The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-16
SPECIFICATIONS
ARE CONFUSING
So TESTIFY CONTRACTORS IN IN
vESTIGATIoN or THE CITY
ENGINEERS OFFICE.
PAID TWICE FOR STONE
xoSDERLEHR COMMITTEES Will
RESUME rTs INQUIRY NEXT
WEEK AND EXAMINE
OTHER WITNESSES.
PAID TWICE FOR STONE

Contractor w. r. Fletcher. OF the
firm of Fletcher and Kelly. testifying
Wednesday night before the Wonder
lchr council committee which is In
vestigating the city engineers office,
said that he had contracts 10 build
sewers for the city and also mad an
annual contract fer hauling and cut
ting certain stone. He had never FUR
rishod any top stones. he said, hut
he had cut curhing for inlcts. n
complete set OF stone for street
basin, he testified. would cost about
$3.50.
Mr.. Fletcher replied in the affirma-
tive when asked If the city had not
paid many times for complete basins,
the contractor to furnish and set all
stone. when as matter of fact the
basins are really short both top stones
worth about SIS.
Further on IN his testimony, Mr.
Fletcher said that he had sold the
same stone to the city twice. He sold
ii once as stone seller and once in
contract 10 build a sewer Then
he charged the city for hauling its
( stone to his Job. Mr.. Fletcher went
! on to explain that he was paid for
, stone hauled to his own contract jobs
| furnish stone. saving that he was ig-
| norant until "Wednesday night of a
| clause to that effect being in the con-
tract. He thought he was bidding on
the unit system all the time and that
the same old specifications were In
+. force. Mr.. Fletcher said he received
| his orders for stone from the city en-
gineering office and never from the
! contractors.
Specifications Confusing.
/ Misunderstanding as TO specifica-
lions made out in the city engineer
ing office appears to have caused
other contractors to become con-
fused, according to their testimony
before the probing committee.
I'll. l., DriscoIl a contractor, said he
had built sewers and had never fur
nished stone which was delivered by
Mr.. Fletcher though the city paid tho
fun amount of the contract, withou,
deducting on account of the stone
he did not furnish after SO contract
ing. He said he never intended his
bid should include the stone. assum-
| ing that the city would continue to
| supply 1t as heretofore He knew Of
no contractor who supplied his own
| stone.
/ Contractor A. w. Maynard testified
that he had recently talked with city
Engineer Boiling relative 10 CitX
contract he Is now executing. and
though the contract required him tc
furnish stone for sewers. he was rn-
DER the impression when he hid tina,
the city would supply it. Mr.. Boil.
ing, he testified. suggested that he
!, might lac reimbursed by appealing I,
the street committee. but lie did moi
care to take the matter IN with the
committee. -.-....
Mr.. boiling Examined
Cross examined by Attorney Fulton
representing Contractor G. q HURON
at whose instance the Investigation
was ordered, City Engineer Bnlline
admitted that there was discrjmino
! tion, though unintentional n sous
! specifications required stone and 9th.
ers did not, AS appears to have beer
the ease
After the witnesses had testified
counsel for Mr.. Burton expressed
7 themselves as satisfied that his cbaryas
had been proved.
! The committee, which consists n,
| Messrs. A. l.. Vonderlehr. Marx Gnnrs,
and DIR. Clifton NJ Miller. ad,ournad
to meet again next Tuesday nigh,
when the inquiry will be resumed
Mayor Richardson sat With tho cow.
mittee Wednesday night in his ak.
| officio capacity.