Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-22
OFFICIAL ASKED
FOR RESIGNATION


either entirely or essentially completed
In presenting this sum of money to Mr.,
Fernald. Mr.. wainwright explained that
It was his personal gift. and not one OF
was superintendent and was offered In
appreciation of engineering advice given
him by Mr.. Ferna1d on number of occa-
sions. but notably two. upon which two
occasions the engineering advice of Mr.
Fernald had saved his company many
thousands Of dollars.
Pay for Advice.
''Mr. Wainwright explained to me that
he had left college just previous to the
undertaking Of the contract work for the
Pennsylvania railroad by the Drake &
Stratton Company, and that his father
had placed him in charge of this con-
struction more or less as a 'try-out,' or a
test Of his abilities. and THAT at the time
Of his offering the above mentioned sum
to Mr.. Fernald the work had been sue
cessfully finished at very satisfactory
profit. much credit for which he at
tributed to the advice of Mr.. Fernald,
above Indicated. 1t may be proper to
state my understanding that the personal
ton are very large.
"Mr. Fernald made the serious error OF
accepting the large gift of 1000 from
Mr.. Wainwright. although doing so at the
uI S0uI SOuCltdtfOH OF latter, which
acceptance 1t Is my belief that Mr.. Fer
maid had no thought of improper motives
the Drake & Stratton Company not being
or having been contractors or subcon-
tractors for the District, and their work
on the Virginia avenue tunnel being as
stated, entirely or essentially completed
In this connection it was further dis.
closed that Mr.. Fernald had at a later
period borrowed the sum of $500 from Mr.
Brennan. president Of the Brennan Con-
s sa,n .Snr. Company giving his personal
personal friend Of Mr.. Fernald, and the
latter had been in Mr. Brennan's employ
from May. 1901, to July 1903, which
period Is the sole interruption OF Mr.. Fer.
MAIDS services with the District for q
period of more than twenty years.
Position Of Responsibility.
II am firmly convinced that in neither
OF the transactions outlined above did Mr.
Fernald contemplate any wrongdoing, and
SO acted only through failure to appre.
ciate that his position of responsibility
and possible future relations with these
contractors made the acceptance Of such
favors serious errors. Mr.. Fernald has
been continuously employed in the Dis.
trict service for period Of more thar
twenty years. excepting for q period Of q
little over two years about five to seven
years ago. during which time he was con.
nected with the Brennan CONSTRUCTION
Company as superintendent. In this pc
Rod his services have been Of great value
to the District.
Especially within the last few years in
the work connected with the elimination
OF grade crossings, his attention to thu
great detail Of the work and his appli
cation during long hours and for contin.
nous periods without leave of absenct
have been notable.
However, 1t is believed to be funda
mentally necessary. In the conduct o.
municipal operations. that all employees
OF whatever grade should be held to &
strict appreciation Of the fact that finan
cial obligations of any nature with indi
viduals or firms conducting work for OF
In connection with q municipality shoulG
be absolutely forbidden. In view, how.
ever, Of his record and services, / move
that Mr.. Fernald's resignation be re.
quested and accepted, to take effect a,
once"