The Engineer Who Had the City by the Throat

A meeting of the mayor's advisory board was held yesterday to confer with committees from both houses of the city council as to the best means to adopt for a settlement with Mr. Benezet Williams. Mayor White presided, and there were present President Hall of the aldermen, President Jones of the delegates, Aldermen Snyder, Korn, Pontius and Wilcox, Delegates J.H. Kittinger, F. Hanford, S.M. Shipley, City Comptroller Ferris, City Treasurer Ames, Messrs. Jesse Cochran, G.H. Heilbron and W.V. Kinehart of the Board of Public Works; Corporation Counsel Jacobs, City Clerk Miller and Mr. Benezet Williams.

Upon the motion of Captain Snyder, Clerk Miller read the original contract with Mr. Williams, made by the old council, which involves the payment of 2 per cent. of the whole cost of the water-works system, 1/2 per cent. of the commission to be paid quarterly, and it details the course of the work as it was then proposed to be done.

Mr. Wilcox called for the resolution of the old council accepting the contract. The resolution of the old council, passed November 15, 1899, was read from the minute book but Mr. Wilcox said there was a later motion. A resolution of March 15, 1900, was read, adopting the distributing system of Mr. Williams, leaving the gravity system to be considered at a later date.

Mr. Williams was invited to speak. He said he had no proposition to make. He was there to assist in arriving at a conclusion as to what the city owed him. They had made a good start, but Mr. Wilcox had offered to give him 2 per cent. on his commission, but he had omitted to give him percentage on the reservoirs, the plans of which had been accepted.

Mr. Williams related the circumstances of his employment. He said the agreement as to his employment and his compensation had been made before he left Chicago. He came in response to an invitation, knowing nobody. He knew when he made his estimate of the Spring Hill water-works it would subject him to adverse criticism and arouse the hostility of a powerful interest, which owned the water works and which was demanding a much higher price than he felt justified in recommending. That interest had been fortified by the entire press without exception, until the past few months, and the result was that he had been bitterly assailed on all sides. He had nevertheless faithfully performed his share of the contract. The compensation proposed was not adequate.

Mr. Williams said the city had been squeezing him: it had him by the throat; it had tried to tone him down by attacking his reputation, to give up the contract. He was willing to act on compromise but was not willing to admit that he had no claim except for work actually done. He could not entertain a proposition that did not assure his right to just compensation for his work on the Cedar River plans.

Judge Jacobs said there was a section of the ordinance drawn up in harmony with the charter; there was a provision for a consulting engineer. Mr. Williams asked if the motion to adjourn would mean the end of all negotiations. He desired it to be distinctly understood that he made no proposition, but had only laid down his legal claim. He did not desire to work for a city that canceled its contracts and then refused to make an amicable adjustment.

Judge Jacobs said the city had made what they considered a fair and reasonable proposition, and if there was but one side to the question that was the end of it, and there was no need to talk of compromise. If a lawsuit was to be the inevitable result of this contract, he would say let us have it. But he said again, and I thought he voiced the general sentiments when he said he was willing to make a compromise. If Mr. Williams thought he had the city by the throat let him go ahead, let him crack his whip.

The board decided to adjourn, subject to the call of the chair. The session lasted nearly four hours.