Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-17
DALLAS.
Petition Before the CITY Councn in Regard
to the Manner OF rraw'rg Contracts
for Public Work.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
DALLAS, TEX, Nov. 1G.-The city
council meeting held last night was pre-
sided over by Mayor pro tenn. Loeb,
owing TO the absence of Mayor Common In
Memphis.
1t will be remembered that at the last
| council meeting Alderman Webster tried
to present petition TO the body and vas
ruled out by the chair and by vote of
| IS to the chair was sustained. Last
night the petition was again presented
and ruled out by the mayor pro ten.
| Argument followed and an appeal WAS
| taken from the ruling of the chair with
the following vote-yeas, 8; nays, 8.
| The petition reads as follows:
l desire to call your attention and ask
| favorable consideration thereof to what
l consider seriously Objectionable fea-
| ture that has generally prevailed hereto
| fore in the manner of drawing contracts
| for public work IN this city. The feature
l have referen &c TO Is the Judgement in
| the hands of the supervising engineer,
| on the part of the city, of what think is
altogether too great a latitude for the
| exercise of his independent discretion to
modify the terms of such contracts. For
| example: In the waterworkS contract,
which has recently occupied so much of
your time, it is specially provided that
the supervising engineer shall have the
authority, at his will, to change or
modify the demands for the work as
called for in the specifications, and
further, that upon any disagreement
arising between the city and the con-
tractors, such engineer shall be the
arbiter of the matter in dispute, from
whose decision there shall be allowed no
appeal.
Like latitudinous powers are, l UNDER
stand, eugrafted on all street. paving
contracts heretofore let by the city, and
doubtless will be found in other contracts
of like Importance. Now, l have no in
clinatiOn to say that the supervising en-
giEeer IT the waterworks contract is
other than a capable and honest gentle
man or that the gentlemen invested with
the power alluded to in other contracts
are not honorable and intelligent men,
yet can but think that the great au-
thority vested in them is lodged in the
wrong place. 1t seems to me that when
contract for a public work is let and
certain plans and specifications are
agreed upon TO govern the work, aud are
incorporated in the contract, it is these
same plans and specifications which
SuOulu govern anu cOElTOl tue peTIOTIn-
ance of the work. aud that they should
not be subject to every change, modifi-
cation aud diminution which the interest
or individual whim of super
y.sing engineer (however honest
and capable he may beg shall gee proper to
sanction. Plans and specifications when
embodied in contract for work surely
mean something and are put there for
purpose. What a farce then does 1t be-
come when the same instrument which
demands the performance of @ work in
accordance with certain specifications
and plans deliberately nuilifies and rem
dsrs vaiueIess the stipuIatiOns by follow
ing it up with clause which virtually
permits supervising engineer to add to,
diminish or change them when he may
see proper.
l wish, therefore, to place myself on
record as condemning the contracts here
tofore entered into where such latitude
has been allowed the supervising en-
gineer as unwise and unfair to the city;
aHa further, to enter my protest against
such features being incorporated in any
contract hereafter let. Such contracts
should, in my opinion, demand that the
work be done strictly in accordance with
the plans aud specifications agreed upon
changed thereafter by mutual agreement
of council and contractors, and the sole
charge of the engineer should be to see
that the city gets exactly what is called
for by the contract; and in case any dis
agreements arise as to faithful perform
ance of the work, final erbitrament
should be left where 1t properly belongs,
in the courts Of our country. Respect
fully submitted J. II. WEBSTER
The annual ball of the Police Benevo-
lent association will come off on Decem-
Der Is. At a meeting to-day the recep-
ton and other committees were ap-
pointed and the work started in good
shape. Invitations will be sent to the
brother officers in the surrounding cities.
The entertainment will be held in the |
auditorium of the city hall, and the |
room will be appropriately decorated for
the occasion.