Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-07-30
frnr the Gazette j
For the Gazette,l
what Becomes Of the Taxes something tho
People should Know"

People should Know"
This ia the title of an article which ap-
reared in the last Banner regret that
the editor OF that paper had not known all
the facts relu,ingto the matter before he
nuhbshed tina, article, as 10 u conversation
win him since the issue Of his paper he has
informed me that ii he had been apprised
a, its Measurements, there would have been
no subsequent necessity for my correcting
them,
In regard to the advertisement for propo-
sails 10 build the new Jail, 1.-THE editor OF the
Banner had looked at the notices publish.
ed in his own paper. he would have seen
that there was not word in them about let
ting the Job to the lowest bidder; and had
Mr. Reese told him all the facts, AIR. Eaga'
would have known that we never proposed
"a contract with the lowest bdder,--bu,
with the lowest and most responsible md
der. So much to- this part OF the subject,
Ia regard 10 the proprie'y of the course !
pursued in letting this contract 'the people
sh did knew" that | employed two men
whom believed the most competent in this
county, TO draft the plan and estimate The
cos. ot,he proposed building. Messrs. Dow
and Brayton were these gentlemen, aud tie
following certificate gives their testimony
upon this point
State OF Iowa,
Scott County
We certify tha,.,he price at which the
new Jail is contracted is less than our estl-
mated cost o. the building, and having drawn
The plans and carefully estimated the eost OF
said building, we are well satisfied that no
man or set of men can afford TO build II Tor
less. And when Judge Rurr!s consulted
with us upon the matter, we advised him
not o contract with those who had bid some
50 900 below our estimate for thereby he
would involve the County aud contractors
in difficulty.
S RUssLE DoN.S
Davenport, July 23t, 1885.
Read also the following certificate, to Wit:
Icertiiy that Judge Burris consulted with
me in relation to letting the contract for
building the new Jail, and ] ADVISED him
not 10 contract with the men whose bid
was same S2,0oD less than the estimated
cost. and believe that he acted properly and
for the interests of the County By letting il
to the p-esent contractors.
Y PRtcE, Recorder.
Davenport, July 23d, 1855.
The people should know" that alss
consulted with others upon tn matter wh3
| knew were somewhat acquainted with the
bidders, particularly 18th Mr.. Leonard -
mencement Of the matter o. building the
Jail, and on his Judgement relied the more,
because this long experience both as u
builder and as Sheriff and Jailer And il
was Nith his concurrence and advice that
the job was let to The present contractors.
A few days ago he remarked in my otfce
that he considered the complaints concern
ing the letting of the contract call wrong
And now Mr. Leonard will tell any man the
SINE thing who will take tie trouble to ask
him.
In regard to the ecurity which Messrs.
Hops e Reese were ready togiTe Mr. Reese
himself acknowledges that he never said
word to me about whom he proposed TO give
as security until after the contract was let.
The grand jury had repeatedly returned
the old Jail as nuisance, and the District
Court has called the attention of the Coun-
~ to the necessity Of u new Jail. and urged
its speedy erection. Mr. Leonard several
times rem frked to me that sill tn whom
he had conversed upon the matter express
ed the desire that we should build good Jail
costw hat il might Hence the most prominent
thing in letting the contract was not as to
how many or how good sureties could be
given, bu, which oil the bidders would be
most likely to do the job in the manner and
time that was desired at fair price. 1t
was believed that Hops and Reese could not
d. il at their bid, and that it would be an
injury to them and perhaps subject US to
delay and involve the County in difi.ulty
to contract with them. There was no
doubt as to the abilities of Mr. Carmichael,
but his bid was thought to be too high, be-
ing thousand dollars above the estimate
Mr.. Brown, of the firm of Brown g. poolit-
tie, whose bid was nearest the estimate,
but still below IT, came recommended by
Mr.. Farnam rs one ofthe most reliable men
he had ever employed. Ia such contracts
the bidder vino comes nearest the estima-
ted cost, all things alse being equal, i. al
ways most likely to get the job. The opin-
ion of those who know the most about the
matter is that the present contractors will
scarcely save themselves; and do the friends
Of M.ssrs. II ps and r sc Sc desire that
should have involved them and their sure,
ties in the loss Of several tn ousand dollars /!
The charge that did not contract with
Mr. Reese because be IL German is too
absurd TO merit reply. My whole course
as an officer contradicts the statement; with
IN, Ia, 7 H.