Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-19
THE PEOPLE ROBBED.
Mr.. Branch Uses Plain Language Dis
CuSSins the G&-WorkS Matter.
COMMITTEE AGREE on A REPORT.
Recommend the Examination of Ac-
counts of All Departments Regu-
IrrIy. the Discharge OF Book
Keeper Meredith. &c.

IrrIy. the Discharge of Book
Keeper Meredith. &c.
The result of the investigation Of the
| affairs Of the City Gas-Works. which has
! been attended with such sensational de-
velopments, will be laid before the Com
mon Council at the special session called
| for this evening at 7 o'clock 10 receive and
act upon the Light Committees report
This report. which covers about the
| same ground in a general way that the
paper Of the subcommittee published last
week dld. will be accompanied by three
| important recommendations looking 10
| the correction Of the loose methods that
| have obtained at the works and TO Re-
| covering. as far as possible, what the city
has lost. These recommendations are:
That the accounts Of all the depart
ments Of the city government BE- examined
at regular intervals by a competent ac-
! countant.
That the position held by Mr.. ]. f.
| Meredith as clerk and bOok-keeper at the
works he declared vacant and that the
| person filling this Office hereafter be re-
| quirod to give a $2,O)0 bond. e.
And that the city Attorney be instruct
| ed TO take proper steps to recover the
moneys msapplied either from the estate
| Of the late w. c. Adams or from the sure
! " OH his different bonds as Superintend-
| ent.
TALK OVER THE REPORT.
The Light Committee spent over two
hours yesterday morning discussing the
matter Of what report should be made 10
the Council. Only Messrs Branch, Davis,
Hardwicke, Noble and Chairman Grimes
were present. soon after the body con-
vened Mr. Branch renewed his motion,
which was defeated ON Monday, to condnct
further proceedings with open doors, anu
this was agreed 10.
Then came the question of the report 10
| be made to the Council on most points
there was entire unanimity Of sentiment.
City-Attorney Meredith had. at the sug-
! gestion of the committee, prepared a re-
port, which, though rather more lniid IN
certain parts accorded in the main WIN
that handed in by the subcommittee
| consisting of Messrs. Branch, Hardwlcke'
1 and Vaughan The vital point or diIIef-
! ence between the two reports was that
| the subcommittee censured both Fore
| man Walsh and Book-Keeper Meredith
/ and recommended that the positions held
| by them respectively be declared vacant,
while the paper submitted by the city At
| torney only advised dismlss;ng the book
| keeper FROM further service.
The two papers were discussed at con-
/ siderable length. The explanation given
of the difference made In Mr.. Meredith
report between the book keeper and fore
man was that the Superintendent was
vested with tn power 10 vacate and MI
| the former office while the latter would
be filed by the committee II the Council
adopted the suggestion 10 declare it va
cam.
MIR. BRANCH SPEAKS PLAINLY.
Mr.. Branch made a vigorous fight for
the adoption Of The subcommittee re-
port. taking the position that the two
men were equally responsible for the
loose manner In which business has been
conducted at the works. and that they
should be censured alike. AS regards
Mr. Walsh" said Mr.. Branch. "a man
who has advanced step by step 10 the posi-
ticn he now holds, and who Is thoroughly
| familiar with every detail OF the gas
works. he has shown "a carelessness and
disregard for thu city's welfare which are
incXcusable. He has been In the Office
and all over the plant and there is no
doubt that many transactions have occur
red which Will never come 20 light. Mr..
| Walsh Is the foreman. and still the Arm
itage Manufacturing Company have meas
ured the cityS tar and ammoniacal liquor
themselves for years. To appearances
they have made proper returns for Che
! same. but If they were dishonest the city
has had "a chance to lose thousands of dol
lars in this one affair II Mr.. Walsh has
been so blind as not TO see any crooked
ness in so many years. then he does not
| possess the intelligence for "A foreman or
sufficient TO earn l,Jl per year of the
cty's money. II he did know, then his
discharge Is just and should prove an eX-
ample 10 other officials who fan short IN
their duties. ! am sorry for the necessity.
but the people Of Richmond have been
robbed for years. and are entitled 10 Off
Gals TO whom none can ever point the
/ finger Of suspicion.
"Alr. Chairman, ! regret 20 say that Mr..
Meredith, a man from my ward. an ind-
yidual that l like and the relative of an
intimate friend. has shown utter disre-
gard 10 all rules Of legitimate book-keep-
ing. ard the fact alone that he would al
| low another TO give him n paper from
which 10 post his ledger entries which
his own original entries would have
proven TO be false, suggests either one of
the two things-that he is utterly incom-
petent as "A bOok-keeper or that he is
I competent, but was duped cajoled, or
| bullied and certainly led by the nose into
paths diametrically opposed to Richmond's
interests. The results prove that the city
has lost thousands Of dollars which a con-
scientiOus and capable clerk would have
saved. l sympathize with Mr.. Meredith
sincerely, but my earnest conviction is
that my duty compels me 10 urge his dis
charge"
MIR. MEREDITHS PAPER ADOPTED
Mr.. Grimes and others advocated the
report drawn by Mr. Meredith. as it pre-
scented the facts in the case, and was
drawn with great care. When the ques-
ton was put-a little before l O'Clock
all OF the committeeman voted for the
Meredith report, except Mr.. Branch. who
held out for sending in the sub-cOmmlt-
tees recommendations.
Ii was decided TO ask President Glover
TO call meeting of the Common Council
Tor this evening To consider the commit
tees report. and this he promptly did.
fixing Z o'clock as the hour. IL Is not
likely that special meeting OF the Board
of Aldermen Will be asked for. as that
body has been called 10 assemble next
Monday evening al Z O'clock to receive
the report OF the Committee on Streets in
regard 10 ordinances concerning poles
Tor electric wires and the construction
Of cOnduits. These two subjects both
important and OF great public interest.
can. 1t is thought, be disposed of at the