The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-10
!. Thompson. superintendent OF

the city OF Richmond. was held ALSO
lutcly blameless by the Board of Fire
Commissioners last night in the mat
ter OF awarding certain contracts to
John +. Stringcr. former foreman for
the Southern Bell Telephone and Tcle- !
graph Company. The board held that
If the superintendent was guilty the
commissioners were likewise guilty,
as the records of the body show that
tho contracts had been awarded in the
knowledge at the time that Stringcr
was foreman for the telephone com
pany.
Instead of attaching blame TO SUI
perintcndcnt Thompson, tho commits
sioncrs praised him. and President
Taylor, as well as Commissioner
l.ecky. stated that he had acted wise
Is and for the best interests of tho
city in advising the award OF the con
tracts TO the cA-tclcphonc crnployc.
brought Up by Mr.. I.cky.
The question was brought up throue
resolution offered by Mr.. Lerky TO
the effect that the board know tHat
StrinSer was cmployc OF the tclc-
phone company. In the capacity OF
foreman at the time the work was
done. Commissioner Cheatwood said
that he was not q member OF tho
board at the time referred to. and
therefore could not vote FOR such Il,
resolution.
Mr.. I.ccky stated that the records of
inc board would SHOW that his state
mcnt was correct "Mr Thompson has
proved most worthy official. and ha
saved the city considerable money" ne
said. He has been made to appear in
light which is not just to him, and
am simply DESTROYS, not of cNoncrat-
ing him. for he has done nothing for
which to be generated but OF re-
moving any possible doubt as 10 the
stand the board takes In the matter
IL Superintendent Thompson Is guilty
then so Is tho board. for what was
done was known by each and every
member of this body. II Is simply to
show our confidence in our supcrin-
tendent that offer the resolution"
Charles L. Taylor chairman OF tie
board. was OF the opinion that mas
much as no blame attached to Mr.
Thompson, the body should take no
cognizance OF the question raised
why should ne dignity sinister
charges with adopting resolution
Which would in effect. be an attempt
10 cNoneratc man who has done
nothing" he said. MIR. Thompson did
what was right and proper So far
from being in any way connected with
Siringer. the facts arc to tho contrary,
as every member OF the board at tSe
time must know.
Why Strlnger Got IT.
The first time Stringer appeared as
bidder for any job with the city as
contractor was when a man named An
derson wanted to do the work. Thomp-
son recommended Anderson's bid. and
II was due to Lonnie Jones. our secre-
tary. that we were Informed that
Stringcr's bid was the lowest. II re-
call correctly, Mr.. Thompson took of
tense a Jones's suggestion. But after
he had been informed OF the facts in
the case. he was willing TO have the
work so TO StrinEcr
I'VE had been paying money to a
contractor prior to this and Stringer
was doing the work under a subcon-
tract Then 1t was that We decided we
could save this money by giving the
work 10 Stringer direct. which was
done. superintendent Thompson since
that time has saved the city hundreds
of dollars in this very work
You gentlemen all know that the
Bell Telephone Company knew that
stringer was doing tue work. Why he
couldn't have gone into one of those
ducts without the telephone company
knowing 1t. AS 10 the imputation that
some Of the telephone company's wire
was used in doing work for the city,
it is simply laughable. The city bought
and paid for its wire In New York.
Had he wanted 10 use the wire used
for the city uses no wire Of the same
kind employed in telephone work.
No Need of Respiration.
reference to the recoid of the board
al meeting held JUlY ~ 1908, was
made. and 1t was found that The ducs-
ton Of awarding the contract TO
Stringcr was referred to the Suptrjn-
tendent Of Fire Alarm, with instruo-
tions 10 report at the next meeting
The next meeting was held on .Iuly 30.
when the superintendent reported that
the contract be awarded to John t.
StrinGcr, foreman for tho Southei1
Bell Telephone Company"
IT was at this iuncturc that several
OF the commissioners thought II UNI
wise to adopt the resolution. in view
of the fact that the record was so cA-
plicit. and because of the further fact
stated In the meeting, that the record
was public property and could be in
specte1 a any time Mr.. I.ecky then
withdrew the resolution. with the as
sertion that he thought the remarks
and action taken were sufficient TO de-
note the feeling OF the board on the
question. I was also decided to add
to the annual report of the body. which
| has been formulated and will be sent
10 the Mayor. thanks TO the superin-
tcndcnt for his faithful services and
to the electrical inspectors for their
good work.
No Cnntract Awarded.
Bids for the combination automob;la
pump hose wagon and chemical ell
gine were opened but no contract was
awarded Instead. after eliminating
all bids specifying a rotary pumping
engine and subscribing to the piston
pump, the board referred the bids TO
committee composed of Commissioner
Kcppler. Superintendent Thompson,
Chief loynes. Master Mechanic Jones
and Secretary Jones. with Instructions
TO report at the next meeting.
Among the bids submitted were: II.
a. Rlcnner, $500 $4,000 and $500;
Knox Automobile Company, $4,000.
Luitweller Pumping Engine Company.
$4,000; Robinson Fire Apparatus Com
pany. $4,000 and $500: Wahb Motor