The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-05
THEY EWlTHS0L0M0N
THE COMMITTEE ON WATER AR
RfvE AT A WISE DECISION.
Mr.. w. w. Atkinson Must Prove That He
Is Plumber BY a Practical Dem
onstrRtion OF His skill.


Solomon was called upon many years ago
to pass In judgment King Solomon didn
have to contend with q lawyer, as did the
| Water Committee, but his decision was
not more marked by wisdom than was
| the one reached last night.
The matter under discussion was the
| charge that W. W. Atkinson had obtain
| Cd a plumbers license from the city IN
| der false pretences, and there were num-
| erous witnesses on either side who sW)e
positively TO things in direct conflict with
each other. Mr. Atkinson had men OF
! good reputation TO support his assertions
while the character OF the witnesses on
the other side was equally unimpeachaole-
The committee met at 100 o'clock with
Mr. r. T. Briggs in the chair and Messrs.
/ Montgomery, Carter, o. A. HAWKINS, Hiih-
mermann and CARRIER present.
The committee was called TO consider
tho case OF W. W. Atkinson, to whom
Superintendent OF the Water Works
Charles T. Boiling had refused 10 grant
q plumbers license Tor the year lsss
MR.. BOLLING'S STATEMENT.
Mr.. Boiling stated to the committee
that Mr.. Atkinson. then a perfect stranger
10 him. aiplled for a plumbers license
He told Atkinson that if he would bring
him reliable references as 10 his aDiiity
az q plumber he would grant the license
and the reply had been that he hau
learned his trade IN Washington ana
know no one in Richmond to whom he
could refer. Mr.. Boiling then told him
,bat n he would do some plumbing work
which showed that he was competent
number he would grant him lcen.
Some iime after. said Mr Boiling. Mt
Atkinson returned and stated that no
had done some work az so Randolph
street This worl, was INSPECTED 'oul'
satisfactory. and a license issued 70 hiin
in 1896. which was renewed the iolo"lHs
year NJ.
After its second renewal, said Mr.
Rolling. he began 20 hear rumoTa 'n"'
Mr.. Atikiss0n Rad not done the WORK On
Randolph street at all, but mat J. DIV
been done bv M George Cottreli. nc
bcgon IN investigate the matter and had
some work that Mr.. Atkisson had done
in 1897 insnected by City Plumber Hill
This was found 10 have been performed
in manner which violated the city or
dinances.
Mr.. Boiling said further that be had
sought ont Mr. Cottrcll, and that gentle
man had stated 70 him that he Nottreu
had done the work on Randolph sli-r-
Mr. Rolling presented two statements
sworn 10 before notaries public. one from
Mr.. CottrcN and the other from MI. NJ
hsson. both declaring that they had done
the work on Randolph street
In view Of these facts said Mr.. BOILING.
he had deemed IL proner 20 Withhold
license from Mr.. Atkisson until he had
cleared himself OF the suspicion mat ne
might have obtained a license In 1885 un-
der false uretences.
Mr.. II. N. smith Jr., apneared for Mr..
Atkisson. bv permission Of the committee.
and vigorously cross-examincd the Wit
nesses who testined
MIR. HILLS TESTIMONY.
Mr. 1911 testified 10 having inspected the
work done on Randolph street. ana On
have found It done IN proper manner
re told of how he had first heard thar
Mr. Atkisson had not done the work. u
had been said around the office, he stated.
that Mr.. Atkisson was not plumber.
and that "a shoemaker could now get
flun1ber's license in Richmond
Nr. Coftreu testified at length, aud
with attention 60 detail. that he mad don-
the work on Randolph street al inc T.
quest Of Mr.. Atkisson. He was sharply
crOss-cXamintd.
his trade I'm Washington. where he work
cd for nine years. and that he Thought Do
could do any kind of work that any other
nlnu,ber could He was willing 20 sWeaI
rostitiveIv that Nr. Cottrell had neNtf
done any kind Of work for him. ~
further declared that he had done an ol
the Randolph-street work with has own
hands. ~
been doing an the plumbing work for
T., II & H. /. Denoon for some time
mast. ard had bought a house from
these gentlemen.
seemed TO further tanrle the areaoY
tangled affair ana Mr. Carter said that
tho question was one when II Woulu
ruzzie Solomon himself n decide. lie
therefore. moved as soulon OF 'he
whole thing that Mr.. Atkisson be re-
ouircd 10 dupNcato the work done nj cor
randolph street. II he was able 10 DO
THIS he would cheerfully vote 10 give
him n license.
MADE 4 PROTEST.
Mr.. Smith protested AGAINST tho adop-
ton Of such a motion. The question he
said. was not one OF getting license
II was to remove n stain from the name
OF Mr.. Atlusson. II was 90 show that he
mad not attempted 10 deceive Mt. Boil
ing ard 10 defraud the city.
MIR. Boiling said that the question was
not whether he was a practical plum
Der. for he had done some work In the
presence OF Inspector of Plumbing I'M
winch. though rough entitled him TO q
license The question was whether he
could be trusted with q plumber license
II ne had in the first instance vonted
city ordinance by obtaining a permit 20
do certain work. and then letting IL out
TO some one else.
Mr.. zimmerman thought that the con-
sideration OF the matter should be post
poned TO some further dav In order thai
necessary witnesses could be summoned.
Mr.. Carter. however. thought that the in
PRODUCTION Of new witnesses would only
serve to further complicate matters.
MIR. Carriers motion was then put, and
carried without dissent.
The committee or request OF the SUI
perntendent. then approved his action
in issuing n special permit 20 10 reDair
work pending action on his application
Tor q license. The committee then adj
1ourned.
The Committee on Fire DEPARTMENT
met at o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. +. c. Ehel IN the chair and Messrs
Witte. HardWicke. Smith and Foster
present.
rumber Of building permits were
granted and the committee adjourned
after changing the meeting nieht 10 Fri
day night before the hrst Monday in
each month.
GrNr~ia and Alabama.
The approximate earnings OF the Geor-
eia and Alabama railway for the fourth
Nj" SJieoa a. ssS. 1877 s56. Increase