Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-04
COUNCIL To HAVE.
CHARGE OF WORK
On STREETS
Construction Department Reor-
gained With Responsibility
Assumed by Lawmakers.

council yesterday afternoon, leaders of
council declared today that better re-
suits in street and sewer work would
be secured in the future.
BY the adoption of the plan the
council has taken upon itself the re-
! sponsibiltty for improvement work.
Members Of the council have answered
the criticisms Of their constituents
about the lack Of street work by de-
clartng that they had done all they
could do. They said they had had ap-
preparations provided, but simply
could not get the construction depart
ment to do the work.
Under the present plan, the chief Of
construction is elected by the people
and is Independent Of tho council IN so
far as he chooses. except that the coun-
ell controls the appropriations.
Under the now plan, the council has
made the chief Of construction s1nen-
able to the council in all matterz sven
taking the authority to approve the
appointment OF his assistants and to
discharge them. But the chief OF con-
str1ction is still to be elected by the
people.
The now plan goes into sfreCt on
January /.
Ten Year Clause Staya-
A majority of the council voted
against eliminating the qualification
for chief Of construction requiring ten
years experience as an engineer. The
reorganization committee reported In
favor of striking out this requirement
/ 49,
man as well as an engineer might run
for tho Office
Obviously, this action narrowS the
possibilities of opposition to the pres
emit incumbent. And as soon as the
council had acted Captain R. NJ. Clay
ton said that he would run for re-elec-
ton.
The special committee was continued
that 1t might mako a report on the
more detailed matters Of the depart
ment. The council adopted its report
that there should be an assistant chief
Of construction in charge of the detail
ed affairs of the office and an en-
gineer in charge Of streets and an en-
gineer in charge Of sewers.
One of the criticisms of the council
men has been that only the chief ~
construction has authority over the as
sistants and only he has knowledge OF
the work of the different departments.
When the chief Of construction was out
Of the ONCE they declared, neither they
nor any private citizen could find out
about construction matters
Experts TO Probe Office.
the movement for reorganization Of the
department will be taken within the
next few weeks when the experts, en-
ployed by the municipal research COM
mission of the Chamber of Commerce,
begins a sweeping investigation of the
chief Of construction department and
all other city departments. These ex-
perts will go into details Of bookkeep-
ing and the systems of office orgsniza-
ton. phases the council and its com
mittee have not touched upon.
When the report Of the councils
committee was brought UP yesterday
afternoon Councilman Harvey Hatcher.
chairman of the street committee. and
Councilman ]. D. Sissm, of tho Fifth
ward, offered minority report 10 re-
tain the ten years as an experienced
engineer" clause
Led by Councilman HatoheR, q Wig
orous fight was begun in which the
city's street improvement system was
clearly sidetracked for g. time. and a
discussion of personalities was begun.
He sought to make 1t appear that q
personal fight was being made on Cap
tain Clayton.
Alderman McCIellsnd openly declared
that the elimination OF tho qualiffca-
ton was a political effort TO Gust Cap
tain Clayton.
When a motion was made to taSls
the whole report Of the committee IL
carried
Report Taken From Table.
But Councilman Mason, Smith and
Chambers and Aldermen Nutting and
Gambler and others were making a Wig
orous fight for some OF the more i'm
portant features Of the report. The
report was taken from the table on the
motion of Alderman Johnson. and
adopted with the exception Of the ten
year qualification
Alderman Maddox made a motion
that the ten-year quannCatlon be re-
duced to five years, and that the sal
airy of the chief of construction he
raised from $4,000 TO $4,000. This was
lost
Several times statements were made
that Alderman Gambler was the author
Of the ordinance which provides for the
present organization of the chief Of
construction department. Alderman
Gambler said he drew the original or
dinance. but that it was enaciated be-
fore it was finally adopted by the
council He said he wanted a ten
year qualification for the chief Of con-
sruction, but that the council instead
Of the people should elect him, and thar
the council should have the authority
| to go anywhere in the United States
to employ its engineer.
FOOD INSPECTOR FOR LA GRANGE.
!