The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-06-19

FSAAsA~&A FSAV6&1NC ~ N0NSAAVA0
to fill positions of importance with
men of their choice. we do not ap.
prove the selection OF Mr.. Bate.
man for this position nor the man.
ner in which it appeared to have
been handled especially when it
meant losing a good engineer who
had stuck diligently through the
lean days Of constructing the roads
and bridges. Objections were raised
to Mr.. Bateman's appointment. Oh.
jections to lack Of restraint on him
were also made to former Cover
nor Fuller Warren without effect.
1t also appears that Road Board
Chairman Alfred Mcclellan offer
ed to dismiss the District Com
missioners if they did not approve
the Governors choice or words to
that effect. Subsequent develop
ment seem to have shown that
the ones who objected to Bateman
were right.
Mr.. Bateman has been operating
almost as he desired. For his SER
vices he received 4 salary Of $780,
90 per month, unlimited use Of
excellent ears, q home with the
finest Of equipment, and the best
kind Of food for himself and fam.
lily. His release did not come soon
enough however and to avoid the
shame brought upon the District.
Now who else should have de-
tected the administration errors in
the District?
In the first place we say that
the Road Department through its
engineers, auditors and its super.
vising staff should have been much
closer to the situation. II is re-
ported to US now that an estimat
81, 400, 10000 should be spent to get
the Roads and Bridges in good
shape. Why wasn't this being done
before the tolls were lifted? It
serves no useful purpose to budget
an item and then not follow
through to see II the money Is
properly spent. Notice the failure
in the fill project at Toms Har-
Dor and failure to finish painting
Bahia Honda Bridge. It does no
good for the Chief Engineer, Sam
Turnbull, to merely report q need
for certain repairs in February,
1852, and not get them done dur
ing the two years that follow. It
did no good for an assistant engin-
eer, Carlton, to make recommends
tons which are not acted on. We
believe that Mr.. Sam Turnbull
failed in his responsibility as chief
engineer of the Road Department
to have regular and frequent in
spections Of the District Roads and
Bridges made and then follow
through to see that the work was
done. Underwater pier inspections
we believe should have been made
also and necessary work done.
On April Z, 1851 the District en-
tered into a contract for Fill Pro-
lection with Alonzo Cothron which
was to last for Q period of year
and to cover q distance Of ap-
proximately four miles. II was for
rental Of equipment. This same
contract was still in operation
three years later without readver-
Using or rebidding in accordance
with Road Department rules gov
erning the District and the Dis
trict had paid out $3.50, 3ss.56 on It
without anyone apparently being
suspicious despite the fact that the
size Of the invoices varied only
slightly each week and there was
never any lost time for equipment
breakdown. From the information
we have before us, the deposited
fill cost the District approximately
$500 per cubic yard. The evidence
before US indicates that on this con-