The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-27
CITY COUNCIL IN
SPECIAL SESSION
Alderman, Engineer and Contractor
All Arrived at an Amicable
Understanding


The special session of council last
night for the purpose of considering
disputed matters concerning the new,
light and water plant, instead of CIV
ing rise to a hated controversy, de-
developed from the first into what
Col. R. A. Burford, counsel for Mr..
Benjamin Thompson, the contractor,
characterized as "love feast" Coun-
Gil backed Twombly & Henney, the
city's engineers, and everybody was
satisfied The work on the plant will
now proceed merrily.
The change in the De La Vergne oil
engine was first disposed of. Upon
the recommendation of Engineer Hen
ney, speaking for his firm, council ap-
proved the change of engine, and
agreed that the city would pay for
| the necessary change in the concrete
foundations for the new piece of ma
| chinery upon the basis of the cost of
| the original foundations called for. 1t
was again pointed out, and this time
by Mr.. Henney, for the engineers, Mr..
| Thompson, the contractor, and Mr..
Gibbes, representing the De La Vergne
people, that the city would get in the
new oil engine very superior piece
of machinery. Mr.. Gibbes said that
the city would get an engine costing
the manufactures from $4,000 to $1,000
more than the city would pay for it,
| the city would get larger generator,
costing about $500 more than the city
would pay for it, and the increase in
freight on the new machinery would
cost the manufacturers about $500.
Mr.. Gibbes said that Ocala would get
the best oil engine to be had. The De
La Vergne company, Mr.. Gibbes said,
realized the opportunity it had here
in Ocala of proving the worthiness of
| it's engine. He said his company
realized that the eyes of the engineer
ing world would be on the plant here,
in which the oil engine would be
operated in direct competition with a
|
the De La Vergne people asked that
the new engine be placed on a larger
foundation than called for in the
specifications for the plant. Mr.
Thompson said that the larger foun.
dation would call for more concrete
and an increase in the cost of con.
struction, and asked that the city al
low him payment for this increase
Mr.. Henney thought that the founda
tions called for by the De La Vergnt
people not necessary in view of tht
!. peculiar soil conditions obtaining OF
the site of the new plant. Mr.. Gibbe
!, said that Mr.. Henney was correct il
what he said, but asked that tn,
S specifications of the De La Vergn
company for the foundations be adopt
: ed. Mr.. Gibbes said, and Mr.. Henne,
! agreed, that the increased cost woul,
!. be but small item as compared wit
the small cost of the better engin
: the city would get. Mr.. Gibbes sal
S that he would like the city to tie tn
n De La Vergne company 'hand an
foot" in order that, in case anything
s should go wrong at any time, tn
Il company could not come back and 'sa
that the city did not put in the prope
foundations.
IL Councilman Moore voted agains
= approving the action of the engineer
in making changes of engines. NJ
Moore wanted to know why the De L
is Vergne people had not spoken of til
better engine in the first place. E
said that he could not understand wh
d, any manufacturer would want to giy
m the city $4,000 or $1,000 worth of m;
chinery, nor why the city should pa