The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-04
TAKEN HOLD or BY NEW MEN.
HOUSE DRAINAGE WORK WILL BE
RESUMED AT ONCE.

RESUMED AT ONCE.
The Mitchell Construction Company
of New Castle, Pa, Has Secured
Mr.. Zipfs Interest in the Contract.
A Force of LabOrers to De Set to
Work This MOrning-The City UrG-
cd TO Define an Outlet for the RAN
dOIph street Sewer Engineers
Protest Against the Slow Progress
of the Work.
The house drainage work viii be re-
sumed this morning, with the prospect Of
being carried forward hereafter in a bus
iness-like manner. The deal 10 which the
Morning News referred Sunday was com
pleted yesterday, and pew men and cap
ital have been interested. The gentlemen
who have made the deal are T. Frank
Mitchell and J. VIII Mitchell, composing
the Mitchell Construction Company Of
New Castle, Pa. They have had large ex-
perence in contracting, and especially in
sewer work, and are we'll backed hnan-
cialiy.
The Nessrs. Mitchell met Mr.. Delaney on
his recent visit to Chicago. and followed
him to Savannah with the intention of
securing an interest in the work. This
they have done by purchasing the interest
of Mr. J. NJ. Zipf, who entered into the
contract as the partner of Mr.. Delaney.
Mr.. Zipf has a profitable business
in Joliet H. It was his
first venture in the contracting line and af-
ter a short experience he concluded that
he could apply his capital and energies
to better advantage elsewhere. The APP
pearance of the Messrs. Mitchell gave
him an opportunity to relieve himself CT
his share of the contract without finan-
cial loss. Mr. Zipf had advanced consid-
cradle money for the benefit of the en-
terprise.
The Mitchells, when seen last night,
stated that work will be resumed on the
Randolph street sewer this morning, and
it is their intention to push it to compile
ton.
I'VE believe that there is an ample sup
ply of labor here" said one of them.
practically all the skilled labor needed
can be secured here also. We anticipate
no difficulty in dealing with the labor prob
lem"
THE city," continued Mr.. Mitchell, has
made mistake in not promptly defining
the river outlet for the contractors. Al
though the members of the drainage COM
mittee do not think so, this is serious
inconvenience to the work. The matter will
doubtless be attended to al once we
desire to commence work at an early
date on the Randolph street sewer also,
but shall not do so until the outlet there
has been plainly Defined
Mr.. D. c. McCurdy, representative OF the
Columbia Fire Clay Company OF East
Palestine, o., left last night for Montgom-
cry Ala, en- route to the west.
Everything is all right said Mr.. Nc
Curdy before his departure, land the pipe
will come forward right along now. 1t is
a big order and the factory is now at
work on it,"
Mr. McCurdy said that the three feet
lengths required for the Savannah work
are an unusual length and will have to be
specially manufactured. A car load of the
pipe is now on the way to Savannah. The
Columbia, Mr.. NcCurdy said, is the larg-
est pipe clay manufacturing company in
the country. Mr.. McCurdy will return
here in about three weeks.
Messrs. Waring, Chapman & Farquhar,
the engineers who prepared the plans and
are now supervising the work of the house
drainage system, have address,
ed letter to the mayor
or the subject which might have proven a
serious matter for the contractors but for
the recent developments The letter was
written by Mr.. Chapman, who is in charge
of. the work here and entered a very de-
cided protest against the delay on the part
Of the contractors in carrying forward the
work. Mr.. Chapman states that.the work
has been practically suspended since Dec
"a and that though work was begun on
Dec. g. the only progress so far is to exca-
vate a distance of 2S6 feet and lay a brick
sewer three feet in diameter for this dis
lance. The letter states that there is no
work being done on the sewer at present
and that there IS no pipe on the ground
and probably will be none for two weeks
1ft-r,ra mir 1aaA haD Gil cd
until Dec. q and that none has
been shipped, except few slants
for the brick sewer. The contract having
been awarded Nov. 10, and signed Dec. l.
the engineers are of the opinion that am
pie time has elapsed to arrange for and
get material on the ground and have the
work under full Roadway.
In accordance with paragraph 8 of the
contract the engineers give notice that
the work is unnecessarily and unreasona-
bly, delayed, and that no part of it is be-
ing prosecuted in such manner as to
make its completion in the specified time
probable
Mayor Meldrim said yesterday that he
will call a meeting of the drainage COM
mittee to consider the communicat ton,
Wednesday, and if necessary, a meeting
of council viii be called Wednesday night
to take action.
Contractor Delaney, in speaking of the
matter, said that the contract also speci-
fed that full allowance should be made
the contractor for ell delays caused by
riots. strikes and other interference with
the work, for which he could not be held
responsible. The contractors would GER
tainly claim the benefit of this section he
said. should the engineers push their com
paint against them. The failure of the
drainage committee to define the river
outlet. he said, is another cause of delay
for which the contractors cannot be he'd
res Donsible..
CADETS TO WEAR BARS.