The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-03-27

council, clothed with iull authority to
make a contract on behalf Of the city.
As matter OF Information it is
we'll to state, by way Of parenthesis,
in this connection, that the commit
tee was appointed at the request OF
the Board of Health and other cltl-
zens who appeared before council and
urgently requested that some acton
be taken preliminary to the installa-
ton of a sewerage system. The spe-
cific request of these citizens was
that a survey Of the city be made to
ascertain definitely the conditions ex-
-isting and the approximate cost OF
sewerage system. The minutes Oh
the meeting Of council state IN eX-
plicit terms that the committee was
authorized to make contract Win
an engineerto to make a sewerage survey
furnish maps and furnish an est-
mate of the cost of the construction
Of the sewerage system. On tals
committee Aldermen D. j. Chandler
and George W. Dick were appointed,
and DR.. S. c.. Baker, Of the Board OF
Health, was requested to serve as
the third member. This committee
was appointed in the early part OF
1903.
When Mayor Boyle called the
meeting of council to order Thursday
night he stated that the object of
the call meeting was to hear the con-
| tention of Mr. J. L. Ludlow IN the
matter OF his claim based upon
contract alleged to have been e1ecut77
ed by committee delegated with au-
thority from council to select de
signing and construction engineer IN
the matter of the sewerage system for
Sumter.
Mr.. LUDLOW rose to point of or
Der, saying that he did not under
stand the purpose of the meeting to
be as stated by the mayor, having
fully set forth his position IN the
meeting Of Tuesday, and he stated,
also, that he thought that this meet
ing Of council was called for the pur-
pose of arriving at some definite CHS
position of the question, in view OF
the fact that he believed that counch
| was ready and willing to handle the
matter in a fair and honorable man
ner. saying that their action IN
awarding a recent contract to Mr.. Z.
C. Wilson was purely in error, as
consequence of ignorance Of the con-
tract executed with him.
Then Mayor Boyle stated that all
of council was not present at the
meeting on Tuesday, and requested
that Mr.. Ludlow go over the grounds
of his claim.
Mr. Ludlow then said that Mr.. Al
III x1Y1,n
counsel, would present his claims MI.
Green briefly outlined Mr.. Ludlow's S
demands, quoting from the alleged
contract, which reads in the main,
bearing on the contention of MT.
| Ludlow, that he was employed as
designing and construction en-
gineer;" that he would assume and
take responsible. charge of the con-
struction Of the works as consulting
engineer, to direct, control and man
age the work" And that the fee OF
! $3.50 for preliminary survey was 10
apply in part payment, Of the 10 per
cent. commission of the whole cost or
the construction Of the system.
The following letters which passed
| between City Clerk Hurst and MT.
| Ludlow in January of this year were
read:
dieter from Mr.. Hurst to Mr.. Lud
low, Jan. 16, 1909
s'We have not yet reached the stage
where we desire to talk to an eng1-
neer. Send me your address, and l
will write at the proper time. no
one shall be ahead Of you
(Mr. Ludlow to Mr.. Hurst, JAN lS'
1so7.)
whenever the city is ready to so
ahead I am ready to carry out my
contract to look after the construc-
ton of the works and look after al
matters pertaining to letting con-
tracts. which would probably consume
about month or. six weeks; so II II
desires TO get the work under way IN
the early spring it would be necessary
to begin making preparations very
soon"
Considerable stress seemed to be
laid on the fact that council was ig-
norant of the conditions of the con-
tract and that if a duplicate Of the
coz ract was made it's whereabouts
were not known.
Mr.. Ludlow then proposed that the
Council hear from DR.. Baker. Dr.
Baker said: Some four years or more
ago this matter came up and after
Council meeting which I attended
received a. letter from the Clerk
of Council, under seal Of the
city, announcing that had been ap-
pointed on committee composed Of
p. J. Chandler. Geo. Dick and myself
for the purpose of consulting engi-
neers in the matter Of the construc-
ton Of a sewerage system and to OBJ
tain survey in order that the public
at large might be intelligently inform
ed as to actual conditions existing in
the matter. We were in correspon-
dence with a number of engineers,
through Mr.. Reardon, and, notwith-
standing the fact that others had per-
sonal friends on this committee, from
the recommendations from the refer
ence furnished by Mr.. Ludlow, it ap-
peared to the committee that MT.
Ludlow was the most competent man
and the cheapest. After more CORES
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