St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-11
SAVES The ALDERMEN
The Council Committee Dips
in the. Eighth Ward
Middle,
And Reports the Aldermen
Did Not Abuse their
Power.
What the Records Show Of the
Contracts and the
Bidding.
Sage Advice to Council as to
How a City Should
Be Run.

The report of the committee on ways
and means, which has been at work
since Tuesday last investigating the
charges preferred against Aid. Cooley
and Stoneman by an informal organiZa.
tion Of the citizens of the Eight ward
IN regard to the expenditures of the
ward funds, was submitted at the spec
lal meeting Of the council signed by all
members of the committee and ap-
proved by the city attorney. Messrs.
Cooley and Stonemen, who were added
to the committee, did not act with it.
The report was as follows:
That they met at the city council cham
Der on Tuesday, Aug. Z, 1883, and
listened to an argument against the al
loWance of such claims, made by a
representative of certain taxpayers of
the Eighth ward, and also to statements
in regard to aforesaid claims made by
Aid. George W. Cooley. That later, we
examined all evidence submitted, or
that we could find, bearing upon the
matter, and from such evidence. sub
mltted to us as aforesaid, we find the
following facts:
That at meeting of the city council
held May 6, 1887 (see page 90 of the
Proceedings of City Council for that
year,, the following motion was made
by Aid. Cooley: ''Moved, that the city
engineer be instructed to advertise
for bids for grading Bryant and ColfaX
avenues, between Thirty-first street and
Thlrty-fourth street: Aldrich, Bryant
and ColfaX avenues, between Twenty
fourth and d'Twenty-sixth streets; ColfaX
avenue. between Twenty-sixth and
TWenty-Seventh streets; Girard ave-
nue., between Thirtieth and Thirty-first
streets: Lake street, between Chicago
avenue and Lake Calhoun; Twenty
fourth street, between Llndale and
Hennepin avenues; Third avenue, from
Lake street to Thirty-second atreet."
That said motion was adopted. That
pursuant to said motion bids for doing
the work were duly advertised for.
That the specifications for doing said
grading asked that bids state prices
for the work based upon cash payments,
and also upon payments to be
made after the June settlement in 1888.
That on the 18th day of June, 1887, the
city engineer reported to the city coun-
Gil the bids that had been received for
grading the streets mentioned in said
motion. That Charles Filteau, w. j.
Bowen, Thomas DAILY, F. L. Balch and
Roach q Wilson bid on the whole or
part of said grading. That the DAILY
and Balch bids were based upon cash
payments only; While Filteau, Bowen,
and Roach IL Wilson gave prices for
cash and for time payments. That the
published report of said bids mentioned
the cash bids only. That Filteau's bid,
conditioned upon payment. in 1888,
above his cash bid; while Bowen's
and Roach e, Wilson'S hid based unon
payment in 1888, was II cents per
cubic yard above their cash bid.
That said bids were referred by the city
council to the aldermen of the Eighth
ward. That all of the aldermen of the
said Eighth ward subsequently met at
the Office of the city engineer, examined
said bids and decided that contracts
should be awarded in accordance with
the bids received, as follows;
CONTRACTS AND BIDS.
A contract with Charles Filteau for
grading Bryant avenue, from Thirty
first to Thirty-fourth streets, at IA cents
per cubic yard; for grading ColfaX ave-
hue, from Thirty-first to Thirty-fourth
streets, at 151a cents per cubic yard; for
grading ColfaX avenue, from Twenty
fourth to Twenty-siXth streets, at 15I
cents per cubic yard; for grading Bry-
ant avenue, from Twenty-fourth to
Twenty-SiXth streets, at 13 cents per
cubic yard, and for grading Twenty
fifth street. from ColfaX avenue to Bry-
ant avenue, at 13 cents per cubic yard,
with II cents per cubic yard addi-
tional in each instance in case pay
ment should be deferred until
A contract with Roach & Wilson for
grading Twenty-eighth street, from
Bryant avenue to Hennepin avenue. at
1S1l cents per cubic yurd, to be paid in
1888. A contract with w. j. Bowen for
grading Girard avenue, from Lake
street to Thirty-first street, at 17sl cents
per cubic yard; for grading Lake street,
from Lyndale avenue to Lake Calhoun,
at 1S14 cents per cubic yard; for grading
Grand avenue, from Twenty-siXth street
to Lake Harriet, at 1874 cents per cubic
yard: and for grading Harriet avenue,
from Twenty-tifth stseet to Lake street,
at 1914 cents pes cubic yard; all of said
work to be paid for July 10, 1883. We
81 Wilson were the lowest bidders, in
each instance, for the work awarded
them, and included in their re-
spective contracts, based upon pay
ments deferred until the year 1888.
We find that after said awards had been
made, contracts were drawn and signed
by each Of said parties, wherein they
agreed to do the work assigned them as
above, at the figures named in their re-
spective bids for doing said work, in
case payment should be deferred until
after the June settlement in 1883, and
that in each of said contracts it was eX-
pressly provided that payments were
not to be made until after said settle
W. hat oil 3 Il
were left by the contractors mentioned
said Filteau's contract was afterwards
executed Oh behalf of the city by the
mayor, was counterSigned by the city
comptroller, and attested by the city
clerk with the official seal of the city.
We find that said Bowen's and said
Roach & Wilson's contracts were never
executed on the part of the city.
We find that directly after said Filteau,
Bowen and Roach & Wilson had signed
their respective contracts and left the
same in the city engineers office they
began the grading specified in their said
contracts. and did the same under the
direction and to the satisfaction of the
city engineer. We find that on the 10Th
day of April, 1887, Badger 81 Penney
signed a contract for the grading of
Twenty-fourth street, from Pleasant
avenue to Lyndale avenue, at the price
of Is cents per cubic yard for ali dirt
used in making fills in said street: that
this contract was executed on behalf of
the city, and they performed said work
under the direction and to the satisfac-
ton of the city engineer. We also find
that on the Sth day of July, 1887, Badger
q Penney signed a contract for the grad
ing of Pleasant avenue from Franklin
avenue to Twenty-sixth street, and the
Eighth ward side of Franklin avenue,
from Pleasant avenue to Blaisdell ave-
nue., at Is cents per cubic yard for all
dirt removed in such grading; that said
nt nYao11tal m the oIta of fLo