The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-09
Petersburg NAN GETS
BIG PAVING CONTRACT
WILL srEEr AGAIN FRIDAY
After Exciting Meeting Body Decides
To Adjourn For Two Days--Dr.
Wilkinson Leaves For New Charge.
Other Items Of Interest.

Petersburg, va, March "A dis
tinct feature of last evenings meeting
Of the Common Council was the
| breaking away by that body from .
predominating influence in the award
| Ing Of contracts for street paving by
rejecting the recommendation OF the
Street Committee that a bio OF an
out-of-town contractor be accepted for
! 5000 feet OF concrete curb and gutter,
and 10000 yards OF concrete sidewalk
at price 50 little less than the bid OF
| local contractor that the total
amount saved in dollars and cents to
| the city would have been insignificant.
The committee reported bids for the
curb and gutter contract by A. d.
o'Brien. OF Wilmington, N. c.. AT fifty
six cents per foot. and by J. l. pcrkin-
! son, of Petersburg, at fifty-seven and
{ one-half cents per foot, by Fl. l..
wollen & Co.. Of Richmond, for the
sidewalk paving at ninety-four cents
per yard. and by j. L. Parkinson, OF
| Petersburg, at ninety-six cents per
yard.
Had Tied on Matter.
The Street Committee at previous
meeting with four members present on
a tie vote, which was broken by the
vote of the chairman. had determined
TO recommend that the contracts be
| awarded to the out-of- town contrac.
| tors.
On motion OF Councilman Watson,
after a stormy debate. all bids wh,ch
had been received were rejected. and
the contracts were awarded to the
| Petersburg contractor, J. l.. Perkin-
son, upon his bids of 81 LIZ cents and
| SO cents.
Chairman Jones, of the Street Conn
mittee, made strong argument
against such action by the Council,
stating that the committee had spent
considerable sum In advertising for
I bids and advertised to award the coz
tracts to the lowest bidder 1t was ap-
! parent that the Street Committee had
advertised irregularly in that the COM
mittee did not reserve the right TO re-
ject any or all bids
There is a prevailing opinion among
| members of the Council that the COM
mittee for personal reasons had de-
| termined not to award to certain local
contractors any further work mem
Der of the committee. 1t Is alleged. has
stated openly that the firm of Per-
| kinson q Finn would not get any
| other paving contract as long as he
remained a member of the committee,
and In consequence this well known
! firm has discontinued to submit bids
for city work.
| The difference In the cost of the
| work was so little IL done on the bid
of J. L. Parkinson that the patching
! OF few defects which invariably show
up in such work would have offset the
| difference In cost, and with the local
1 firm at hand to make such repairs at
| his own cost, according to the con.
| tract, the Council puts Its stamp OF
| disapprovai upon the action of the
Street Committee by vote of II to s.
| Messrs. Jones and Reinach, members
| of the Street Committee. and Mr.
Slaughter, voting to adopt the recon-
1 mendation of the Street Committee.
viii Meet Again Tonight.
| Other features of the bill were the
unanimous adoption of an ordinance
| introduced by Councilman j. E.
! Young, vice-chairman Of the Finance
! COMMITTEES, authorizing bond issues In
the sum of s14e, 900 for the erection
| of a rev high school. and $4,000 for
increasing the capacity of the gram
/ mar school building, and the reports
/ OF the city officers.
The city treasurer's report showed
collections during the past month
amounting to SgS.22o.sS, with a cash
/ balance on hand of s255.s63.9s The
auditors report showed expenditures
totaling $4,000. The report OF the
police Justice showed the amount OF
fines collected In his court to have
| been $i,305.50
A communication was received from
the Mayor asking for an appropri-
alton OF 500 as a reward for infor-
mation leading to the capture of John
| Wooten. the murderer Of Patrolman
Robert Il, Beasley. which was prompt
| ly complied with.
Shortly before midnight and some
time before the business to be acted
upon had been finished the Council
adjourned until o'clock Friday even
Ing, when other important items will
be taken up.
Waite-Hfn
st. Paufs Episcopal Chufch was the
scene at 5:45 o'clock yesterday after
noon of quiet but pretty wedding,
Althea Garland Waite, the accom-
! plished daughter OF Mrs. Harrison
Waite. and Mr.. Benjamin Mason Hill
prominent young electrician, both
OF this city The ceremony was per-
formed by Rev. f. p. cambridge, rec
tor of ST. Paups, iu the presence OF
large assemblage of friends and
relatives Of the young couple. The
bride was attended By her cousin.
MRS. y, M vest, OF west virginia, an
natron of honor. and the groom by
his best man, Mr. r. H. Hancocke. of
this city. Following the ceremony. Mr..
and Mrs. Hill left Immediately for a
bridal tour North.
Capt. Lamb Secures Prisoners.
Captain Lamb. a member Of the
penitentiary guards. came to Peters
burg today and subsequently returned
to Richmond with eight prisoners
convicted at the February term Of tho
Hastings Court. and sentenced As fol-
lows:
Lillian Blair. colored, highway rob-
coIored. highway robbery. eight years:
Fred Harris, colored. larceny from the