The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-14

sewers. showing A. w. Maynard &. CO.
the lowest bidder and Il contract was
directed 10 be made out 10 that firm
Strntton Finds First Error.
Mr. Bolton was then out OF town for
two days. during which time j. TAYLOR
stratton. clerk Or the Committee on
Streets, reported TO Mr., Boiling that
the sewer cost exceeded $1,000 ana
therefore the contract would have 10 be
approved By the Council.
AS that greatly exceeded the esti-
mate, Mr.. Boiling called for the sheets.
which showed total Of $3.50.
II checked up the material cxcava-
ton Tor the main sewer anu found It
correct said Mr. Boiling Then /
counted the number Of house conncc-
tons, and found the material far in
excess Of what II should have been,
and ! directed that the contract be-
not executed until Mr. Bolton returned.
called his attention to the error, but
did not myself check further, but gave
II TO Mr.. Bolton to go over. He brought
the sheet back. saying there was {.
serious error. the original sheet show
Ing 200 yards OF house connections.
when there should have been abou.
600 yards. Mr.. Bolton then reported
That tile correction having been made
Fletcher q Kelley We're the lowest
bidders, and ] ordered the contrac. 40
awarded. MIR Burton did not call ny
when | was summoned 20 meet him in
The Mayors Office"
Tut In hy HoItona order.
None OF Your assistants told sou
tina, | had been in 10 complain OF the
award asked Ny Burton.
No. answered Mir Boiling "Air.
Stratton said that Mr.. Burton had been
in the office ana talked about the con
tract with Mr.. Bottom"
Who made the original errors in
alculation?' asked Colonel Anderson
II made out III. estimate answered.
Assistant City Engineer Savillc II
asked Mr.. Bolton what nmout 10 allow
Tor house connections, as the plat did
not show, and ne told me 10 put II
down 300 yards, and did So
Il then directed the contract TO
be made out 10 Fletcher & KelIcy,. re-
sumed MIR. Boiling, "butit was not is
sued. That afternoon or the neXt
morning Mr.. Bolton again camc to me
and reported q further error. and that
Mr.. Bur,on was the lowest bidder lie
Explained that in carrying out the
brick worlt 2 decimal had been placed
wrong, pointing OF Two places instead
.ol three The contract had been made
out 10 Mr.. Burton before was called
70 the mayors Office, and the Two con-
tract forms previously made out. one
10 Maynard and the other 10 Fletcher
~ Kelley were never executed
I Pays by MEASUREMENT.
y want 10 call attention TO tho fact
that the city pays BY actual measure
mcnt, no; by the estimates, which are
merely 10 determine the lowest bidder
by the unit system Had tho first bid
gone through, tho city would not have
lost the difference between $1,000 aud
So.5oo but the difference between the
bid OF Maynard and that or Burton
for the actual amount or work done
MI sewer bids were turned over 10
MI Bolton. who was in charge Of sew /.
CT work, with instructions to report 10
me. do not know which one Of his
assistants lie turned this calculation
over TO, or whether he did 1t himself
When that part OF the ONCE has been
busy ] have myself hgurcd out BIDS
and checked my figures against Mr..
Bolton's.''
found" asked Mr.. Fulton. the con.
tract would have gone to MAYNARD &
Colnpany?'
Yes" answered Mr. Boiling.
Then an Injustice would have been
done contractors a
Yes. If the mistake had not been
caught and corrected"
Stone Sewer Caps
me attorneys then went into close
examination Of Mr.. Boiling on the sub
iect Of stone, bringing out that the
city purchased last year twenty sets
VI street basin stone from ]. j. Smith
d Company, all of which could be ac-
counted for on sewers !n which the
contract said the city should furnish
stone. fhe city also bought s261
worth Of stone from Fletcher & Kelley.
mainly small stones and special cut
tinss 10 ill peculiar places. Mr.
Boiling said that SO far as he knew.
none of the stone furnished by fetch
CT X Kelley went to any contractor
whose agreement required him ana not
the city TO supply stone fittings.
Mr.. Boiling said he did not know
who had furnished stone to Maynard.
Chewing. Van Doren and other bid
ders, # any one had. Mr. Fulton said
IT was his intention to call these con-
tractors TO testify whether they had
ever been supplied with stone by the
city when i'll fact their contract specI-
fled that they should themselves fur
nish it.
The committee thcn rose until to-
morrow night at 7:30 O'Clock. when
the contractors will be called to the
witness stand.
Judgment for $50.
Iyf IA.