The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-02
May BE DIGGING ON ALL SIDES.
DRAINAGE INVESTIGATION CALLS
ron uNEARTHINC FORMER WORK

Alderman owens VIII hhStSt oh c'Ae
Engineers Paying for Excavations
That DO rot Reveal Faulty work
lie VIII Also Ask That Specific
Charges Tie Made-AIderman Davis
Passes Crisp observations on the
Turn Things Have Tnsen-Engi-
neers Win Submit Their Charges
at the Proper Time.
When the investigation Of the house
drainage charges are taken up by Coun-
ell, which may probably be done at the
meeting Tuesday night, Alderman Owens
win ask that Engineers Craig, Thomas and
sugden specify the faulty work on which
they have based the charges.
1t is likely the investigation will be one
Snf long standing before the abdomen. In
deed. there may be two sets of laborers
working on the system before a great
while: one win be digging to lay pipe,
while the other viii be digging for Coun-
ell to investigate the condition of pipe al
ready down.
Before this investigation is begun" said
Alderman owens, chairman of the drain
age committee, 4 shall ask that com
pete understanding be had with the petit
toners with reference to whatever cost
is brought upon the city. If the city digs
up pipe or construction they charge to
he faulty, / shall insist they be required
to pay the cost of that part of the inves-
tigation, If such is not found to be the
case. If their charge is found true, how
ever, then 1 will advise that the city pay
the cost. l consider this only fair prop
osition, and one that will make the petit
TONERS have good reason for believing the
truthfulness of the charges they make.
Just how the investigation will be con-
Quoted is something 1 cannot tell yet"
continued Alderman Owens. 1T Is my
intention though, TO urge that the petit
TONERS specify their charges. Not simply
say defective work was done on any par
ticular street but the exact spot. and the
exceptions they take either to the work
or the material used. We do not propose
to deal in glittering generalities. We
want cold statements. First, we want 10
find out Just what is to be investigated and
then investigate it.
1T Is not pleasant to question the sin
certify of the petitioners" he said, but
il seems their objects are other than 10
help the work along. Why was the hue
and cry not raised while the work WAS
going on? All the pipe they claim mas
been put down In a faulty manner IS I'M
der the ground now, and cannot be taken
up except at considerable expense. we
do not want gang building the system
on one side of town, while another crowd
is tearing Il up on the other. Besides,
~ hGCn accented Vet,
only the other day 1 was approached by
q gentleman who suggested that the work
on Liberty street from East Broad TO Ran
dolph. should not have been accepted.
agreed with him IL should not and has
not Until the outlets are completed, no
part of the system can be tested, and can
not therefore be accepted.
Alderman Davis was emphatic IN ms eN-
nressions. He said Engineer Sugden APP
neared before Council when the house
drainage system was being considered Tor
the purpose of giving the board intorma-
tion. and generally discussing the work.
But Alderman Davis said he was con-
WINGED Mr. Sugden did not understand the
system. or the details of its construction.
His opinion is the engineers wanted po-
sitions as inspectors, and for this reason
made the attack.
While opinions are freely expressed as
to the motives lndt pTOAnplCh SAlS SASi
neers to ask for the investigation, every
thing indicates they will be accorded a
fair hearing. Due courtesy will be shown
them in their efforts to uncover the al
legged faulty work. Some of the excep>
lions the engineers take to the work IS
admitted to exist, but it is said to be OF
a character that cannot be avoided while
the work is in progress. When the sys>
tenn is properly connected, it is stated
everything will prove all right.
Engineer Craig is out of the city on ac-
count of the illness of relatives, which
makes it uncertain when he will return
Engineers Sugden and Thomas are here
though, and will present their claims in
the proper way at the proper time. Moth
ing definite having yet been determined
upon as to how the investigation viii be
conducted, the engineers are somewhat in
the dark. The charges they recently made
in an informal way still hold, however,
and they will make an effort to show what
they believe to be egregious errors.