Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-07-08
ENGINEER NEEL
DENIES ADVICE
SOUGHT OR GIVEN
No Connection Between Hawkins
Charges And State Depart
nent, He Says

way EHSillSSI SIO29idiu, luSHtiOItrd
in graft charges in the Georgia house
Friday by Representative McMiahael,
of Marion county, quoting a lcttcs
from Joe Hawkins, of Americas,
formerly a district highway engineer
under the state highway department,
was never asked nor received IN the
purchase Of the state owned quarry
near Elberton was the statement
made to the Times Recorder Satur-
day by w. r. Neel, state highway en-
gineer, in telegraphed reply to
request from this paper for some
statement on the subject.
The name Of the state highway de-
partment was not mentioned in the
statements involving Engineer Cross
land, who was charged with having
said he profited $4,000 by the quar-
ry transaction, but the charge was
brought out when the department was
under fire from Mr. McMichael and
was presented as having a relation
ship to that department. Both En-
gineer Neel and Mr.. Grassland, each
well known here, were asked for
statements. None was received from
Mr.. Grassland. He was not at his.
office in Atlanta Friday and it was
not certain that he had returned Sat
urday so that the message could have
reached him. Mr.. Neel, in his state
ment, declared flatly that the state
department was in no way influenced
by the federal engineer in the pur-
chase of the quarry and that no one
connected with the state department
ever received cent from that trans
acion. His telegram follows:
Necrs Message.
Hawkins made no charges againSt4
any one connected with the state
highway department. he made
charge against the federal engineer,
who, as you know, has no connection
whatever with my organization. This
department knows absolutely nothing
of what amount a federal engineer
might have received, if anything,
from the sale of the quarry to the
state. Our transactions were carried
on directly with the quarry owner and
the federal engineers advice regard
ing the purchase of the quarry was
never asked for nor received. He in
no way influenced this department in
it's purchase.
81 can assure you no one connects
ed with the state highway department
received one cent in the quarry trans
action"
Mr.. Hawkins, who spends most of
his time elsewhere than in Ameri-
Gus could not be located Saturday for
possible amplification of the extracts
of his letter as reported in the morn
ing press. He was in Americus earl
ier in the week but was believed by
relatives to be in Atlanta at this time.
1t was said here, however, that he
had recently discussed the charges
against Grassland locally, and had
sought some information as to how
check, furnishing the evidence
against the engineer, might be traced.
Hawkins Discharged.
Mr.. Hawkins and an associate were
the first engineers to undertake tbs
county paving project here more than
two years ago. The county cofnmis-
sioners secured their relinquishmcal
of their contract, however, after
short time. Later Mr.. Hawkins WAS
made highway engineer for the At
lanta district, and when a reappor-
tionment Of the districts took place
he was sent to Newman, Atlanta hav-
ing been abandoned as a headquar-
ters. Later he was asked for his
resignation by the state engineer,
fact never publicly discussed, and he
reason therefore never being an
lnounced. Mr.. Hawkins friends as
sert that he was being discussed for
state highway engineer to replace Mr..
Neel and that for this reason he was
displaced by the latter, statement
with which supporters of Mr.. Neel
entirely disagree.
The Atlanta Georgian relates the
McMichael- Hawkins incident in the
Georgia House as follows:
"a sensation was created IN the
House of Representative Friday
when Representative McMichael, OF
Marion county, leader of the fight
against the State Highway Departs
mcnt, openly charged that w. 4.
Grassland, federal highway engineer.
who had approved the purchase q
the state rock quarry in Ebert cour-
ty, made $4,000 out of the trans-
action.
"The charge was made by Mr.. Nc
Michael in addressing the House st
ting as committee of the whole n
consideration of a resolution that
the minority report submitted last
year and severely criticizing the
Highway Department., be adopted.
"Mr. McMichael not only charged
that Mr.. Grassland had made $4,000
out of the sale cf the quarry to tie
state, but added that Mr. Grassland
purchased a home in Peachtree Road
in Atlanta shortly after the quarry
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