The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-06-29
MORE ABOUT raE clrE GRADE.


ken on the subject
EDS. NEws:-ID Tuesdays News 1 |
noticed a communication from Council |
man Walkup, of the First ward, which |
contains some statements calculated TO |
create q wrong impression upon the |
true facts. am in no way responsible
for what appeared in last weeks Senti-
mel regarding the action of the commit
tee. The gentleman accuses me Of
"howling." Well, think have q
right to howl, and would like to know
what he is going to do about it. The
right to protest is one of the inherent
rights Of an American citizen, and / am
authorized by responsible persons TO say
in reply that was not the first to howl.
Ny altitudinous friend seems very sensi-
tive on this point, which is certainly
very curious in view OF the facts in the
case Let US look at them q moment.
On Monday afternoon he and the
chairman of the committee both asked
me 10 bid on this work. replied in
substance that there had been nothing
agreed upon on which to bid, and with
out II could not bid intelligently, and
/ insisted thai The council should At
least agree upon some plan. The next
evening CTuesday)-nOt two weeks, as
stated, but less than two dAys-the coun-
| Gil met, and q resolution was offered by
the gentleman himself authorizing the
committee TO contract with the city en-
gineer on the best terms they could.
What would he have thought of q man
having a house TO build who would
abuse a mechanic for not giving him 4
bid on It when all the data he had to
bid on was house and lot?
Many things arc TO be considered in
estimating the cost of this work, such as
the number and position of bench marks
the distance between stations; the num-
Der of lines TO each street, and such
things without knowledge of which /
would not take my time to figure on the
work. But inside of forty -eight hours
from the time 1 was first spoken TO con-
corning il, contract was drawn up and
signed by two of the committee. Now
if there was no job in this, why this in.
decent haste? After the details of the
work had been settled. who would have
been the loser if some one had said to
me or any one else competent to do this
work: "Here is what we propose to
have done; what will you do it forl"
But here is where the large African is in
the woodpile. Interested parties must
hurry around and get the committee to
Mr.. Bucks Office, and get this signed
up in jiffy-since there's many slip
twixt the cup and lip"
We are gravely informed that the pres
emit council ara not for sale. am sorry
for this piece of unexpected news, as
had thought of investing in two Oh
three. The gentleman certainly knows
about what they are worth in his end OF
the city or he would not have been sc
particular to inform me that there art
} none of them just now for sale.
} did not say to Mr.. w. that this worl
can be done for half, but asked him il
he was sure 1t could not be done for half
1 have figured miles of this kind of wOrh
and think know a thing or two, anC
could, perhaps, make q suggestion tha
: would not be of any great detriment t.
the committee regarding this kind Of
work. have done this kind of worl
before l ever saw Kansas or Mr.. Walk
up either, and before our city engineel
was out of swaddling clothes.
Yes, can figure on the work, and
would not figure at $3.50 to $500 either
but want to know what am figuring
on. The contract is no doubt all RICH
for the work required, but I maintain
that the work we want is not contracted
for; a lower priced job would better an
swer the purpose.
In conclusion, allow me to say that
perfectly agree with the gentleman, tina
it is necessary TO have something agreed
upon in this matter of grades before ex
pending hundreds of dollars. am told
by those who ought to know that all thil
work now being done-on Fifth anC
Sixth avenues-by the committee, o
which Mr. Walkup is one, is done il
just the manner he SO pathe.ically de
plores. 1 cannot learn that the grade o.
the avenue is anything more than ar
ttnknOson quantity in the mind of the
engineer, liable at any moment to de
velop another "Strickler canal" Oh
something else of that kind. Witnes!
the work already completed.
My advise in lhis matter is to know
what you want, then go ahead, and there
will be no necessity for hauling dirt il
here one year and hauling it out the
next.
May the good Lord have mercy on thu
city council, and especially on the com
mittee on streets and alleys, is my prayer
also. ROBERT MILIIKEN.
| June 81 1890