The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-05-10

AND CAPT. j. a. ELAW.
The finance committee made public
the long expected report in reference
to the Board of Public Works and
how business in conducted, by that
body according TO the view Of the
finance committee.
In many instances the board Is
criticised. especially in reference to
the discharge Of former Street Super
intendent Gingles and J. A Daw, fore
man. The report mentions alleged
Irregularities in the keeping OF
records, and the manner of expendi-
lures of funds.
The report which was submitted
to the council last night and referred
back to the committee. to ascertain
the legal status of some affairs, in
full is as follows:
Pensacola, Fla, May 9th. 1906.
To the Honorable Mayor and City
Council, Pensacola.
Gentlemen-In regard to the follow
ing matters referred to your Finance
Committee, viz: The dismissal Of
former street superintendent, Gingles,
and the following resolution adopted
by you on April 18th, namely:
That the Finance Committee be in
structed to make an investigation OF
the Board of Public Works Their
minutes and other documents with a
view of ascertaining their attitude
toward the carrying out Of Oraers
from the Council. Their contracts.
particularly those for the removal
OF garbage and the cleaning of Pala-
fox street, their expenditures OF
money, their apparent carelessness
in plUnging the city into trouble and
perhaps lawsuits over the street SUI
rerintendent matter Also the mat.
ter of the suspension Of J. A. Daw
and other employees of the Board OF
Works, and that said committee be
requested to report as early as pos
sible at a special or the next regu-
lar meeting.
We beg to report as follows:
Cd As TO the dismissal of former
ctreet superintendent. Gingles, your
committee is OF the opinion that ths :,
Board Of Works in trying him on thsf
first charge, namely: Not returning
to his post of duty during the yellow
fever when ordered to 90 So disTe-
garded the instructions Of this Coui-
Gil and should not have tried him on
that charge. AS to the question OF
incompetence of Mr. Gingles. our
opinion is that the evidence brought
out does not sustain the charge but
whether this Council can review de-
cision of the Board Of Works which
lis an opinion based on evidence is a
legal question that your committee Is
unable 10 determine.
% The attitude Of the Board Of
Public Works towards the City COun-
Gil is expressed in the following state
ment appearing in the minutes Of the
Board Of Works Of March 26th, I.
namely:
Mayor Bliss stated that it was the
opinion Of the board that the CounciH
had no right TO interfere so far as
the mana cement Of its employees was
concerned"
Mr.. Zelus testified before US that
the above statement embodied his
views.
60 Your committee does not think
from the evidence that the contract
for removal of garbage has been car
RED out by the contractor. The gar
bage has not all been put outside OF
the city limits. and over a part Of the
city has not been removed daily as re-
quired by the contract.
ca We do not think from the
cvidence that the contract for sweep
ing PaIafox street has been carried
ont. as the street has not been swept
daily from Garden street 10 Main
street as required by the contract.
90 As to the suspension Of J. A.
Daw. your committee is of the Opin-
ion that this was hasty and III adj
vised. In any event we think that he
hOuld have had a prompt trial
80 AS to the Is men who worked
under Daw for a half day on March
21st. We recommend that they be
paid their wages as IT, is unreasOn-
able to suppose that they could de
Cide who was the legal street super
iEtendent or foreman.
% We have examined the minute
hook. vouchers and warrants Of the
Board of Works for six months be-
ginning October 1st. and find num-
Der OF irregularities, some OF them
being the following.
Section 81 Of the Charter reads as
follows: