St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-03
The Contract and Days Work
Systems Discussed in the
Council Again.
Aids. Mills and Johnson Take
Opposite Sides on the I'M j
portant Question. 81
Aid. Dwyer Makes a Few Re-
marks and Aid. Gibson
Takes a Hand.
The Balance Of the Business
Transacted of a Routine
D.
Nature. r.

Nature. r.
Ia
The meeting of the city council yes
terday afternoon did not promise de-
velopments. The solons leaned back in
their chairs and languidly voted upon
the various motions. The lassitude
seemed to grow and several times City
Clerk Cornman was obliged to inform
the aldermen what they were voting
upon. Once President Mareck was
compelled to order a second vote be-
cause of the number of changes the
aldermen made when they found out
what they were voting for. The climax
was reached, however, when Alderman
Stoneman voted ''aye," afterwards
changed it to may" and finally asked
what the question was anyhow,
but the council woke up just before adj
called up his mott on authorizing the
publication of the city engineers report
showing the comparative cost of laying
water mains by the day and contract.
Aid. Mills said the city engineer had
gone out of his way to present q report
that was not in accordance with instruc-
tiOnS. He had presented lot OF bosh,
based upon straw bids, for the purpose
of making it appear that the days work
system had been more expensive than
the contract system. He had been only
asked to make detailed and not COM
parative statement. The engineer is
now away, and the memorandum from
which the report was made up was Soiled
and torn so it looked as though it had
been handled by every pot house in the
city.
Aid. Johnson reported that this was
probably because it had been handled
by the alderman from the Third ward.
He wanted the taxpayers to read the en-
gineer's report and understand how
their money had been wasted.
Aid. Mills said in reply that the re-
port was unfair and should not be pub
lished before he was able to make the
report of his investigation. In the first
place the bids were based upon ten
hours as a days work, when by resolu--
ton of the council eight hours has been
established as days work. He was
prepared to show that some of the bids
were not accompanied by checks, and
had been rejected. He also had letters
from some of the contractors, withdraw
ing their bids.
Aid Gibson did not think fair COM
parison could be made by taking bids
which had never been carried out as
basis.
Aid. Dwyer made vigorous speech,
which was really defense of the days
work system. He said mains had been
laid in the winter and under clrcum-
stances that contractors would not have
accepted. Another thing, the men who
workedfor the city had been humanely
treated They had worked eight hours
and received $50, while contractors
had paid $1.10 for ten hours work. Con-
tractors who grind their men down like
this are no better than thieves and rob
bers. He did not, however, object to
the publication of the report as he WAS
confident it could be shown that days
work was the cheapest as was the case
with sewer work.
Aid johnson replied sarcastically
that he was glad that Aid. Dwyer had
political speech. He went on to say
that he wanted to find out how 1t was
that the work in the Hennepin avenue
extension, for instance, should cost
$500 when the contractors bid was
5000.
Aid. Mills said he was not prepared to
make full report OF his investigation,
as owing to the city engineers absence
he could not get the original bids. A
good deal of work has been performed
by the day that did not appear
in the engineers report. Rock had
been hauled, pipe relaid, deep
excavations dug, and besides
the damages usually claimed by con-
tractors when the letter of the contract
is disobeyed had been avoided. After
further desultOry discussion in which
Aid. Mills, johnson, Dwyer and
Gibson took part, motion was carried
to refer the report back to the city ell
gineer with instructions to incorporate
the expense OF laying pipe in 1886.
A Little misunderstanding.
Action upon Mayor Ames' veto of a
resolution vacating territorial road in
Phillips addition ON the ground that
he did not believe the council had
authority to take such action, was de-
ferred to the next meeting. Aid.
Cooley stated that the road was not
territorial road, but simply an old line
of march between Forts Smelling and
Ripley. Aid. E. M. johnson intimated
that the mayor had not been advised as
to the nature of the road, and If he had
would probably not nave vetoed The
resolution.
The gas committee reported in favor
of AID. Johnson's resolution directing
that the number of street lights be cut
down so the expense will not exceed
S1O,S00 per month. Aid. L'Herault
wanted the lights to be cut off to include
400 lights that were never ordered. Aid.
E. Nj. johnson wanted the report
adopted. Aid. Mills offered substitute
that the committee should go back to
Sept. and accept as valid orders for
street lights consecutively until the
limit of $10,S00 expenses had been
reached. Aid. Gibson, as chairman OF
the committee on gas, was indignant at
the statement that 400 lights had been
put in which had never been ordered by
the city council. He claimed that not a
single light had been supplied that had
not been regularly ordered. He chal-
lenged the Globe Light company or any
individuals to prove the contrary. Aid.
Mills substitute was finally adopted as
an amendment.
Wait Awhile, Mr.. Johnson.