The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-07
KNOWLES MAKES
SHARP DENIAL
Superintendent Declares That
There Was No Explosion
at Gas Works.
WHAT CERTIFICATES SHOW
Five Employees Voted Pay on
Strength of Report That
They Were Injured.

An air of mystery surrounds an all.
legged explosion at the City Gas Works
The Committee on Light, by resolu.
men We're hurt: Councilman George w
Rogers stated on the Council iloor thai
the accident was in October; Council
man Radcliffe that 1t was %occasioned
propriatcd money to pay the five in.
jured men for time lost from work.
Now comes forward Superintendent
knowles. of the Gas Works. to vehe-
mently, and Indignantly deny that
there has been any explosion. Mr..
no accident at the Gas Works in many
years, save when one man let a brick
fall on his foot.
knowles Denies It.
patch yesterday Mr.. Knowles asserted
that the action of the Council and the
reporting of that action did him and
the works a grave injustice. He came
to The Times-Dispatch office and de
manded' a retraction of the statement
that there had been any accident what
ever. AS The Times-Dispatch has not
asserted that there was any accident,
but merely reported the action of tho
Common Council and the statements OF
two members of the Light Committee
on the floor of the Council, all of which
IS rully borne out by the minutes OF
the Committee on Light ana of the
Common Council. superintendent
of his own committee for information.
The Board of Aldermen Will no doubt
~ndeavor to ascertain whether there
really was any accident or not before
branch in making certain allowances
to five employees of the Lower Gas
Works. In view of the fiat and EN-.
phatic denial of Mr.. Knowles that there
has been II accident, the Mayor may
hesitate in signing a resolution au-
thorizing payment to those alleged to
have been Injured therein.
Why Was It suppressed.
Accordlng to the records of City
Clerk Ben r. August, hve resolutions
oil Monday night, all on recommended
ions of the Council Committee on
Light. and all signed by Chairman John
Grimes.
After hearing the statements of sub
chairman CLYDE Fl. Radcliffe and Coun-
Gilman George w. Rogers as to thu
nature of the alleged accident and the
meritorious character of the claims,
the protest OF Mr.. Fuller. of the FL
Committee, who wanted more
information as to when the accident
had happened. what was it's cause, and
why 1t had been so carefully sup
pressed at the time. AS the payments
authorized are to be made out of the
pay roll appropriation of the Gas
Works. President Peters ruled that it
was not necessary to refer the reso-
lutions to the Committee on Finance,
whore they would have gone had a spe.
ciai appropriation been contemplated
Allowances Adopted.
The allowances adopted by the Coun-
Gil and now pending for concurrence
lows:
Charles Mnyncs, Of 5I6 North Sixth
Street, allowance for sixteen days,
$685.; time lost "fram Injuries re-
ceiveh while mt work In consequence OF
nm accident Mt the Lower GINS WOrks'')
certificate of Or. Daniel j. Coleman at
tHched. indorsed: "scNcre burns of face
ana hands,"
George w. snmuels, of BIB VIII
Iiamsburs Avenue, allowance for TWEEN
t. days time. $40; certificate of DR..
William f.. Williamson; injured by
brick falling on his foot.
Robert Pocklington. 6:: Louisiana
street: resolution reads: "Iniurcd In
rctort house as lid man.; allowance
for sixteen days time; certificate OF
DIR. O. Il. Blnnkingship: "Cut over eye
nnd Sprnined wrist; sixteen days time,
$40.
ty-ninth street. injured right leg; cer-
tihcntc, DR.. Edward G. Smiths; twenty
ono days time, $57.55.
james w. ~EnrOuEhty, 800 Denny
street. hurt elbow; certificate, DIR. VIII
liam f. WillinmsOn; nine days. time,
SIS.
Ambulance Not Called.
Records of the city ambulance SER
vice do not show any important acci-
dent at the Lower Gas Works In many
months past, all of the men injured in
the alleged explosion apparently hav-
ing been attended by their family ply
sicians. While with each resolution
filed with the Council there Is a ply
sician's certificate, there Is in no case
any statement from the applicant re-
leasing the city from further claim for
DANCES, which, it was stated by Coun-
Gilman Rogers on the hoor of the Coun-
ell, accompanied all Of the resolutions
In fact, the Council was urged to al.
low the men the time lost as a result
Of the alleged explosion in order to
avoid expensive damage suits. Sew
eral members of the Council stated yes
terday that they had voted for the al
lowances on that express understand
ing, and added that they thought the
matter should be, held up In the Board
of Aldermen until some explanation Is
given of the direct conflict in Statement
between members OF the Light Com
mittee and Superintendent Knowles.
90