The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-14
Those Contracts.

petition, numerously signed, has been
presented to County Attorney Powell ask
tug that an appeal be taken in the matter
Of the payment Of the money awarded to
the contractors for burning the prairies.
The reasons assigned in the petition are;
that the work was not done according t.
contract. and that the contracts are weld
under Sc. ITO, Chap s, Revised Statutes
OF 1866, which provided that no County
Commissioner shall either directly or iuli-
rectiy, be interest in any contract awarded
by TIL, Board. Tn" petition WAS s ,sn up
* the earnest solicitation Of ci,!a'ns living
along tn, lines where the hurnins should
hav, been done In looking into the mat
ter we fad that Mr.. Brdai had tn con-
tract Tor the straight portions OF the west
| and south boundrleS and the line through
the centre from east to west; tina,
he only burned the south side, "A mikes,
and only put in his bill Tor that amount
MessrS Small & Porter had the contract for
thu offset on thr southeast corner OF tn
county a"d the line through the c"ntr
form north to south. They claim to have
burned all except TWO miles on the north
end u the centre strip.
At the meeting OF September 9Th, the
,rsttrr OF the Board adopting some plan t"
prevent, if possible, the burning o: prair'rs
before particular time in the spring, was
presented. 1t was considered by the board
and, alter, tu.l delibera,ion, it was con.
Guided to advertise tor bids to burn strips
not less than ten nor more than iortj rods
wide along the entire west and south
boundaries aud through the ce't,e from
east to west uut, FROM north to south. Pur-
suant to the above notice the contracts
We're awarded, at the meeting Of Septem-
Der goth In addition to those awarded to
Small and Porter and Bedai. the northern
portion OF the west linz. about, "a miles,
was awarded to John Martin Of Swedrs'
Forest and, i'll regard to it, we have not
heard any complaints.
| Concerning the character of the work
done on both the other Contracts we have
heard complaints. There would he no
propriety in our prnnouncing on either the
truth O: the complaints or the cr"dlb;iiy
OF the c,iHp!ainantS. THY csl!:ot be d:si*
garird ana IT the ma.trr To settled in TIL
proper way. Many p"cpI: i'll the C"uHtv
do : understand why amy lnp:,"y s!.u!l
he paid 1t, in the jt..ts 'ln.nt OF thu
Board, it WAS necessary tor the p:ys">1io,.
a. the County, to tUvH all that was spcc,-
fed in the Contracts, Il ies> amount wuu.l
not be d protection, unless the frs should
be clever enough to run against til: fire
brakes every time, and the genera! expert
ence with prairie fires does not warrant the
public Ill according to them any very ac-
ctmmoda,ing disposition. If the PROPOSE
ton had been nlede to the Board to burn
the South Side and the Northw, 5. corner,
South West of the body OF the CIuAty,
would it have been entertained? Would Il
single IN mber OF the board have voted to
let such Cuntractl Would one citizen ui
the County hive sustain Il them in surn
action? W"u.d any one have considered II
a protection worth paying TORI Ii not, by
what system .! morals 4, they justify thu
payment OF public money Tor it after it has
been dultc under "a contract Tor doing some
thing else. We have always regarded til"
ltttii g Of it in s@prrate cuAr ,ct> to 1. ii +
ant p-rs MS no i mistake Ii one cuntruc-
Tor Jailed, TIL. wlln!" proj'ct failed OF tilA
purpose intended W.. cuiupl> t. protection.
IN oHts!i' tire$, bu; th"s; VIA, { I:np.iri
w.tA tie terms OF the CONTRACT wouil b.,
emitted to payment il iu!l The who's,
trans ctiuu reminds us %. All OCCASION " ntl.
we employed u Negro, III P',.H>y.v4ni:, To
dig 4 drain. IL dug It to tight board
t.Nce git over the i-nce, and dug it to the
abby tu, forgot to rl''n it amber th'. fence
\ fue lot .! canned AID dried fruits
at J.ssur's: