The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-28
Meter CONTRACT
GOES UNCHANGED
Majority Of Committee Con
vinced That Type First Chosen
Is Best for City.
FIRMS SEND AGENTS HERE
Representative Of Lambert PEG.
pie Tried to Contradict Water
Works Official.

BY vote OF to the Council
Committee on Water last night re-
fused to revoke the meter contract
heretofore awarded to j. L. Lindsay,
manufacturer OF the Keystone type,
the complaint OF the Thompson Com
pany, makers OF the Lambert being,
unavailing. In standing by its for-
,mer action the committee sustained
the recommendation of City Engineer
Boiling. the former superintendent and
officials OF the department who de-
clared that the Keystone was best
suited to the purposes OF the city.
This apparently ends the contest. which
was started by the Lambert people
on the ground that they submitted a
lower bid than that OF their success.
ful competitor.
Long Explanation.
Representatives of five or more firms
which sent in bids explained the opera
ton OF their machines All OF this
was technical and mystifying to mem
bers who did not claim to be experts.
Messrs. Leigh r. Page and j. E. Can
non appeared as counsel for, the
Thompson Company.
Mr. Lindsay had no lawyer, but he
found plenty Of champions who voted
for him at the final showdown.
twas explained that in the contract,
amounting to about $4,000. the Key.
stone estimate was II per cent. higher
than that of Lambert. This was the
main point, but Councilman Richards
and Mills, members OF the subcommit-
tee which made the original recon-
mendation. said that they took many
things into considerations; that they
were guided mainly by the opinion of
the department. officials, and that they
did not regard 1t as the best policy
to put the cheaper product under
ground just because 1t was cheaper
saw It, was In favor of the keystone.
Contradicted Him.
Agents and demonstrators, particu
larry the man who appeared for the
Lambert, showed more or less feeling
at times When Acting Superintendent.
Davis had explained the result of a
test between the Lambert and the Key
stone. his figures did not exactly suit
the agent.
Rising and interrupting the proceed
ings, he cried, II challenge your re-
port" Mr.. Davis quietly replied that
he had no RICH. to challenge it The
incident passed without further no.
tice.
When Mr.. Page and Mr.. Cannon hal
concluded their arguments, Mr.. Mills
stated his reasons for recommending
entire satisfaction after many years OF
service. Mr.. Richards was more 'elah-
crate in his statements, showing the
records Of past years. with prices anil
tests.
The Difference.
The actual difference in price was
81 cents per meter. Mr.. Boiling SAID
that the keystone had several advaa-
tases which the others did not possess.
He was asked II this better value
justified the city in paying IL per cent
more. but he would not be forced INTO
giving an expert opinion on that polnt;
He admitted, however. that there coulu
be enough difference il the character
of material to warrant the acceptance
OF the higher bid.
Meter Inspector Hutchinson, WHO ~
formed the subcommittee thar. ae
cordine to his estimate. the keystone
stood f1r.t and the Lambert NTH IN
the list of competitors. repeated tnat
statament. Questioned by Mr. Mills
Mr.. Boiling said that he had the utm9s.
confidence in the honesty and apiitS
of Mr.. Hutchinson, who had been WIN
the department for great many sea
Mr.. Davis was more explicit IMAM .le
others. He showed by tabulateo re-
port that the Keystone gave
service and satisfaction.
Action Sustained.
There was rambling discussion as
to the method OF procedure In voting
IT was agreed that each member should
vote for one Of the five meters offered.
the one receiving the largest NUMBER
of votes being accepted as the winner.
1t was understood, however. that 1t
was question between the keystone
and the Lambert. The vote resulted
az follows:
Keystone-Bennett. Cutchins. Mills,
Richards We'll and Mann-6.
Lambert-Donahoe. Green, Moncure,
Rennods-4.
DE