The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-13
COL PARAMORE'S TROUBLES WITH
HIS BBIDGE-BUILDERS.
missouri Republican !

| MlsbOurl republican
The Misunderstanding between the Tex
as and St. Louis Railway company and the
contractors undertaking to build bridge
for their use across the Arkansas river at
Rob Roy is daily becoming more difficult
to adjust. According to the provisions Of
the contract, the contractors, if they failed
to complete the structure within specified
time, were to pay the railroad company
81 900 week after that date for the extra
time they consumed in carrying out their
undertaking. Having worked thirty five
weeks over the time set for the completion
Of the bridge, Rust and Coolidge, the con
tractors, with headquarters at Chicago have
tecome indebted 10 the company in the
sum of $4,000 For extra work done the
contractors claim the company owes them
sec, 900 or $25 900, which, it will be SEEM
would almost Offset the amount claimed as
penalty by the latter. In conversation
with citizen of Pine Bluff, who arrived at
the Union depot last evening, a Republi'
can reporter learned that Rust and Coolidge
Of Chicago, the contractors, visited Pine
Bluff last Friday, in company with Mr.
Paramore, president of the road. They
had long interview with the chief engin-
Ger, Mr.. G. f. Stephens, to whom they sub
mitted questions of difference between
them. This was done, the Pine Bluff gen.
tleman said, IN order that they might as
certain whether any items for extra work
had been property charged The chief
engineer, after having examined the plans
and specifications and detailed drawings,
decided that the items charged under the
head Of extra work were clearly included
in the contract, and that the contractors
| we're, therefore, not entitled to any extra
remuneration. With this decision the con-
tractors claimed that they were not satisfied
They submitted an uItmatum that they be
released from any claim for damages the
company might hold against them on &C
count of delay in completing the work they
had undertaken. They also claimed $685.
| 900 in addition to the contract price, stat
ing that unless their claim was allowed
they would stop work. The president of
the road refused to consent to these terms,
| but offered as compromise topledge them
he would recommend to the board of d.
rectors release of any CLAIM for damages,
provided they would return to work and
finish tie bridge in time for trains to begin
running over 1t by the first of August; but
the president was not willing to pledge the
contractors that the company would adopS
the recommendation. He also offered them
financial assistance If they needed it, but
every proposition made them they rejected
almost contemptuousIy. Their conduct ma
turally led Mr.. Paramore to adopt the con-
clusion, from all appearances, that they
were trying the "bluff game and had de-
termlned to make an attempt to "bulldoze'
the company. Previous to the interview
Mr.. Paramore, as if anticipating they were
likely to take the course they did, had in
s,ructed the company's local attorney, Mr..
NJ. G. White, to commence suit against the
contractors for the $4,000 they claimed
against them as penalty for non-comple-
ton of the work at the time named in the
contract. All the papers in this suit were
placed in readiness to be served in case the
contractors failed to 90 on with their work.
They declined, however, any and all terms,
stating they intended to stop work. AT this
juncture the papers in the suit were served
upon them and the sheriff, pursuant to in
Structions, proceeded to the bridge with the
view Of attaching their tools, machinery,
material, etc. 1t appears that Rust and
Coolridge, who had also anticipated ths
turn affairs were to take, had already in
Structed their employees to quit work. When
the sheriff reached the bridge he was told
that barge, in the river near at hand con-
tanning $1,000 worth of material belonging
to the company, had been scuttled and was
in sinking condition. The sheriff sum
moned men and Immediately boarded the
barge, lie put force of men to work at
the pumps while others were employed in
stopping the leaks. BY working industri.
ously these men finally succeeded in saving
the sinking craft, While ON the barge the
sheriff was told that gang Of men were
engaged in dismounting certain portions o.
the unfinished spans Of the bridge, but thi
he soon succeeded in stopping without an,
trouble.
Mr.. paramore took measures to have I
receiver appointed by the court in orde
that the work on the bridge might be con
tnued. Acting en- the application filed b,
him, the court appointed George Doughcr,y
TO act as receiver, aud instructed him to Z,
on with the work and finish it according t