Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-02-22
PAGE Elsvld

|
the vaane and ineonsequential afida-
Wits read before the Board on the
18th inst
Your committee is at a loss to know
why the gentlemen who were so free
in presenting charges rejecting on
the official conduct of this Board. its
committee and upon a most capable
and trustworthy employe failed to aIe
pear before the committee unless IL
was for the reason that he desired
20 avoid answering questions show
ing the degree of credence, if any, to
be given his statements.
Your committee, upon a careful read
ing of the charges made, found that
as the representative Of union No.
los it was demanded by him that
all county painting be done by La
County firms, an action which would
BE- clearly Illegal in case such bidders
were not the lowest responsible bid
ders. and which would cause an in1us-
tice TO the people of this county, who
have a right to have their worn done
for the least sum for which a re-
sponsible contractor would agree to
do It,
Again. in the charges it is bodily
/ asserted by the alleged committee
| that we are given to understand that
/ the county architect is the agent for
| the contractor for the interior on the
/ Il.
/ ing this statement meant to have it
understood and believed chat the
county architect was the agent of
such contractor, but fearing that such
a false statement would be exposed,
sought to avoid responsibility for
their utterance by saying I'VE are CIV
en- To understand" and agency instead
ofactually and equiyocally asserting
agency. "a
Because Of these two statements
your committee would have been war
ranted in reporting back to you the
charges as scandalous, and declining
to proceed further, but TO prevent the
spreading of unwarranted, wholly UNI
proceed with the Investigation.
The specifications charged to have
been so drawn that no contractor
could bid on them in an intelligent
way were found by us TO be clear in
style, simple in expression, exact and
/ definite in all their terms, as will
5 more fully appear by the copy thereof
attached to the papers herein.
!, We find that to say that the county
architect was ever the agent OF the
, contractor in this job or any other
., with which he has been connected
, would be fiat and inexeusable false
= hood and as such we declare the
: statement made in the charges we
, are now considering.
: That the paint work was not done
+, in the Dentention Heme other than
as provided by the carefully prepared
:. specifications was firmly established
!. by four credible Witnesses as was the
e fact that the work was adequately and
thoroughly done by the contractor
e and adequately and thoroughly super
y intended by the county architect and
II the Building Committee of the Board
e At our request the county arcm
,e tect has prepared statement Of fact!
. regarding the work done for this
{; county during number of years past
e This statement will establish the fac
e that these charges made in relation
/ to the painting work done by the
G county since 1912, back of which date
y we made no inquiry are both purile
o and false and unworthy of any or
II ganized body Of American Workmen
and we believe that they will be
J. wholly repudiatedby Union No. 46S
when they learn Of their true char
actet.
We ask that the statements to be
made by the county architect as afore
said be heard by the Board, and then
attached hereto as part hereof, and
that because of the character and fal
sity of these charges that the same be
pigeonholed and not published as q
Is part of the proceedings of this Board
o All of which is respectfully sub
II mitted.
/ (Signed) FRANK 4. RICHEY,
l. Chairman Of Joint Committee.
Il Z, e. STATES,
II f. l.. DAUBER,
tt E. p. CONNERTON,
d NJ. J. CHARLEY,
Il " S. GEIGER,
Is Is DONKIN STOBS,
d" HENRY ZOLPER,