Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-12-10

acknowledgment that the patches were |
there. still the lines were so indistinct |
that he MIR. Kellogg said he could not |
conscentious,y certify to the corrc,t-
ness of any measurements he might |
| take of the trench or patches. lie re-
turned to the city hall and reported ac-
| cortlingly to the superintendent of
streets.
"rhc superintendent then ordered
General Inspector Cooncy. who is the
expert of the department. to measure
that street. Mr.. Cooncy. after invcsti-
eating the work. Informed my foreman
| that if he had not seen the men paving
| the street he would not have known
| there was q trench there. and IL We had
| not the numbers where the patches
were laid 1t would have been impossi-
| bic to find them. and even then the
| lines were so ind!stinct that u few of
the measurements had to he guessed
at. This work was done but five weeks
before. and is u fair example Of trench
and patchwork. General Inspector
Cooncy has had an experience cover
ing fifteen years of just such work.
/ ut' stii llldt WI. INFlVsS
has been continuously employed as Il
civil engineer for over thirty years.
| Yo; these men. with their vast expert
| cnco. acknowledge that they could not
| measure this work accurately. while
| other men. without any previous cX-
| pcricucc whatcver-on u barber AMI
| printer 10y trade. and u salf-confcssed
tramp of recent date by occupa:ion
| the Oh her his father. u bill collector in
the directory. but n so.callcd private
detective. with the same practical ca
pcrlencc ~ his son--claim they can
measure such work accurately from
four 10 eight months after IL Is done.
"When 1t was stated to me that re-.
ports were being made to the Comp.
trollers office that my work was over
measured knew ut once that the men
who made these reports were incom-
petef or dishonest. I lid not know at
the time who they were. Immediately
called on your honor. also Oh the Com.
missioner of Public Works and Deputy
Comptroller. and requested each and
all Of YOU to test the ability Of these
men by having them measure some of
the work done by me- for the corpora
ton. This work IL precisely similar,
the orders so me come through che
same channels, and l am paid out of
their deposits by the city. There Is no
difference whatever between the pay.
ment of corporation and city work, eX.
cept the officials of each corporation
must approve payment Of my bills,
! thus insuring absolute correctness. I
made the proposition that II these two
detectives could measure the corpora.
ton work and come within 10 per cent
Of my measurements l would take
their figures on my work. This certain.
~ was a fair proposition, but 1t was
not considered.
II have done nearly $4,000 worth OF
work for the corporations In the man.
ner above described. without one com.
plant to any official In the City Hall
. or to myself Of Overmcasurlng one
yard. Had my proposition been accept.
cd l am convinced that my position In
, the matter would have been sustained,
= and no further questions raised rs to
the accuracy Of similar work done for
!. the various departments. On one DC.
caslOn Mr.. Hn.sey Informed me that
!, these men had just measured CalifOr.
: MIA avenue. which also showed short
y age. I Immediately nvestigated the
= maater with my foreman ana found
that 1t was impossible TO have meas
;, ured that street ut any time during the
previous three weeks, for the reason
!. that there was from one to four inches
Of dirt on the pavement from the
| shoulder OF the street 20 the curb. The
:, patches could dc traced In the middlt
, Of the street. but no further. and u
- only they We're measured the strcet
would certainly show u shortage. Mos
OF the patches showed up well ut tina
time In the center Of the street, md II
:, the sides Of the street had been cleaned
>, thoroughly ami experts put on th'
y street to measure 1t ! have no dOlIli
!. the measurements would have agreed
with the bills. ! so reported 10 Law
- renee Il. McGann, Commissioner d
Public Works.
;. "These two detectives continued /,
- measure until Oct. 1O-three month";
after l had quit patching for the stree
department. An engineer was then as
= signed them. and with the two inspec
=, tors ana civil engineer from sh
~. street department. was invited 10 des
- ignate one man to accompany them
!, This man was TO have no voice In Ill
-. proceeding. l refused the invitation
~ which was presented by Mr.. Halsey d
- the office of superintendent Of streets
40 and IN the presence Of the superintend
~ ent and many bystanders. But even u
4. that late date, TO obtain final settle
IN ment. l suggested instead that II boar
OF arbitration he appointed CONSISTING
~. of an equal number OF competent me
a. to bc selected by the city officials IN
40 myself. they to select rs many more q
IN they thought necessary. Mr.. Halsey RI
an fused to consider the proposition. Wa
nj 1t not fair? Why should 1t have bee
refused!
n, "These six men have since been eI
D | deavOring 10 remeasurc street repairs
~. and Notwithstanding Mr.. Haasey
aa statements to the contrary ! am II
or formed that nearly every hour sine
10 they started the inspectors and dete'
at tivcs have been disputing as 20 whetl
nd or certain portions Of the street wei
| az nor xynll a q thn lines 4