The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-16
MEMBERS RESORT
REPRESENTATIVES
Mitchell Says Cease Wanted
. City Contract Given to His
Cousins Firm.
SAME OLD ROW OVER COAL
Sharp Exchange of Words in
Eight Committee Meeting.
Cease Side Wins.
SAME OLD ROW OVER COAL

, In the face of the open charge that
Councilman George Cease advocated a
! special award of coal contract for
the CITY Gas Works because his cousin
was connected with one of the bidding
companies. the Council Committee or
Light last night reconsidered its for
mer action. took the matter away from
a subcommittee and the City Chemist
and on motion of Mr.. Cease practically
gave the contract to the Atlantic States
Coal and Coke Company Under the
Cease motion the Atlantic States Com
! pany is to supply the coal until the
subcommittee and the City Chemist
make their final report. which mem
oers of the committee openly predict
VIII not be forthcoming until the con.
tract period has expired.
Last March the Committee on Light
invited bids for supplying the Gas
Works with coal for the year. and
when the proposals were opened the
Chesapeake and Ohio Coal Agency and
the Atlantic States Company tied as
low bidder. each offering coal at SO &c
pep ton. The Chesapeake and Ohio
agency had supplied satisfactory coal
Tor many years, and the committee re-
commended that 1t be given the con
tract.
Claim 1t Had Best Coal.
Ihen certain members dug into the
proposal and discovered that the At
lantic States Company offered a guar.
antee of chemical analysis higher than
ITS competitor. and higher than the
specihcations. and 1t was claimed tina,
all other things being equal, II wa.
therefore the lower bidder, and the
confirmation of award was held up In
| the Board of Aldermen.
Since then the committee has had
merry sessions. being about evenly d.
Nioeo' some weeks ago an agreement
WIS reached by which Superintendent
! knowles was instructed to divide hia
purchases equally between the two
! contestants. and a subcommittee con-
slsting of Messrs. Powers. Mitchell AND
| melton was named to consult the civ
chemist and report which coal the civ
mad best buy. Mr.. Powers was out ~
town and his colleagues reported last
nlght that the City Chemist would not
oe prepared to report the result OF
ms analysis for thirty days
Mr.. Cease moved to rescInd m,
former action on splitting the pur-
chase and to direct the superintendent
TO buy all the coal from the Atlantic
states Coal and Coke Company.
MI Mitchell protested with heat that
ne had no cousins, brothers. unclee ar
annts in the coal business. and SO
could not look at the proposition that
way 'a'
Sharp Passage OF Words.
Are YOU referring to me7r demo,a
ed Mr. Cease
Il am" said Mr.. Mitchell. "s,ncs
you ask 1t; I assert here that Won
have relations connected with the A..
iantc Coal and Coke Company. and
that that explains your anxiety to take
this thing out OF the hands of the sub
committee and award the contrac,
whlle its chairman is out of the CITY -
4 II am proud of every one OF NV
relatives" said Mr.. Cease.
SO am l." retorted Mr.. Mitchell
but my relatives are not trying "a
sell the city coal"
When I voted for this award" e..
planned Mr.. Cease to the committee
on the ground OF personal privilege .
ala not know that I had a relative
connected with this company. The
man referred to is my cousin, a manly
upright. honest man. I thought he
had severed his connection with the
Atlantic States Company"
Then why are you not content 70
let the proposition rest on its merits ?.
demanded Mr.. Mitchell
Il am tired Of seeing 1t lobbied
around since last April" replied Mr..
cease i believe the Atlantic States
"feiS INC pest guarantee and
is Justly entitled to the contract. and
that's why am lighting for It,"
The subcommittee has been out on
tirely too long" said Mr.. RatcEffe "Thts
matter should be brought to a close.
II is reflection on the committee.
People are beginning to talk about
us; they are saying that we can't
attend to business In business
| like way. 1t Is very unbusin esq
| 70 m to1E Is
contract. The lower bidder has been
entitled to the business all this time.
don't believe in splitting the awarl.
l propose as settlement Of this con-
troversy that the Atlantic States Coal
and Coke Company furnish all the
coal pending final settlement"
The vote was called on this promo
sition, which was adopted TO 3. az
| follows:
Ayes-Messrs. Cease. Moncure. Rat
| cliffe. Rogers. Wiltshire and Workman.
| Noes-Messrs Melton. Mitchell and
! Grimes.
! The defeated element protested that
] the result was exactly the same as in
! the famous incandescent gas lamp con :
/! troversy-the Council three times re-
fused to confirm an award Of con ira ct
+, made by the Committee on Light To-
! the present incandescent gas lamps.
pul the committee mas so far refused to
give the contractor the required thirty
days notice to suspend service. and
the lighting goes on without contra ct
and without bond at the old rate. not
yvtthstanding the fact that later bids
; have been at lower price Should
the subcommittee make Il report, II
is asserted that no action would be
taken upon 1t, or Its confirmation
would be held up in the Council, so
that the Atlantic States Company may
In effect win out by supplying the Gas
! Works with coal for the remainder Of
/. the fiscal year.