The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-16
WHO HAS THE POWER?
4 QUESTION BETTEEN fHE CON-
w}ffEE 4ND sIPT. hNOULEs.
some Of the Members Say That He Has
No Right to Remove Mcssr-'
walsh and Meredith.

| u OF the city Hall last evening. with the
/ following members present; Chairman
Crimes. and Messrs. Caskie, Starke,
Vaughan. Davis. Noble. Haicwickc. and
Wallefstein. Superintendent Knowles
presented his report OF the operations Of
the Gas Department for the month end
ing July 3ist. showing that during that
month IN 1851 cubic feet Of gas. a. COM
pared 10 iD.Hg.NJ cubic feet made IN
July. 1894. Gas sent out last month
amounted to slL4t5.TtS cubic feet, which
was made al a cost of - l-l cents per
/ 1000 feet in the holders. The cost OF
distribution OF this gas was % cents per
/ 100 cubic feet Amount needed for THIS
months salary. $4.31.
The report Of the subcommittee. 10 in
orire into the eXpedlency or abOushing
/ the office Of clerk 10 the Gas Norks, was
read. II recommended That the salary or
the clerk be reduced from 100 per year
| 20 Sro per year. this reduction being
/ deemed proper I'm view OF the fact that
the duties OF the clerk. since the sale Of
coke was stopped. having been about one
! half what they were prior 10 that time
I The paper also recommended that this
/ clerk attend 10 his labors at the office
OF the gas Inspector and that his hours
! be from 10 8.
| Mr.. Caskie moved to strike out the
J part bringing the clerk 10 the gas in
| spectOr's office. and fixing the hours for
/ his work. Mr. Knowles thought the
I book-keeper should be at the Gas-Works
! Mr.. Grimes offered as substitute Tor
/ Mr.. Caskie's motion that the bOOk-keeper
J should work from A. VI. to 3 T. VI.
WANTED NEW RfGIME
! Superintendent Knowles was l~arf on
| the question. He said that Mr. avis
/ had stated that seven or eight books
J were kept by the foreman. and that this
/ was the very thing which hc wanted TO
] avoid. He was anxious that the clerk
/ should DO all the clerical work. and that
! The foreman Should properly attend 10
/ said that he did not wish the old custom
/ at the Gas-WOrks 10 prevail. He wanted
new regime there, and be- wanted men
| there ga whom be had confidence.
Mr. Grimes substitute was lost, and
| Nir. Caskes motion prevailed.
/ The bills and pay-rOlls for the month
! were ordered 90 be- paid. The bin OF the
! Richmond Railway and Electric Com
/ pany. for electric lights during the month
! on july. was S2.56l
The subcommittee appointed with ref
! orence 10 the hosting and improving Of
! the holders at the upper Gas-Works. was
submitted. IL recommended that the bill
| Of ". a. .. Coles for doing this work.
amour ting 90 S>5l was. after a great deal
Of discussion, approved.
short extension Of the gas main on
! Graham street was ordered.
Resolutions providing for The erection
! or several additional electric lights were
referred TO the Superintendent for re-
| port.
THOSE DESIGNATIONS.
! After some further rOu-ne business
| had been transacted Mr. Noble arose and
stated that he had seen that MI
| Knowles. as Superintendent of the city
Gas-Works had asked for the resigna-
| lions Of Foreman Walsh and BOOk-keeper
! Meredith. Mr. Noble did not believe Mr.
! Knowles had this power. lie wanted 10
] know whether OF not this was q fact.
na d la f.f n|a
J members OF the committee.
! Mr. Davis made some lengthy remarks
] in this connection. lie did not See why
nine men OF the committee should bee
subordinated 10 the Superintendent. This
| request Tor The designations of Messrs.
! Walsh and ArItl o. .II NiI Davis. was
am imputation Of dishonesty 10 those
! gent amen. The members from jefferson
| ward thought the committee had some
! power. The integrity Of these two Citi-
zens Sd Guild be INDICATED. and III Mr.
| Knowles bad anything against them DE
| should bring his complaints in the form
/ or charge before the committee.
| Mr. Wallerstein asked the SuI ernt-n-
| dent II anything had transDired about
! the works which led him &C. ttleve that
! the progress OF the works was being ham
pefel. and that as a result he had ask
! ed Tor these designations Mr. Knowles
! answered in the affirmative
Ar Noble. What were those things
which hampcret the progress Of the
Nr knowles said that there we're many
| causes which led him 10 ask for the
! rcs.snatiors OF these officers. The CITY
| Attorney la4 given his written opinion
| that Dee Uhc superintendent had The
| right 90 remove these officers. and ne
! hau exercised his prerOgaIye IN asking
for their designations.
DID MOI IGNORE THEM.
Superintendent Knowles said that he
bad mel wholly Ignored The members of
| the committee Zoe this matter. adding that
| De mad called upon The majority Of The
committee and told them what De- intend
| ed 90 do Aessrs. Davis and Noble said
! that the Superintendent had nor confer
rca WIN th"n tn ths matter Dir.
| Knowles replied that ne had been 20 gee
/ both of these gentlemen az their places
of business, but had round them out.
Il am passing here several times a
! gay, sald Mr.. crimes, did you say
anything 20 me about NJ / am chairman
| OF the cOmmltfea.
y thought ycH knew all about H.
| Didn't Mr.. shelton have "a conversation
! piled the Superintendent
"Nr. shelton is not Supcr'nten OF
the Gas-Works.' rejoined Mr.. Grimes
Ar. Caskie here Y.ad The opinion OF
the City Attorney upon this subject Of
removal ~ the Supcrllt aude1t. md took
| the ground that the committee had absO-
| iteiy 100 power in The pfefnisss The
committee could only approve on dis1p-
prove cor" fThNi'i illNft'if 'AN Nllfffft
and Mr.. Caskie thought the discussion
/ entirely out of order.
Mr. Davis spoke further about tie
/ powers OF the committee dai those Of
the Superintendent. saying That ne in
tended 10 resign as member or the
committee II he had no power 10 do
anything and yet had 90 be- responsible
10 the people for the conduct Of the
Gas ID apartment. re Offered the follow
ing in this connection.
Resolved. That We. the Committee ON
Light. deem 10 unwise on the part OF
the superintendent OF the Gas-W orks,
pending the final action Of the Board
of Aldermen on the report OF the Com
mittee on Investigation. 10 remove Nessrs.
Walsh and Meredith from Office, and that
We disapprOye Of his action al this time.
Mr.. Wallerstein took the ground tnat
this resolution was ont OF order. AS no
one had been removed boy the Surcrin-
tendent as yet. Superintendent Knowles
was asked il he did not intend TO dis
charge these gentlemen this morning IL
they did not resign. and he said that he
did.
MIR. Noble asked Mr.. Knowles If he had
any report 10 submit 10 the committee
in this matter and the Superintendent
said that be- had not.
Mr.. Davis then insisted upon action on
hfs resolution. The Chair again stated
that II was out OF order. The opinion
OF Chairman Grimes was appeaed from.
but ne was sustained. and the committee
adjourned.
THE NOBIE RED-HfN.