The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-17
PRObERs
FIGURED IN CASE
DEVELOPS THAT ATTENTION OF
COMMITTEE WAS CALLED To
BURTON CHARGES.
CLAUSE WAS Tackled ON
MAYOR DID NOT THINK CASE
AGAINST BOLTON WORTHY Or
SERIOUS INvEs-
LEGATION.

"Your committee would suggest
that all bidders for work be furnish
ed with blue prints OF work proposed
and Approximate quantities OF ma
:erial to he moved and used on work,
and in tabulating bids the city en-
ginser shall use the amounts furnish
ed the contractor by the engineers
ONCE
This recommendation. IL develops.
was tackled on to the report OF the
Lynch investigating committee at the
last moment before IL was presented
to the full street committee. 1t was
designed TO remedy erroneous listing
of prices and calculations of the kind
which Contractor Clarence Burton
complained to the street committee
Thursday night when First Assistant
City Engineer jackson Bolton was
charged with discrimination in spect-
fcations and carelessness In making
calculations.
Investigated Jan. ~.
Attention of the Lynch committee
was called to the Burton charges on
Jan. 81 after the matter had been in
vestigated by Mayor Richardson.
Mayor Richardson. discussing the
matter Friday. said that SO far as he
could ascertain the whole trouble lay
In the unbusinesslike manner In which
certain departments OF the. city en-
gfneerss Office are operated After
going over the matter Contractor Bur
ton and City Engineer Boiling the
latter part OF January. no charges
were preferred at that time. he said.
because he did not think the matter
one worthy OF such action. He did
think, however, that the prevailing
system OF letting contracts should be
remedied and II was for that reason
that the attention of the Lynch COM
mittee was especially called to the case
In question.
Mr.. Bolton Not In.
Mr.. Bolton was not In his ONCE Fri
day morning when an effort was
made TO get a. statement fran him
relative to the Burton charges 1t was
stated that Mr.. Bolton was out in the
city somewhere. looking after work
under his direction.
After going into the matter at
some length. the full committee
named a special committee, consist
ing OF Messrs vonderlehr. Miller and
Gunst. with the city engineer, to
make a report.
Addressing the committee, Mr.. Bur-
ton said that the city had advertised
for bids for a sewer In Park ave-
nsfe from West street TO Roxeheath
road. The bids were opened and the
contract awarded to the lowest bid
der
Errors Were Found.
Mr.. Burton went on to say that
Mr.. Bolton figured out the amount
OF brick. the excavation and labor and
made Maynard q Company the lowest
bidder. Rechecking with Assistant
Engineer Saytlle. errors were found.
and a form OF contract was drawn
up giving the work to Fletcher q
Kelly, Mr.. Burton was satisfied he
was the lowest bidder and he went
to the engineers Office and asked for
the bid sheet, ON which all proposals
had been posted, and found one error
OF $4,000 and another OF $1,170, and
other mistakes In calculation making
the job cost less than $1,000 instead
OF more than $1,000. as at first fig
ured.
Mr.. Burton also charged that the
engineers ONCE has two distinct sets
of specifications. one where the city
furnishes the stone sewer caps, and
one where the contractor furnishes
them.
Members OF the committee were
agreed that no blame attached to
City Engineer Boiling himself. the
statements In the case showing that
no complaint had been made to him
before the matter was taken up with
the mayor.
The full street COMMITTEES is ex-
pected to put the finishing touches on
the Lynch report ut special meet
ing next Thursday night.