The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-10-21
CITY COUNCIL
Reports on Street Work and Gas
Leaks.
Mr.. MLMBAcH TENDERS HIS RESIGNATION
As Inspector Of Water Works lmprOvtments-TO
Plant Trees-IIsaIth Matters. Etc.

As Inspector Of Water Works ImprOWmsnts-TC
Plant Trees Health Matters. Etc.
The City Councilior Octoberme Thurs
day night. Present, +. ID. Cole, president;
and Councilmen Watson, Morrison,
Somerville, Dannehl, Masters, Mills and
Bradley.
Col. Cole presented bond Of City Col
lector A. p. Rowe for $4,000, which
was pronounced satisfactory 10y the
city attorney and il was ordered depos-
tied i'm the National Bank for salekeep-
ing.
Communications were read from Mayor
Wallace and Acting Mayor W. ). En-
brey, stating the police had done tIlelr
duty. also in reference to dog taxes, etc
The salaries of the officers were ordered
Maid. The number of dogs licenses show
a marked increase over last year.
Several small bills were ordered pald,
among which was one of S26.t2 To A.:
b. Donahoe for dog collars, etc; one oil
$3.50 to Registrars J.J. Berrey,oi pper
Ward, and j. Wilmoe Cox, oil Lower
Ward. for $500.
Mr.. Mills. Of Streets, reported the
work of relaying the paving blocks,
broken up ON account of gas leaks, com,
peted at a cost OF $500. lie also asked
ior an appropriation OF SlOO Tor street
work, which was granted.
Mr.. Morrison, OF Light, reported total
cost OF stopping leaks in gas mans on
Main and Commerce streets, digging up
same and filling in, which includes
amount paid 10y Street Committee,
500. 50. He asked for an additional
appropriation OF $1,000 Tor the new gas
plant, which amount was ordered To
credit OF committee.
MIR. Morrison submitted the report ol
the committee appointed to investigate
the cause of the defective work III the
gas mains on Commerce and Main streets
as follows:
Your committee. To whom was referred
the investigation OF the causes oil the
leakage of gas mains on Commerce ana
Main streets. respectfully report that
with the assistance OF City Attorney 1T.
Geo. r. Fitzhugh they have performed
that duty. and after strict eXalnlna-
ton of the parties connected with the
LAYING of said pipes and careful consld-
Grafton Of the facts presented To tnenl'
find that "A Joint Committee consisting
of Messrs. W. 5. Embrey, l.. u. Cole
and T. McCracken, OF the Finance Com
mittee: Embrey, Rowe and COle' 9i tne
Street Committee, and citizens, II. H.
Wallace, b. j. Marshall and u. hlrsh'
were appointed 70 attend To tins WORK,
and that il was entrusted 10 a sub-cUm-
mittee consisting OF Messrs. McCrackeh
and Cole. These two gentlemen employ
cd Mr.. Dickinson as engineer To lay the
grades and Mr.. Heilin 10 lay the pipes.
As to the matter of caulklng, Mr.. Helm,
and his statement l. confirmed 10y Mr..
Cole. saws he (Mr. ileilinl told the sub
committee that he did not understand
that feature of the work and was unable
10 Judge whether IT was done right or
wrong and il was entrusted To Messrs.
Waller and Patterson, who were thought
by the committee aud 10y Mr.. HELM
competent to do the work.
From Mr. Bullock's report (Which he
read and which gives the result ol the
bad work and shows the loss 10 the city
in Gas. etc. to be- over 81 800 n year,.
You will see that the work was grossly
neglected. One of the caulkers, Mr.. Wal
Ter. acknowledges this fact and gives no
satisfactory excuse for the same Whilst
the leakage was due principally tocaulk-
ing. and whilst we do not consider any
one legally responsible for the mistake,
we are bound to report that we think
carelessness and gross neglect have
characterized the whole transaction. We
do not see that the Joint Committee has
had ANYTHING to do with the matter, but
To appoint a subcommittee and entrust
il 10 them. There seems TO have been
a total lack of system, and no one seems
To think himself responsible Tor the work
in any department. Though we cOnsider
the caulking the seat OF the trouble, we
do not consider any one person or any
one committee responsible, nor do we
feel that anv one is legally bound for the
error. Respectfully submitted
&. IL. Morrison,
:. W. SOmerville,
j. Z. Rowe.
The reported was received and ordered
filed.
A communication was received from
C. l.. KaImbach, in which he rendered his
resignation a. Inspector OF the work at
the reservoir and pump house. ms
paper was referred to the Joint Commit
Tee. as Mr.. Hanback, is an appointee oil
said committee and not the Council.
Mr.. Dannehl, OF Ordinance, submitted
an ordinance in regard to shade trees on
lower Main street, which, after discus
sion. was referred back to hiscommittee.
The Street Committee was requested to
get an estimate of the cost OF Norway or
sugar maple trees and setting OF same on
the improved portion OF lower Main
street and report to Council
Mr.. c. l.. Kalmback made report to
the Health Committee, which was sub
mitted by Mr.. Watson to the Council
which stated that more work was neces'
sary by the owners of the property ON
the ditch in the meadows along the line
of the little canal. The communication
was referred to the Health Committee
I'd