Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-10
THE BRIDGE.

The Middle Finally Settled by Cance1ling
the Contract and Awarding it to the Next
Lowest Bidder.
Yesterday morning the bridge commits
sioners assembled according to adjournment
in the assessors Office for signing the con-
tract with Messrs. Bentley for construct
ing the masonry work of the bridge. It was
o'clock before the whole board assembled,
when an adjournment to Judge Simon's
! court room was necessary on account of the
| board of equalization meeting.
The members having answered their names,
Mr.. Dawson announced that the board were
ready to proceed with the signing of the con-
tract and bonds.
Mr.. Otis stated that Mr.. Bentley, junior,
had consented to the terms of the contract,
and there was nothing left to do but to
modify in measure the draft made by MIR.
| O'Brien, and submitted by him.
| MIR. Sewall wished to be heard. The for
feiture clause affected the engineer
considerably It was his duty
to see the work properly
done and the specifications fully carried out.
But he should greatly dislike If the con-
tractors should lose $4,000 by any act of
his. 1t placed him in a very embarrassing
position, for the moment the engineer differ
cd with the contractor there would be trou-
BILE. He would certainly not like to put
the contractors in jeopardy of losing a
large amount of money when pc rhaps n
week few hundred dollars expended
would put things right.
Mr.. Dawson could easily understand Mr..
Sewal's position, but his duty would clearly
be to see the specifications carried out.
Mr.. Sewell continued his remarks upon
his peculiar and embarrassing position,
Mr.. O'Brien in a few words showed how
widely different the Hmoditications'' made
the contract Fl IN, the originate just sim
ply took Che whole principle for which the
! board were so anxious from the Instrument
: leaving the matter just where it was at first
A private consultation Of the board resulted
in q decision not to deviote from their firs
position. That if The work was not finished
ready for the superstructure on Dec. LIST, the
, contractors should be paid off, so to speak
lie s fine of $4,000, and the board shall
take possession of the bridge absolutely.
Mr.. Bentley would sign no such contract
Mr. Lindeke moved and Mr.. Cochran sec
, onded the following resolution:
WHEREAS John 81 I. r. Bentley, to whom thu
! contract for the masonry of the Fort Snellin.
bridge, so-called, was heretofore awarded by RS
. | nave Ialled ana 90 refuse 10 enter into q con
= tract with this board. for the performance O.
: said work under their bid and the specification
and to mplete said work in accordance will
said specifications upon the LIST day of Decem
: Der. 1873
. aheretorc, 1t is declared that the bid CT tn
said Bentleys for said work, to be mple ted OF
Dec. J., 1878, be and the same is hereby dc
clared to be forfeited on account Of said re
fusal.
' Mr.. Dawson then informed Mr.. Bentle
! that the matter SO far as he was concerne,
}. was at an end and asked the board if thu
C next lowest bid should be taken or new bid
: be asked for. 1t was decided to take tn
e next bid providing the parties concerne
: would sign a similar contract to that offere
the Messrs. Bentley.
F Michal O'Brien's being the next loves
: bid that gentleman was asked if he wa
o willing to sign such contract.
d Mr.. O Brion stated that he was both vii
ling and ready, and would be ready with hi
y bond in few minutes.
. The board adjourned till 2 o'clock as tn
. chairman was urgently wanted at the boar
: of equalization, of which he is also chair
i man.
n At 2 o'clock the board again assembled
II and after the contract was read over careful
II ly, The contracting parties signed it, and Mr.
O'Brien presented his bond fc
$12,5O0, James J. Hill and John S. Prime
being the bondsmen. The bonds were al
cepted Mr.. O'Brien asked that the eaginee
inform him at once how much granite wi
be needed SO that there may be no delay j
getting it down from the quarries. IL
board then adjourned.