St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-11
SAVES The ALDERME EN-
The Council Committee Dips
in the Eighth Ward
Muddle,
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
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, 1888, and
listened to an argument against the al
l0Wance 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
that we could find, bearing upon the
matter, and from such evidence, SUBJ
mItted 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
Thirty-fourth street: Aldrich. Bryant
and ColfaX avenues, between Twenty
fourth and 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 Ll ndale 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 Oh 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 & 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 & 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,
was IL cents per cubic yard
above his cash bid; while Bowen's
and Roach & Wilson's bid. based upon
payment in 1888, was N 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-
nue., from Thirty-tirSt to Thirty-fourth
streets, at 15T 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 "a cents per cubic yard addi-
tional in each instance in case pay
ment should be deferred until
after the June settlement in 1888.
A contract with Roach & Wilson for
grading Twenty-eighth street, from
Bryant avenue to Hennepin avenue. at
1888. A contract with w. j. Bowen for
grading Girard avenue, from Lake
street to Thirty-frst street, at 172 cents
per cubic yard; for grading Lake street,
from Lyndale avenue to Lake Calhoun,
at 1S4 cents per cubic yard; for grading
Grand avenue, from Twenty-siXth street
to Lake Harriet, at 1871 cents per cubic
yard: and for grading Harriet avenue,
from Twenty-tifth stseet to Lake street,
at 1917 cents pei cubic yard; all of said
work to be paid for July 10, 1883. We
find that said Filteau. Bowen and Roach
& 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 1888, and
that in each of said contracts it was eX-
| pressly provided that payments were
not to be made until after said settle
ment. We find that all of said contracts
were left by the contractors mentioned
in the office of the city engineer. That
| said Filteau'S contract was afterwards
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 u 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 29th
day of April. 1887, Badger d 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; thai
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 fine
that on the Sth day of July, 1887, Badger
Il Penney signed 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 10 cents per cubic yard for al
dirt removed in such grading; that sale
| ot od 1,f l,r