Mr. Clark Makes His Reply

A. Ar. Clark, president of the Board 01 Public Works, luis filed his answer to the charges preierred against him by Chas. H. Manley and on which he will be tried to-morrow. In brief, the answer is as follows : ANSWEB TO CHABGE I. Charge flrst is couched in the following language: "First, with official misconduct in the performance of the duties of his office." The gravamen of the language undèr this charge is that, as president of the Board of Public Works, I voted to use iu the construction of the lateral sewer.s whai are known as Jackson tile and that I did, after a part of said tile had been laid and the contractors had more on haud to lay, cause baid tile to be rejected by my vote and influence on said board. That immediately after this action, a representative of the Jackson Sewer Tile Co., visited me and promised me 5 per cent. of all the rnonies to be paid for said tile to the contractors, if said tile were used in the construction oí said lateral sLvers ; aiuHhereaf ter I caused a resolution to be passed allowing the use of said Jackson sewer pipe or tile, which had been condemned, and that thereby and through such corrupt influence I procured the use of such Jackson tile, which I wel! know were greatly inferior to other sewer tile which it was my duty torequire to be used. In answer to this charge I solemuly aver that it is absolutely false in every particular, and the Board was never consulted in any way by the contractors by citizens, by the mayor, or by the council, in relation to the Jackson sewer tile, uutil after the contracteis had begun to lay the pipe. According to my best reeollections, E. W. Groves, one of the inspectors appointed by the Board, whose duty it was, not only to supervise and inspect the laying of the tile, but to reject any imperfect tile that was presented, called my attention to the breaking one of the tile. Thereupon at our solicitation, Prof. Greene made a test of the tile then being used, and it was found by tl Í3 test, which was a concentrated load test, that the Jackson tile would not stand the aniount of weight that certain other tile would stand. At that time I liad no knowlcdge of what strength of tile would be required, or ought to be used in the construction of such a sewer, and upon this test being made, the board passed a resolution to the effect that notice be served upon the contractors that the Jackson tile were not equal to the test required, and that the board was satisfled with the Ohio Valley Eire Co. Tile. That after this meeting, both Mr. Smith and Mr. Crego, claiming to represent the Jaekson Company, applied to me as President of the Board, for permission to be lieard on the subject of test applied, and in that application they called my attention to the fact that the test applied was the concentrated load test which was specially applied to a certain point upon the surface of the sewer pipe. That while the test was a proper one of its kind, it was not the test that the tile would be put to when used in the sewer. That the test to which the tile would be subjected would be that of the distributed load test. That in applying the test of Professor Greene the tile was in no waysupported, and that when placed the sewer trench and properly bedded, the bedding would constitute a support to the tile and that then the pressure would be that of the distributed load test, and that with such a test, their tile would be found to be abundantly sufficient. They also called attention to the fact that their tile had been used throughout the state, for many years, mentioning Lansing, Kalamazoo, Jackson, Saginaw, Port Huron, Bay City and Grand Rapids, calling attention to the fact that after using their tile for a long period of years, they had now ordered a further supply, showing its durability. They also men' tioned that in the same places this tile had been placed in sewers 29 feet deep, and liad invariably stood the test, and' that in the last case the tile was bedded in clay soil, which, it is understood, has at least five per cent. greater pressure than any other soil. From my investigaron of this matter, I became satisfied that the representatiens relation to the Jackson tile were true and that they werc sufficient for the use to which they were put. Nol only so, but it was then late in the seasou and it was desirable that the sewers be put in by the time mentioned in the contract, to-wit, Dec. 1, and that the street should be restored to their proper condition at as early a'date as possible ; and if the contractors should be required to go elsewhere and purchase tile, the work would be delayed and the streets kept torn up and in a dangerous condition without any correspondiug beneflt to the city. Another fact that had weight in even mind was that the c-ontractors had oi hand a large quantity of Jackson tile and discontiniiing its use would have been a se veré loss to tb em ; and as long as I was satisfied that tlie city would be abundantly protected by the use of the tile, I thought it my duty to consent to the use oí the Jackson tile, and therefore, I offered at a meeting of the Board, a resolution, which carried, to tlie effeci that the use of Jackson tilebecontinued. I further aver that the representatives of the Jackson Co., never held out any inducements to me or offered to give me 5 per cent. or any other per cent. of tlie cost of said tile, or any other consideration whatever for my vote or influente in the matter; and that I have never received anytbing for my vote in the niatter.'of accepting the tile, otherwiso tlian the consciousness of having done my duty thoroughly and honestly. ANSWKH TO CHABGE II. The second charge is as fpllows : "Second. With being indirectly interested in the purchase of material to be used in public work." The specification is that I was to receive a certain commission for the Jackson tile. A full an.-wcr to tliis charge and specification under it will be found in my answer to the first charge. I also add au expresa denial thereto. ANBWKKTO CHARGE III. The third charge against me is as follows. "With unfaithful performance of the duties of his office." The specifleation is that while a member of the Board I became a candidate for the office of street commissioner and that it was a part of the dut}' of the Board to fill such vacanc}', and that I then importuned the other members of the Board to appoint me to such vacancy, and thereby obstructed the city business toitsgreatdamage; and flnally that I by my own vote and influence procured the appointuaent to said office of one Bassett, Tvell knowing him to be without experience or ability to properly perform the duties of said office, that Bassett was related to me in the marriage of my daughter to his son, to the greatdisgrace and scandal of the good people of the city. To this charge I desire to say that being an American citizen I have never been taught that it was a disgrace to be a candidate for a respectable position in any eommunity. My action in respect to being a candidate for commissioner is honorable and above board. That at the same time, George Wicks was candidate for the same position, and Jacob Schub favored his appointment, while ge W. Bullis was favorable to my appointment, I did not vote at all and finally withdrew my name. That the name of Mr. Bassett was presented for consideration of the board and, on the first ballot, he was elected. And I point with pride to the conduct of the affairs of this city as administered by Mr. Bassett as street commissioner and challenge the closest scrutiny to his work, and before his office stíall have expired the citizens will find occasion to express gratitude for his election. It is also true that my daughter is inarried to Laverne Bassett, both of whose reputations will not suifer in comparison with the reputation of the distinguished gentleman who has urged these charges against me. ANSWER TO CHARGE IV. The fourth is charge as follows:"With aeing inefficiënt and not qualifled to-peiformthe dutiesof his ofl'ice." Thespecification is that said Clark has not the necessary qualifications for a member of the Board, in this, that he is not possessed of the necessary knowledge and experience to judge properly of the lcind, quality and character of the ma. terials and labor required in conducting tlie public iiuprovements of the city. In answer to this attack made against me, I can only report briefly the history of my life among the people of this county and city. Then follows an account of Mr. Clark's life all of which was spent in Washtenaw county, and of his work on the Board of Public Works. The record of the Board is one of continua! activity. All of which Mr. Clark signs and respectfully submits to the council.