Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-01
Our Letter Box.
Treasurer Williams Statement.

Editor Kennebec Journal,
My dear Sir:-In your issue of Aug. 30.
ence to my doings as Treasurer of The
Hinckley Bridge Commission 1 will
thank you TO give the following as proml
nent position in your issue of Sept. l;
1910, as was given the above mentioned
article.
The amount due from the State under
the Hnckley Bridge resolve for the year
of 1909 was $125OOO0 Under the con-
tracts with the American Bridge Com
pany, the first payment of $l3,Sl50O was
due Feb. %. 1910. A bill for this amount
was rendered soon after that date o and
payment was expected on March 3oth.
Gov. Fernald states that this bill was
paid in two instruments. March Goth and
April Goth.
Intentionally misrepresented the matter.
but he is in fact incorrect. 1t was ac-
tually paid as follows: June 18th,
$l.3l50 and July 22nd, $l2.50o.oo. The
reason for this great delay in payment is
given in the following letter from State
Auditor Hatch to myself.
April ?, 1910
Mr. Levi T. Williams. Treas.
Hinckley Bridge Association
Augusta, Maine.
Your letter enclosing certificate of the
American Bridge Co. for $13.S15OO duly re-
form and in accordance with the con-
tract. We certified $125O0.O0 of the
amount for payment and the same was
referred to the Governor and Council for
a warrant on March 3Oth. but owing to
the large drafts upon the Treasury for
purely administrative purposes it was
found Impossible at this time to make
The Governor and Council therefore,
did not draw the warrant. 1t will then
be impossible for us to make payment
early in April as we had expected. The
next session of the Governor and Coun-
Gil will be on April. 18th at which time
some action on this matter will doubtless
be taken.
Very respectfully
CHARLES p. HATCH,
State Auditor.
(copy.)
The Governor in his speech at Skowhe-
have accused me of lack of promptness
in filing the certificate of the cost of the
bridge. In reply, will say that l have
kept the State Auditor well informed as
Bridge Co. and furnished him with all the
vouchers that he required and as
promptly as required. The approximate
cost of the bridge was well known by the
State officials concerned with the matter
July 18th. 1910, | was first informed that
a certificate of the exact cost of the
Hinckley Bridge would be required |
offered to furnish it at once, although
there We're a few small bills the exact
amount of which it would be necessary
to obtain by telephone. Mr. Hatch in
formed me that if it was furnished by
Aug. Goth it would be in ample time as it
would probably not be paid for two or
three months. | filed the formal certifi-
cate August 18TH 1910. Mr.. Geo T. Tib-
belts of Hnckley. Chr. of the Hinckley
Bridge Commissioners. is quoted in an
interview published in the Kennebec
Journal as stating that he had requested
me to furnish these bills to the State
Auditor. and that | stated that I had
not done so because the Auditor could
not he found in his office
| have never been requested in any
form by Mr. Tibbetts to furnish the So
bills. nor have l ever made such d
Statement to him or anybody else In
ia ct. i have done my utmost to obtain
ma yment of the claim. l have repeated
~ seen Mr.. Hatch regarding it, and
have at various times been informed bv
him, as well as by Councillor F. r. Bun
ker end Governor Fernald himself that
the payment of the State appropriations
has b cen delayed because there were no
availal, he funds in the Treasury.
Very truly,
LEVI r. WILLIAMS.
IT, Hinckley Bridge Commission.