St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-17
THE BID REJECTED
For Paving Summit Avenue With
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Talk.

For Paving Summit Avenue With
Asphalt--Hnterestin Talk.
After long discussion between W. P.
Warner and the board of public Works last
night the bid of the Western Asphalt COM
pany for paving Summit avenue, from Selby
to Dale, for $8S, 600 was unanimously re-
jected. Mr.. Quinby made the motion, in
GLIDING in it that the clerk be authorized to
advertise for new bids, which proposition
was voted MOI upon by Mr.. Hoyt only.
Mr.. Quinby said he did it in defer
ence to the wishes of majority of the
property owners who wanted the bid re-
jected. Previous to the vote upon the mo-
ton, a great many interesting facts were
disclosed, the discussion being given in
substance. briefly, as follows:
SOME OF THE DISCUSSION.
Mr.. Warner-True, the majority of the
property owners do not want that kind of
paving, but L don't see how the
board can refuse to award the bid.
estimate, and the sureties of this company
are as good as could be wished. If this bid
is rejected others will be put in by other
companies to do the same work under the
same specifications for as high as $4,000.
There are set of men who have nothing to
",
and they protest against it, not be-
cause it is not right but because
they want the work done by somebody
else. They are willing that somebody else
do it for $40, 900 more. Refuse the bid and
one for $4,000 will be put in. The Warren
Scarf company refused to bid because that of
the Western Asphalt company was too low
not because they did not know all about it.
Gen. Becker-My grounds for voting for its
rejection are that the company is irresponsi-
ble incompetent and cannot do good work, as
evidence before US shows.
Mr.. Quinby-Well, the board can reject all
bids.
Mr.. Warner-The Western Asphalt COM
pany want the bid rejected because they have
made what some people would call Cuisines
arrangements with other firms to draw out.
I would like to know if this bid is rejected,
what would be the earliest date at which you
could award the contract? Mr.. Warner very
strongly intimated that there had been con-
siderable collision between the Western
Asphalt and other companies.
President Barrett-Aug. 5.
Mr.. Warner-I ask this because there will
be parties who will investigate and see if the
asphalt will stand the climate here; they will
not be interested in any scheme.
After the motion was put and carried, Gen.
Becker said: IF bids are unreasonable we
can vote against them.
President Barrett have understood that
| money could be made on that bid.
Mr.. Quinby-Vice-Presid Harmon of the
Western Asphalt company, told Mr.. Barrett
and myself that 5000 profit could be made
On the bid.
! Gen. Becker am in faqor of cedar blocks
| if the Droperty-oWnerS are. This asphalt is
| only an experiment here, and experience has
| shown that it will not stand our climate.
! Mr.. Warner-The public has some rights.
| If the board thinks the bid is unjudicious
! they should so report.
| Gen. Beckett has never been the judg-
| ment of the board that the scheme was wise
one, but then the property owners seemed to
| want it.
President Barrett-Mr. Harmon came to
| me with a letter of Introduction from w. B.
| Dean, president of the Summit avenue I'M
! provement association, asking me to extend
| to him courtesy. Mr.. Harmon had seen Mr..
| Bigelow, showing him letters from Louisville
| Mr.. Bigelow referred him to Mr.. Dean and
MIR. Dean to me. Now people backb1te7 me
and say that was interested in the paving
scheme. Mr.. Harmon msrepresented the
work done by his company. AT Louisville
! with Messrs. Oppenheim, Saunders and
| others, he showed work done on Third, Fourth
! and other paved streets in Louisville. He
| said his company paved Third and Fourth
| streets there, when we have the authority
| of the city engineer there that his company
| did not, and that he lied. This is why / vote
| to reject the bid