The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-06
Fails 10 EGGaN an important Natter RGla-
tTG 10 tle Gas Works,
EXPERT ACCOUNTANT SMITHS REPORT
Ike shows That the Shortage in the Gas
Works From July $3.50 to June ist 1895
Was Sa9,5s6.IO at Least Mr.. Grimes
and Alderman Mann Testify.

.
O'Clock. There were present Messrs.
Gnnst chairman. Allen. Cottreh, kins'
bloomherg. Sncad. and Woody.
Nr X. O. Goodman was the first VIII
ness called. "I am employed as foreman
in The purifying house. he said Il was
employed at the Gas-WOrks before the
new purifying house was built helped
90 move the lime under the orders Of Mr..
Walsh ] worked there on the average -
three hours per day FOR about two weeks.
The lime was hauled away by the cats
OF Mr.. Grimes and Mr.. Walsh. j received
the same pay as 1 did at any other time.
The lime was dumped nearby. II was The
same kind Of lime that is sold 10 farmers.
] roce, -cd my regular pay during that
time-S2.i5 per day
also assisted IN the removal OF the lime,
and practically repeated the statement
made NV Mr. Goodman. Two of The carts
that llcd lime afterwards hau.el shc Us.
lie sad that while he removed the lime
he had 10 neglect his regular duties.
Mr. H. Wade was the next witness. lie
moved the lime. He did IL under Mr..
Goodman's orders. and IL took him about
two weeks at tho average OF about lhree
hours per day. His pay was not IN any
s. ID per day.
ALDERMAN MANN.
Mr.. John Mann. member Of the Board OF
Aldermen. next took the stand. Il was
member of the Committee on Light III
April. 1893" he said land was member
of the subcommittee that gave out tle
contract Tor the water plant. Ihe con
tract did not contain the work OF the
foundation, as MIR Adams told me atter-
wards. / have never seen the contract
and 1 don't know what became or the
contract. j thought that the contract
contained the work for the foundations.
Nir. Adams asked me to clean out the re
tort house fe came 10 me as partner
I'm Inc Baltimore Brick Company Mr..
Adams was authorized by the general
committee 90 clean out the retort house.
AIR. Adams was authorized TO get every
thinc ready for the water plant. re-
ceiVed an that was IN the retort mousse
for my work. Subsequently l got rom
Nr. Adams the contract for the BUILDING
Of the foundation. There was no other
member of the committee present at the
time. ] did the work at the rate or $40
per thousand. When the work was com
pieted it was measured by MT Charles
Boiling. The bricks came from the old
yotort house. The first thing done py
me was 10 tear down an end wall and SIDE
wall of an old shed, and / was TO utilze
the old material in building the circle lor
S35. After the thing was completed the
mediate walls and tear down part or the
work. because Mr.. Adams had made
mistake j made the contract TO utlhle
the bricks I'm the shed for the holders.
The bricks FOR the foundation OF the
loilers and the engine-houso also came
from the retort house. / haQ three uh-
fereut contracts with MI. Adams, nut /
don't know whether the committee knew
anything about them. Any how. they
paid the bills ] got some 5000 FIRE bricks
and about thirty-three or thirty-four tons
OF iron work. which / sold for about seV-
enty dollars per ton. IL was not IN Bood
condition IL was not taken down the
way / wanted 10 done. paid 800 Tor the
work. ] received once $500 Tor my work
on account There was no objection
madC hy the committee as 10 the acuoh
OF Mr.. Adams. Hc was authorized in a
general way 20 do the work the best way
he could. i got Sl.Oi5. 40 for my work. MY
books are subject 90 inspection Tor any
member O. The committee ia nol
know at the time that ! had no rlght 10
make such contracts without the solicit
ing OF bids.
OTHER WITNESSES.
Mr. Berry Foster was the next witness.
Ile said hc was a diver. He had the con-
tract from Mr. Mann for pulling down
the iron work OF the retort house. II was
AM In good condition except one pipe, anu
40 could have been put together again.
think the iron was afterwards broken up
Mr. Mann gave me the coke IN the re-
torts. hut Mr.. Walsh claimed it. and got
fl the next Gay The iron work consisted
Of sixty stano-pipes, buck slaves mouth
pieces rods. lids etc. IL was all taken
down I'm good condition. bur Mr.. Adams
told me 40 would not make anv direftnco
81 She iron was broke.
Mr. John H. Breeder testified as fol-
lows ] helped Mr. Foster pull down the
iron work / don't know much about iron
work. Some of 10 was broken. and We
cut good deal apart l don't know
whether DO could bo used again.
Mr. James Johnson said. am brick
layer. and was al the Gas-Works when
the retort house was taken down. There
was only a small quantity of bricks be-
sides the hre-hricks the latter were haul
cd away hy Mr.. Mann. The bricks IN The
coke shed were pretty good, ana they
were used IN the foundations OF the SUPER
heaters and generators. thought the
iron in the retort house was in very good
condition Most of the bricks used ia the
different foundations came out or the
coke fhed.
Mr. George W. Patron. an employo in
the yard of the Gas-N Works, saw The coke
shed pulled down. and saw the old bricks
used in the foundation. Tie said the iron
work was in good condition, and could
have been used again.
SUPERINTENDENT BOILING
Mr.. Charles f. Boiling took the stand
~ the request OF Alderman Mann. lie
sofd he made an estimate as 10 the bricks
an estimate Witness was then shown
some figures which he made al the time
Tor Mr. Mann. and which agreed with the
figures in the bill presented by Mr.. Mann
10 the city Auditor.
Mr. Joseph NJ. shelton said he heard
Mr. Adams say he could not get any one
10 give anything for the old material TO
clean out the retort house / think Mr..
Adams made the remark before the COM
Tnittce.
MIR Mann was then recalled by City
Attorney Meredith. and was shown sew
erai letters that had been written TO ar,
Edagns prior 10 the establishing of the
water-gaf plant. In which the Westcrn
Gas Construction Company offered In 1892
10 build Water-gas plant with 600 900
cubic feet capacity for $4,000. while their
hid the next year was about $4,000.
Mr. c. Y. Meredith thth submitted
statement from Mr.. Leroy Crenshaw, who
took the meas lrCment OF the brick work
al the Gas Works. ana which showed
tnat luefo must have been about ZlVW
Old bricks In good cohuItion in the coke
shed which had been taken down.
The committee then adjourned until
J. NJ.
The evening session Of the committee
opened shortly after ) O'Clock. with all
the members present
MIR. GRIMES AGAIN.
Afr. John 4. Grimes was first called to
the stand by city Attorney Meredith.
,rhs latter stated that on February 2,
fsaS three BIDS were presented for the
eonatruction Of the watcr-gas plant Tor
so 90 s2f. $50. and $Z3.9O0 respectively, and
MAI the Waier-Ges Construction Com
~ ff6 eubmitted the next day bid for
S51 9r0 and was subsequently given the
,--nfrsct The second bid OF that COM
many Was contained in letter addressed