The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-07-11
Fater WOrks-A Gigantic swlndIe.

" call the attention or the TAX
payers OF Evansville to the advertise
ment of William Smith, proprietor of
the National Foundry and Pipe
Works Of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
one Of the largest establishments in
the United States. MIR. Smith fur
nisbad the pipes for the Holly Water
Works in Jackson and Kalamazoo,
Michigan, and Peoria. Illinois. Also
for WATERFOWL, New York. The rep
uta ion of the establishment is SEQ
ono to that of no other in the coun-
try. Mr. Smith visited our city for
the purpose of bidding on the works.
aud was utterly astonished TO learn
that the contract had been awarded,
signed, sealed and delivered, with
out a single bid being solicited, and
without advertisement Of the inten-
ton of the Council to award the con-
.tsot. As we have repeatedly stated,
and ithas not been denied, the conduct
Of the Council in this particular is
utterly indefensible and unpardon-
cble.
There is one point developed by
III. Smiths card to which we desire
especially to direct attention. In the
written contract entered into between
Mr.. Weir and Mr.. Van Ripper. the
,geight or thickness of the iron pipe is
not specified at ALL Neither is any
obligation imposed upon the con-
tractor to cement the pipe go as to
prevent il from corroding and rusting.
We are informed by Mr.. Smith that
the weight of the pipe specified in DIR.
Weir's contract ought to be about
1900 tons, but that it may be made
to stand all the tests required at a
weight not exceeding 1000 tons-a
difference of 300 tons between what
ought to be and may be. This differ
ence, amounting in dollars and cents
to some $4,000, IS a handsome mar
gin which the contract-whioh has
been "sigued, sealed and delivered y
places in the hands Of the contractor.
This is only an average specimen OF
the manner in which the shrewd
young Councilman from the Second
Ward has prot ected "the interests Of
the tax payers"
There is yet another point to which
we desire the attention of our tax
payers, viz: the smallnsss of the pipe
used. This may be more fully ap-
preciated by a contrast between the
pipe contracted for by our city and
that used in Jackson, Michigan.
jackson is a town of about ter
thousand inhabitants. 1t is supplied
with water by the Holly system, and
has about ten miles Of pipe laid il
the streets. OF this ten miles, We
find the following sizes used:
$3.50 feet 15-ineh pipe.
5000 feet 12-inch pipe.
5000 feet 10-inch pipe.
Balance, 8, 6 and inch pipe.
Now compare this with the Weir
Van Ripper contract. aud let US see
how these gentlemen have provided
Evausville-a city of thirty thou
sand inhabitants-with water. Oui
pipe is divided as follows;
1850 feet 2O.ineh pipe.
1875 feet 16-inch pipe.
1900 feet 12-ineh pipe.
jackson, with ten thousand inhab
itauts aud ten miles of pipe, will
much smaller engines. pumps, &c ha
1880 feet of pipe over ten inches il
diameter. Evansville. with her thirl
thousand consumers of water, lively
miles of pipe, (Which must soon be in
creased to twenty, large engines an
pumps, has only 4 400 feet of pipe ex
ceeding ten inches in diameter. MOI
it strikes us that Jackson he's BEEF
victimized in paying for pipe largel
in excess Of all requirements, or W
have been guilty of laying pipe tba
will provo utterly inadequate to tn
wants of our city. We think most me
familiar with the size of water pipe
in other cities will say that Evansvill
will prove the victim of blunderin
in this particular.
But while this, perhaps, may be re
garded as only speculation on on
part, the proposal of Mr.. Smith is
substantial fact. By it the tax payer
may estimate the handsomeness c
the job Mr.. Weir has secured fror
our complaisant Council. There ca
be no question, we think, in view c
III the facts that we have submitted
hat Mr.. Weir will receive the ME
sum of about forty thousand dollar
1ver and above what the amour
IF work specified in his eontraC
could be contracted for to other pal
lies. That Mr.. Weir will do NOR
han his contract calls for is yer
doubtful proposition. That he Wi
put down pipes in weight an
strength in excess of what th
contract calls for, nobody with
.himble-ful of brains believes fc
an instant. He will use pipe the
will stand the tests specified, and n
letter. Mr.. Smith shows that sue
pipe may be laid down at an actus
saving to the city of forty thousan
dollars on Mr. Weir's contract, an
still leave a fair margin of profit |
The contractor.
In view of these facts. we say
the taxpayers Of Evansville, are v
not justified in characteizing IL
Weir-Van RiDer contract as a sham