St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-20
AN AFTERNOONS CONTEST.
The Paving Committee ON the Sec.
Ond Avenue EmbrOg1iO.


The committee from the city council met
yesterday to consider the communications
to the council from Messrs. G. II. Petit, G.
A. PiIlsbury and others complaining that the
cedar block paving on Second avenue south
is not being done in accordance with the
specifications of the contract, and remon-
strating against the further continuance of
the contract, and furthermore against the
citys paying the contract price for the same.
MI. Pillsbury, one of the demonstrators,
had conferred with other residents along
the avenue and they had decided that they
would rather pay fifty cents or 81 a yard
more for the work and have it properly
done. He believed, at the same time, that
Mr. Conney was doing probably as good
price. He complained that he had just eX-
amined the work and found the dirt ex-
cessively wet.
Mr.. WEIGH, attorney for the contractor,
stated the defense Of Mr.. Conney. The
memorial failed to specify the alleged inn
perfection of the work being done by his
client. Large numbers of citizens had in
spected the work and were unanimous in
the opinion that better materials were being
used since the
INCIPIENCY OF THE IMBROGLIo.
AS regards the gravel, Mr.. Conney is free
to acknowledge that about four yards of
this material that was Objectionable even to
himself was used. MI. WEIGH wished to
assure the committee that Mr.. Conney is
perfectly willing to go over the pavement
with his croWbar brigade, if the committee
wishes, and pound down the gravel, forming
apertures for the tar to run down into the
interstices. The inspector at first denounced
the tar as worthless, but the speaker de-
elared that the best experts had pronounced
it one of the best brands in the market, and
the man who makes such claim against
one of our city's industries should be COM
PEELED to substantiate the charge.
Mayor Pillsbury had noticed that the
blocks drawn upon the street were bad, and
that the gravel contained large number of
stones double the maximum size specified in
the contract He went on to say that al
though the residents were willing to paw an
increased price, the contractor should not
be paid one cent in excess of the contract
price. He made his bid upon specifications
and has given bonds to comply with the
same, and should be compelled to carry it
out to the letter. The mayor went on to
denounce the work in general terms, and
upon the complaints of others and not from
his personal knowledge. He said it was
the duty of the committee, and more par
ticularly the duty Of those who have in
charge the work
TO STOP THE CONTRACTORS
unless they comply with the requirements
of the contract.
The city engineer said he had received
many complaints from the inspector. whom
he considered competent man. He then
reiterated his allegations made at previous
meetings of the committee regarding the
nativity of the cedar, etc. In concluding
he said he believed good Wisconsin cedar as
valuable for paving as good Michigan cedar.
Mr.. Rinker, who had executed cedar paw
ing contracts in many of the Eastern cities,
pronounced the blocks excellent in quality.
He believed, taking the average, that the
paving is as good as he ever saw. The only
thing he had seen that he should condemn