The Saint Paul globe., 1903-12-22
YoulR|I : fur need.
we don't know.
Whatever :, they may
be the GORDON
trade mark in Furs
will help,ssyou in get
ting the ( quality you
are after.
Ask your dealer
for GORDON.
Furs.
DOUBT THE WORD OF
PUBLIC WORKS BOARD
Assemblymen Van SIyke and
Arnold Question Its Inspec.
ton of Lamp Posts.


Assemblyman Van Slyke last night
made the direct charge that the board
of public works had never Inspected the
z,5fO iron lamp posts purchased from the
cleveland Vapor Light company some
weeks ago. - nsa
The board Of public works, over the
signature of President erode, reported
TO the assembly last night that $3.50 of
the posts fully conformed to the specifi-
cations: AS to the remaining 12O the
board reported that there was some
doubt.
Inasmueh as the posts could !. not be
painted with the present weather pre-
vailing, and the remaining 120 posts
could not be examined until spring, the
board advised the. retention of $500 of the
contract price until that time.
A resolution accepting the boards re-
port. and ordering retention of the $500
was submitted. The soundness of the
2,25O iron posts, the board reported, was
learned by examine tons made subsequent
to the execution of the contract with the
+ Cleveland Vapor Light company.
Assemblyman Arnold started the trou-
bic by wanting to know how the board of
public works arrived at its conclusions.
II do not believe the board of public
works ever inspected those iron posts.
do not believe they know anything
about them, declared Assemblyman
Van Slyke with spirit.
Il am not going to vote for that reso-
luton" said Assemblyman Arnold.
1--WE did not expect that you would" !"
retorted. President Schiffmann.
Corporation Attorney Michael tried to
dispel the doubts of the two members by
informing them that the boards conclu-
sion had been largely arrived at by re-
ports from the foundrymen who had cast
the posts and by the fact that they were
originally put in the ground under their
supervision.
Patterson Becomes Cautious.
AssembIyman Van S1yke started to in
terrogate Charles Patterson, of the
Cleveland Vapor Light company, as to
where the posts came from, and the in
formation was being furnished when
Patterson saw Assenblynnan Arnold MAX
ing notations whereupon he refused to
proceed further unless the council in
sisted.
eff your posts conform with the speci-
fications what do you care?'' asked As
semblyman Van Slyke.
''Well, we have satisfied the board of
public works., answered Mr.. Patter-
son, and I do mot care to furnish any
Information for possible litigation. = We
have had enough of that. If the members
insist on the information, however, ]
will give it,
Mr.. Patterson said that D. w. Lawler
had been active iii trying to find out
where the posts came from This was
one of the reasons that he was reluctant
to answer questions that he thought would
only be made capitaIiof by rival companies
to worry him further
Assemblyman Arnold insisted that the
board of public works owed it to the
council to show how it had arrived at the
conclusions made insits reports
what do you want, the board to spend
S., 600 for inspeetiens?" asked President
Schiffmann. eggzsgx
1.-The city engineer said that he would
see II the posts were in accordance with
the specifications" ."-retorted Assembly
man Van Slyke. "When we were
wrangling over this question: the specif1-
cations were held up as safeguard We
did it with Robert Seeger. Stick to them
now
Doubt the Boards Word.
Doubt as to the boards inspection of
the posts, despite it's report, was confined
solely to Assemblyman. Van Slyke and
Arnold. Assemblyman Arnold tried to lay
stress on the fact that the resolution ac-
companying the board of public works
report was drawn by Thomas McDermott,
an attorney for the Cleveland Vapor Light
company, and this brought q statement
from the corporation attorney that it was
done under his supervision by Mr.. Rund-
lett. Mr.. Michael said the resolution was
all right.
Assemblyman Doran said he thought the
council should have some confidence in
the board of public works and added that
it seemed little out Of place for some
of the members to be continually harp
ing on specifications.
Mr.. Van sSlyke replied that If the
board of public works had done its duty
it would have measured every post.
fAnd I do not believe they ever did Il.
added Mr.. Van Slyke. II think an investi-
cation will show that many of these posts
are not in line with the specifications.
Assemblymen Van Slyke and Arnold
alone voted against=the resolution.