprised the entries OF
receipts and disbursements.
ON motion Of Mr. Blake. the privilege
OF the floor was extended 20 Mr.. ]. +.
Meredith. the clerk and bOokkrcpCr. who
explained the manner In which he had
kept his books and how nc was guided
by instructions from the late Supcrin-
tendent OF the Gas-Works. He was also
asked number of questions By different
members In regard 10 The details Of the
management o. affairs at the city Gas
Works.
Superintendent Knowles the successor
OF the late W. G. Adams. was next heard
who defined the duties of the foreman
which consist In a general supervision
OF the Gas-W orks. He added that when
he entered upon his duties ne did not
find the Gas-Works In proper condition.
He thought that the foreman should re-
port TO the superintendent any irregular-
ties that may occur. and the latter TO
the Commltte on Light
THE DISCUSSION.
This ended the questioning OF the city
tincials and then the oratOry OF the
ncmi ers Of the board was let loose MIR
B)yk.n started the ball rolling and re-
fcrred 10 certain charges which he made
some time ago before that body as 10
certain Irregularities as TO the sale of
coke at the lower Gas-Works He Won
dcrei how such transactions could 20 on
without being noticed 10y the inferior Off
GALS Mr. Meredith had been censured
for incompetency while the Superinten-
dent had iust stated that the foreman
also was incompetent. Tie could not an
derstand how the manager Of the dcpart-
mcnt could allow such things 10 20 on
without having due KNOWLEDGE of H. He
DID not think II was right to turn one
man out and leave the other one there
who certainly must have had knowledge
of what was gong On.
MIR Mountcastlc thought the whole mat
ter was 10 be settled on Mr. Meredith
and .the charge of incompctency had
been raised while the whole trouble seem
ed 20 have been the result OF general
CarelfsSnCSs. He. for one MAS moi will