The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-10
CiTYS SIDE TO BE HEARD.
CoUNCII PREPARING TO ANSWER
THE GRAVEL PAVING CHARGES.

Ii Is Asserted That Commissioner
NpilIinJ1 Had More Men on the
Work Than Was Neccssary-This
May BccOme An Important Point
In the InVestiGation-MayO Mel
drim Thinks the Dissatisfaction
Comes More From the Assessment
Than the Material Used.
The City Councils investigation of the
cost of the Bun street gravel paving
which was commenced Wednesday night
by testimony from property owners, has
taken On a political phase. This came out
in accusations yesterday that Commission
er Wiliink mad employed more hands than
was necessary on The work. To offset this,
the commissioners friends claim the OBJ
ject of the fight is not so much to have
the paving assessments reduced as it is
an attack upon him.
Aroused to the importance of a reply to
the charges the property owners made,
and which We're supported by testimony
from leading citizens, the city viii exam
inc witnesses with a view to disproving
many charges that have been made
against the work. Besides the street and
lane committee, which is vitality Interested
in the Investigation, Commissioner Willink
will be present for the purpose of intro
ducinS proof to dispose of the allegations
against his department. He had nothing
to say when seen by a Morning News re-
porter, but showed considerable anxiety
over the turn things have taken, and evil
IDENTIFY intends to hold up his end of the
investigation.
There is nothing 1 care to say now"
Commissioner Willink replied 10 a ques
ton. but when the proper time comes. I
shall introduce proof before Council
showing the situation up in different
light from that i'm which il was left Be-
fore that time l shall have nothing to saw.
one way or the other"
The charges that foreman and laborers
were drunk, and that they idled awav most
of their time, VIII cali for the summoning
| of large number of those who were en-
| gagged on the work. Unless there is a
! change, the Council chamber Will be filled
with sons of toll to deny the charge that
| they were drunk while at work for the
| city This part of the inquiry is expected
! TO lead into a field that will give some
| of those engaged in the fight chance TO
! make political play.
! While they are trying to make a fight
on Commissioner Wilhnk." said one alder
| man, 1T seems there is bad management
somewhere. Nobody can expect 10 make
! political Roadway by comparing convict
| with free labor, and claiming that the
hands on Bun street did not do as much
as convicts They are not convicts, and
| the city did not expect them to work like
them either. All the city can expect from
iaborers is that they render an honest
| days work, such as contractors and others
are in the habit of getting"
Mayor Meldrim was seen about the in
| vestigaton, which includes the testimony
the property owners offered in support
| OF their claims for reduction in the as
! sessments. Speaking of the proof i'm gen.
| eral, Mayor Meldrm said he thought the
! complaint was more on account of the
| assessments than the material used. or
the serviceable features of the pavement
| He minated that much of the dissatis-
| faction had started from estimates given
| some of the property owners. which it was
! not understood were accurate. bur never
| theless caused discomfort when the figures
went above the estimates -Four oG the
witnesses stated that they had been told
by aldermen that their pavement would
cost certain amount, but when the bills
were rendered, the city called for far more
than the estimated cost. 1t was this as
much as any other one thing, that mas
given rise to a pare of the dissatisfaction
that is being expressed.
Alderman Davis whom one witness said
was secretly Known 10 the laborers as
High Tide" took the chatting of his
friends good naturedly There will be a
thorough development OF the city's proof
he said with view to showing that some
of the conclusions reached by the property
owners are not well founded. It is the
ably good work. and that they we're not
drunk while on duty, as charged by one
witness.
Man is moi a machine" said the alder
man, as he illustrated the point that rest
IS necessary to laborers. Were il not for
occasional rest. laborers would not be able
to continue at their work. IL could not be
reasonably expected that the Bull street
men push forward throwing soil with I'M
usual rapidly. All the city could require
was for them TO keep moving az a regular
| pace, without any effort TO go beyond what
wes expected of them.
There are several matters connected
with this work, which Will show up well
for the city. and those having the gravel
paving IN charge" continued the alder
man. "ln the first place. the Bull street
gravel, which only cost 81 Is a cubic yard.
| j. the same as that on Dale avenue which
cost the county 81 20 a cubic yard. Then
again, the curling on Drayton street cost
IS cents a running foot while that on Bull
street only cost 81 zc a running foot. In
these two items alone there Is quite a
saving which we VIII endeav0r 20 show
al Mondays meeting"
| Alderman Smith said ho proposed TO see
as member Of the street ana lane COM
mitee. that the Guys side Of The inves-
llgal9n De- brought out. city Attorney
Adams Will boz requested 90 conduct the
examination OF Witnesses for the city. ana
| lf ls proposed 10 lof the public know the