The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-07-09

SATURDAY. JULY 9. 1870.


The contract entered into betweeen Mr..
Van Ripper aud Mr.. Weir, for the con-
struction of Water Works for the city
of Evansville. The defense, howev-
er, is both lame and impotent.
We stated that the contract was
drawn up by the contractor. To this
the Courier responds:
E4syl The contract is almost lit
eral copy of that made for the con
struction of similar works at Coving
ton, Kentucky. The only changes
were such as would make the new
contract correspond with the locality
of Evansville. Ar Weir had no hand
IN preparing The CoriRgton contract at
ALL 1t was the work of a committee
of the Council of that city, and COM
petent city engineer of the city of Gin
cinnatil
The above may, or may not, be true.
The CoRrier's dogmatic assertions
make the latter the most probable.
The CoviDgton Water Works has
about il all the odor of Job" and
if our contract is a copy of the one
drawn up for that city, the terms of
which have not yet been complied
with, there is additional reason for
our people to feel uneasy.
! 2. On another point the Courier
uses TIE f1llowing language:
The Journal says Mr.. Dennis
Long was willing 10 bid for the whole
work. Hewas But when he found
Mr.. Weir had offered to build the
works for 1926 600 he backed out, de-
clariUg that it would be a money los
ing job. He became bondsman for
Mr.. Weir because be said that gentle
man was able to dll his contract, and
that the building of works at this
point would be good advertisement.
So Mr.. Long backed out because he
thought Mr.. Weir's figures made it a
money losing job! Yet he became
bondsman for almost an entire stran-
ger, on what he regarded as money
losing job" because the building of
works at this point would be good ad
vert sementl Was such contradictory
twaddle ever before crowded into a
sin L. paragraph? The truth is, Mr.
Long went security for Mr.. Weir in
order to get to supply the pipe. His
profit on the pipe no. doubt justified
him In taking some risk as security
Bes des he saw that he stood no
chance as a contestant with Mr.. Weir
and it was either a sub contract foI
him or nothing.
3. The Courier says:
THE water will be filtered, and will
+ be pure, clean and SOFT"
), 1t cannot point out single claus,
a in the contract sustaining its declara
: tion.
. 4. 1t also asserts that the trenches
through the streets are to be filled a
Mr.. Weir's expense, but it has no
hardihood enough to declare that thu
powders are to be re-laid at his ex
peuse. At some other time we shall
discuss this part Of the contract more
at length, and show how much it viii
cost the city to relay the stones afte
Mr.. Weir has placed them in pile
l. in the streets"
5. We copy another paragraph:
~ The ten per cent. reservation upor
i payments to be made at each estimate
is ample, an Utet0 of the excellent Sec1I
. rity giuen By Mr.. Weir Aside irou
MIR. Weir's honesty. the security
ample, as we have said, even it no re
serve was made. In building sewers
and other important public works i
Evansville, it has been usual to with
hold twenty or twenty FIVE per cen
for security; but this was in cas-
d. where no other security was required
, The statement that heretofore th
Withholding of twenty or twenty fv
per cent. for security in buildiu
sewers and other important publ
works in this city. was only where n
other security was required, is ne
true. Other security was always d.
ID manded and had to be given in add
- tion to the amount of pay held in II
IN serve. But. then. our home contrac
IS. ors were not to be trusted Ike strar
M ne ger. They must be content with se'
for enty FIVE per cent. of the estimat'
,ry until their jobs were completed
as Strangers are not to be asked to tai
ns less than ninety!
an We copy again:
ad- Such progress has been made
lis the sale of our Water Works bond
ms that their value cannot now be affec
ed by the closing of the contract.
The bonds are not yet printed, or
aid S least have not been signed By Il
eqy ay. Mayor and CLERK. The only prOgre
OF made in their sale, therefore, is to ia
,os. about selling them. 1t will be T
To- To- membered that Mr.. Van Ripper sa
Oe they should not be sold as low as Sc
the enty6ve or eighty seven cents on Il
her dollar. Il remains to be seen ho
ate mauy he will sell, at figures excee
Sr ing these amounts. We were muC
De- grati6ed at the pledge he made
tn. the Council. and shall watch wi
interest the report of sales by whic
the pledge is made good.
90 a. We advise our citizens to scrutiui
rI the contract carefully, and see f
,st themselves if every allegation {
{ JOURNAL has made, is not sustain