Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-13
c. D. NHEATLEY
ASSA|LS ". R. NEEL

gineer, discharged Joe Hawkins for
did not hesitate to Slaughter an
imaginary foe before he might pos
sibly wax strength enough to be-
come his real adversary" was as
serted here Monday by George d.
Wheatley, who is Hawkins father
in-laW.
Mr.. Wheatley further asserted
that the statement made by James
A. Holleman in the Atlanta Consti-
tuition to the effect that ''one Joe
Hawkins had been discharged from
the service of the state highway de-
partment and had since been scat
tering seeds of poison throughout
the state" was a lie out of the
whole cloth. According to Mr..
Wheatley, MI. Hawkins acted with
conscientious regard for the interest
Of the citizenship of his state and in
vindication of his own good name
when he brought to light over his
own signature Specific acts by GER
tain parties surely connected with
the state highway department"
Joe Hawkins will sa under oath,
according to Mr.. Wheatley, that
when summoned before Mr. Neel,
following the mere mention of his
name before the legislature as Mr..
Neers possible successor, that the
only salutation accorded him by the
state highway engineer was: II I'M
derstand you are out after my job,
to which Mr.. Hawkins replied in
substance: Your information is err
roneous. I don't want your job. I
am an engineer, not a politician"
Mr.. Grassland did not receive any
amount of the purchase price of the
Oglesby Blue Granite quarry, ac-
cording to Mr.. Wheatley, but the
difference between a commission and
Mr.. Crosslands full denial of the
charges contained in Mr.. Hawkins
letter to Representative McMichael,"
constitutes merely the difference be-
tween tweedle-dum and tWeedle-dee.
The interesting point about the
whole controversy apparently is the
origin of Mr.. Crossland's admitted
interest in the quarry, for which Mr..
Wheatley says "he did receive "A
stipulated price," while the pur.
chase of that property was actually
under consideration by the state
highway department"
The outcome of the controversy is
being watched closely in Americas.
where Mr.. Hawkins was reared and
where he has many friends, as well
as a large family connection.
WHEATLEY'S ALLEGATIONS
DENIDE BY ENGINEERS
A11Nrofinro- do hTr r
Wheatley, OF Americas, father-in-
law of Joseph Hawkins, a former
highway engineer, to the effect that
State Highway Engineer w. r. Neel
discharged Hawkins because he
thought Hawkins was seeking his
Job as state highway engineer, and
that w. A. Grassland, government
highway engineer, received a profit
of $4,000 from the sale Of his in
terest in the Oglesby Blue Granite
quarries~While the purchase Of the
property was actually under con-
sideration by the state highway de-
partment, were emphatically denied
by both Mr.. Neel and Mr.. Grassland
Tuesday.
These allegations were made in
connection with a statement given
out by Mr.. Wheatley relative to
charges brought against the two en-
gineers by Mr.. Hawkins in a letter
to Representative McMichael, read
on the floor of the house last Fri
day.
Mr.. Neel declared that the accusa-
ton that he discharged Hawkins be-
cause he was afraid Hawkins was
seeking his Job was absurd and alto
gether false. He declared that Haw-
kins was discharged because of in
competency, and that his action in
discharging him had the full APP
prevail of the board He further said
that he did not wish to enter into
controversy with Mr.. Wheatley over
the latter's charge that he was
afraid of his position.
Mr.. Grassland declared that the
charge that he received a stipulated
price for his interest in the Oglesby
quarries, while the question of the
purchase of that property was &C
tually under consideration by the
state highway department is abso-
lutely and unqualifiedly false
According to Mr.. Grassland, the
only interest he ever had in the
property sold the state as the |
Oglesby Blue Granite comany, was
an interest in another company,
part of the stock of which he held |
along with several associates. This |
company, which was to have been |
called the Granite Products COM
pany, Mr.. Grassland declared, was |
formed before the question of the |
states buying the quarries was !
ever raised, and that as soon as he |
heard that the state wanted to !
buy the quarries he Immediately |
severed his connection with the |
company. He stated further that !
this company had no connection !
with the Oglesby company, and
that he never owned any of the |
Oglesby Blue Granite company's |
stock.
when I learned that it was I
planned to sell the quarries to the
state, I opposed the move because
[ wanted to retain my interest in |
them. l even at one time contem. I
plated resigning from the govern. I
ment service to devote my time to
their development. But when one |
of my associates told me that un.
less the quarries were sold to the
state he would be ruined, I with
drew my objections.
1T was then agreed that my part |
of the stock of the Granite Prod.
ucts company would be bought by /
one of my associates, which action
Z