The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-11
DENIES
ANY INJUSTICE
City Engineer Tells Why Specifications Were
lnterned, and Says Error in Calculation Was
discovered and Corrected in His Own Office.

Claiming that his att'turc had been
hisconstrucd, CITY Engineer Boiling
SAID yesterday that he viii. ;:.:;ist that
the Nondcrlehr subcommittee summon
Witnesses and go fully into the facts
surrounding the transactions Witch
We're the basis of certain charges
against the Engineers Department
inade 10y Contractor g. g.. B,irton The
COMMITTEES has hccn called 10 meet on
Monday afternoons
when tile committee met for the
tirst time on Thursday" said Mir. Boil
ing. II thought that wc could shorten
nattcrS by the admission on my part
Of certain errors In calculation havin,,
hccn made not ~ myself. but hy those
In my office | do not admit all or MIR
Burton'S charges. In fact. | cniphati-
caily deny that there has hccn any
Injustice 10 any one, Or any cfscrimi-
nation shown I'll. errors we're dscov-
cred IN my office. called to my attention
and corrected before MIR. Burton Or
amy one else had made amy complaint
The contract. in fact. not only did 20
TO tie lowest responsible bidder but /
am prepared 10 show that il, execution
OF the work no stone ctrcct basins were
ca He'd for in the plans, so hat even had
there been a difcrcnc. III the spcciii-
cations as charged IL would have made
no difference III ih's particular job
III also seems that my statement 10
the committees i'll explanation OF The
interlincations in the aIeci;ications
which werc ordered by me with au-
thority Of Tie CtA.mittee ON streets,
has been misconstrucd BY tho press
aud those present, and possibly by
members OF the committee. | viii ask
thar the committee 20 fully into the
charges III Mr.. Burton's letter and In
terroEate witnesses on every point. and
examine the books OF the Office to see
whether tho city has furnished any
stone TO any contractor who was re-
uured by his specifications o supply
It,
Il did not say that would assume
all the blame although, am prepared
10 assume full responsibility for my
work, individually OF as head Of the
department. ] appreciated Mr. Wonder
lchrs suggestion as to emitting the
name or Mr.. Bolton, whose death |
still believe TO have been accidental,
but certain charges have been made
by Dir. Burton, and III justice to Mr..
Bolton aud to others in the department
they inrst be investigated
Errors Caught In OHice.
I, There We're errors made in tho cali
culations on this job. as charged by
Mr.. Rurton. and as frankly stated
70 the committee, but these errors
were pToNShl 20 my attention ty my
assistants. and were corrected IN the
office, ana no contract WAS executed
until they had been corrected so that
therefore no injury was done 10 any
one the work being awarded TO Mr..
Burton as the lowest responsible bid
der. Mr. burton himself made no com
plant to nc At amy time. The orroi
was fi-st reported TO me. not by bid
der. but BY an assistan,, and had been
complaint to the Mayor.
AS to the pen and ink ntcrlinea-
tons, tho facts should be made clear
We use in the Office printed form
of specifications for sewers. and when
an alternate system OF bidding, all OF
Inc printed forms issued were ordered
by me to be changed by clerk in the
office. and the insertion was made 50
tic same footing in calculating the
total cost by either method OF bid
ding.
bolton r DID G Mt ch%nEe Them
amended or interlincd specifications
should be given out. and if any form
without the pen correction was ISSUED
after the date Of that order ! do not
done by Mr.. Bolton but by. a clerk by
my order, to carry out the instruc-
lions of the Committee on Streets.
1T should also be said III Justice
lishcd by. any evidence whether it was
he himself or some subordinate who
made the admitted errors In calcula-
lon Mr.. Bolton Is not here to tes
tify;. but the matter Is capable Of proof
II is true that he was Immediately in
charge OF sewer construction and tina t
all of the work complained OF lay
within his department. The facts sur
rounding the alleged overpayment TO
]. J. Smith & Company must also be