Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-10-08
THE LETTING OF BRIDGES.

THE LETTING OF BRIDGES. l.
1t is not the intention of the LED
GER to enter into any controversy
with people who do not sign their
names and recklessly deal out hog
wash concerning affairs about which
they evidently know nothing, paying
no attention to the facts at all. At
the same time We are ready to assist
any and all who desire an honest in
vestigation of any public matter. On
looking into the letting of bridges by
our county commissioner " e find that
thousands of dollars are being saved
the county.
About three years ago a PARTY
came through this county selling
county rights to use a certain kind
of patent bridge, known as the Nc
Pherson wire cable chord bridge.
The bridge commissioner, believing
it to be a good, cheap bridge, ad-
vised the court to buy the right to
use said bridge in Audrain county
and the court did SO, paying 500
for the same. This being a new
kind of bridge and built of different
kind of msterial from the kind of
bridges before used in the county,
no person knew how to bid on build
ing them, and the court ordered the
commissioner to buy the material,
employ men by the day and build a
span of this patent bridge for &C
tual cost; and when the span was
completed they (the court) were sur
prised at the cheapness when COM
pared with the same size spans built
by contract. For example, a span
over Beaver Dam, on the lower Mex
leo and Fulton road, that cost 1919
by contract was rebuilt in much bet
ter style, with a wire cable lower
chord and the top chord covered and
cover painted, and the span five feet
longer, for S1S5. Another span on
Middle Lick, near the residence of
AID Hurd, that cost $3.50 was rebuilt
for s164. Another span oye Hick-
DRY creek, on the Mexico and Louisi-
ana road, was rebuilt and the span
made five feet longer at a total cost
of 5000: and the records show that
the old one was built by Evans &
Gibbs on a contract for 1898. The
large spans have been let as the law
provides, by public cutlery. and the
commissioner often rejects all of the
bids and contracts privately with one
of the bidders when the others have
gone.
About three months ago the bridge
commissioner advertised that on 8
certain day he would let the contract
for building three bridges, two Of
them go feet long and n so feet
long. Eleven of the best bridge com.
panies in the United States were
present and all bid on the same plans
and specifications, the highest bid
being S. 1850 and the lowest $3.50.
The commissioner rejected all of the
bids and on the evening of the same
day contracted the same work on the
same specifications to one of the same
parties for $4,000, privately. The
$3.50 was added to the first bid to
pay the expenses Of the ten compa'
MES who failed to get the contract.
Bridge companies form a pool fol
self-protection, for the law says the
work shall be let to the lowest bidder,
provided the bid does not exceed the
appropriation for the work. There
has not been a small bridge (spans
not exceeding 40 feet long, built by
contract in this county for the last
three years; they have all been built
by honest, competent workmen at the
actual cost of material and labor
and while the court and commissioner
are aware that this is not the letter
Of the law they claim it certainly is
the spirit of the law, as it is getting
frst-elass bridges for actual cost, and
no contractor can afford to build
them for such money; and besides
this all pools are prevented from rob-
blng the county.
The nom de plume's cry of dishon-
esty and favoritism is without foun,
dation. The commissioner is one OF
the most worthy and conscietious
young men in the state, as his record
shows. If the Laddonia Herald wishea
to get up a personal fight the LEDGER
is through, but if it really wants
light on any county officials record
we will give all the assistance we can.
1t is the right and duty of newspa-
pers to keep the public posted on
the public acts of its servants wheth.
er i. is pleasant or not. The court
house records r public property
and when they show an official TO be
a rascal for evenu only he should
be fired out bodily on short notice.
Mexico's Streets and Alleys.
Chief among the many valuable
improvements the city has given us
this year is perhaps the work done
on our streets. The work done is
of the best kind-work that will last
We are getting a grade on oul
streets. Rock is being put down,
and where we car not afford rock the
road graders are giving US a good
street. Thing and trenching is be.
ing done where it is needed, and VIC
have, without doubt, to-day, the best