The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-28
MAYOR EXUM SAYS PETTYPOL|T|CS|S |S BASIS OF CHARGES Says Petersen Wilfully Omitted Figures at Which
 City Paid ANSWERS AGEE CARD
 ABOUT SHORT CARS Maintains That Petersen and Allies Are Furthering the Conspiracy Against Commission Govern
 ment for Birmingham
To the Editor of The Age-HeraId:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Referring to the voluminous communt- cation from MT. Agee, the signed card from Mr. Peterson and the exhibit as to alleged short weights of hay and grain which were placed under sensa tional head lines on the front page of yesterdays Ledger, I would say that it appears that one of Mr. Agees griev- ances was that he and certain other grain men had been unable to sell to the city. I had not and will not give to the city purchasing agent any instruc- tions to buy from any particular firms. The only instructions which I have given him or will give him are to buy where the best goods can be bought at the lowest price. Mir. Shropshire, the city purchasing agent, has enjoyed my confidence during my brief service and have not interfered with him in the performance of his duties-nor under taken to supervise the petty details nf his office
 If an employee is honest and eff cient l believe he should not be dictated to in the performance of minor duties. IL 1t IS uiSnOneSI OT lnelIlClenl Ie should be discharged But I submit that it would be improper for the mayor to instruct the purchasing agent as to whom he should patronze. As I have already stated the city purchasing agent purchased the hay and grain in ques- tion from Dean on the approval of Street Commissioner Gafford without my knowledge and without consulting me. It is no part of their duty to con suit me as to such details.
 Now MT. Agee states as I have here tofore said that on demand of the Bir- mingham Grain Co. Lonergan refunded to Guei'ry the reclamation which he, Lonergan had made, on hay shipped 70 the city. If MT. Agee and his associates of the Grain Exchange insisted on the refund being made by the broker to the shipper, did they not take their stand because the shipper was entitled to the money? and if the shipper was entitled to the money why should complaint be made against me because I ordered paid the bill which had been approved by the purchasing agent and the street com missioner for this shipment? The sum and substance of MT. Agee's grievance seems to be not that I benefited by or participated in or connived at petty graft upon the city, but that T did not become sufficiently excited over his complaints about a car of hay as to which the broker is alleged to have rob bed the country shipper.
 I respectfully ask the people of Birm- ingham whether MT. Agees complaint justifies the attempt made to besmirch my character and to break down my personal and official reputation?
 Now, as to the exhibit of alleged short weights made so much of by the Ledger The Ledger publishes most conspcu- ously the weights of eleven cars of hay and six cars of oats purchased by the city from Dean, showing the excess of the invoice weights over the railroad weights. Of these seventeen cars so far as I can ascertain only three cars were purchased during my administration, the other fourteen cars were purchased dur ing the administration of my prede- cessor. But as to all these cars as I have already stated the city does not pay by railroad weights nor by the shippers invoice weights. The city stable employees weigh these cars when they come in. The employees who do this weighing never see the invoice weights or the railroad weights, nor do they know from whom the hay or grain lldS DttH SlllppeQ Of Pui CHdScu Ailu the city pays by the weights of it's em- ployees. Now why did not Petersen in his table of weights give the city weights by which settlement was made? What was the justice of comparing rai- road weights and invoice weights and emitting the citys weights by. which alone settlement was had and payment made?
 The assistant city auditor furnished yesterdays Ledger a statement as to these 17 cars, showing railroad weights, invoice weights and the city's weight. Instead of publishing this statement or it's front page the Leuger tucked if away in an obscure corner. From this statement it appears that the total of the invoice weights on the ii cars of hay was 212,565 pounds. But the city did not pay according to these invoice weights, but according to its own weights which aggregated 204,857 pounds. There was difference on the II cars of only 3112 pounds, or about a ton and a half between the city's weight and the railroad weights. Mak- ing a difference on II cars according to the price of less than $20. Every ship per or consignee who weighs goods shipped or received will know that the cty's weights and the railroad weights were very close together. The
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