Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-23
WRITING srREEr CONTRACT.

WHITING STREET CONTRACT.
Awarded to w. s. Fowler at the
Meeting OF the board of Public
Works Last Night-what the Paw |
ing OF York street VIII COst-NO |
Assistant Engineer Elected.
The board of public works met last eve
ming, all the members being present ex-
oept Mr.. Leigh.
The first business Of the evening was in
reference to the construction of catch
basin on Congress avenue. City Engineer
Hill appeared before the board and stated
that he had received a protest against
placing it there from Mr.. Colwell. On
motion Of Commissioner Sullivan the
vote directing the city engineer to con-
struct catch basin on the north side of
Congress avenue opposite the property of
Mr.. Colwen was rescinded.
The question of the paving of Whiting
street was then brought up by Commits
sioner States. At the last meeting of the
board, when the bids were opened, it was
thought by some Of the members that Mr..
Fowler was associated with one of the
members of the firm of G.. w. Blakeslee
& Son in bidding for the contract and as
the opinion of a former corporation coun-
sci, Watrous, was to the effect that no
member of the city government, should be
directly or indirectly connected with any
bids for city work, the mayor was ap-
pointed a committee to investigate the
matter and report at the meeting last eve
lining. In accordance with this vote of
the board, the mayor made an investiga-
ton into the matter and the following
correspondence passed between the mayor
and Mr.. Fowler:
W. S. Fowler, Esq, care of Smith & Fow-
Ter, $50 Congress avenue:
Dear Sir-At meeting of the board of
public works of the city of New Haven,
held on the evening of the 18th, bids for
| paving Whiting street with granite blocks
| were opened and read. Among the bids
was one made by you or in your name,
which bid was the lowest of all. A motion
was made by one of the members of said
| board to award the contract to the lowest
bidder, that is, to you. After brief dis
cussion, in which it was alleged that you
are not the actual party in interest in max
| ing the bid and would not be the actual
party in interest in the performance of the
| work if the contract should be awarded to
you, the motion was defeated by an adj
verse majority vote. Then the question of
| the award of the contract was laid upon
| the table pending an inquiry into the above
| allegations. Afterwards the following vote
| was passed, viz: 1.-THE matter of ascer-
| tanning whether William S. Fowler is in
| teresred with any member of the city gov
| eminent in the contract reference being
| had to your bid on proposals for block
granite pavement of Whiting street, was
| referred to the mayor.
Pursuant to said reference and by the
request Of members of said board, I in
quire of you whether in case the contract
should be awarded to you would any
member of the city government of New
Haven be directly or Indirectly interested
in said contract? Are you the sole party
interested in the bid and in the profits or
losses of the controct if awarded to you,
or is your name used as bidder in the
sole or part interest of a member, one or
more, of the city government of New Ha-
ven?
The board of public works adjourned
until Wednesday. July 49, at 8 p. m, when
the board wishes to make an award, and
will expect me to present your reply to
| this letter a. that meeting. Truly yours,
| J. B. SARGENT, Mayor.
| Ex-of6cio chairman board of public
| works.
Hon. J. B. Sargent, Mayor of the City of
New Haven:
| Your letter of the 18th inst received
and noted, and would say in answer to
your question that am in no way con-
nected with any member of the city gov
ernment. 1 have done good many thou
sand dollars worth of work for the city
and never before has my bid been reject
ed or even questioned. If I was the low
est bidder got the contract. Since the
death of my father, little over three
years ago, have run the business at the
West Rock quarries in connection with my
feed business, and if the contract should
be awarded me shall fulfill it according
to specifications. But I must say, as my
force is a small one, I should be obliged to
hire extra teams and help, but did not
suppose I should be dictated to who OF
what should hire SO long as I lived ul
to the requirements laid down in the spec.
i6cations, and think now that, as am the
lowest bidder, the contract belongs to me.
w. S. FOWLER.
This correspondence seemed to be salts
factory to the members of the board and
on motion of Commissioner Todd the con-
tract was awarded to W. S. Fowler, all the
members of the board voting to that effect
except Mr. States, who asked to be ex-
cused from voting.
It was voted that the board of common
council be instructed to suitably pave
Ashmun street its entire length and Ad-
| miral street from Dixwen avenue to Ash
| nun street.
A communication was read from Simeon
E. Baldwin asking permission to lay out a
street on his own property on the west
side of Dixweu avenue at his own expense,
but the matter was tabled in order to give
Mr.. Baldwin an opportunity to appear be.
fore the board.
The following estimate for paving York
street from Chapel to Elm was presented
by City Engineer Hill. The entire width
of roadway from curb to curb with gran
lite dimension blocks at cost of So. 900,
leaving the present block pavement be-
tween the outside rails of the horse rail
road tracks and paving from the outside
to the curbs $1,000; relaying the present
flag and Belgian block cutters, three feet
side the rails to the cutters with sheet
asphalt $4,000, the same with vitrifed
brick So, ZOO.
On motion of Commissioner Atwater it
was voted to obtain an estimate from the
Hastings Asphalt Block company, and
that it be added to the estimate already
given.
An application for position as assistant
engineer was received from F. A. Maloney,
who is very highly recommended for the
position by Engineer Hamilton of the Con-
solidated road and others. Mr. Atwater
moved that Mr.. Maloney be appointed to
the position of assistant engineer, formerly
held by Mr.. Davis, resigned, but before
the ballot was taken City Engineer Hill re-
quested that he beallowed to nominate the
men who were to work under him and for
whose work he was responsible. He
then placed in nomination G. E. Verrill
The charter requires that men elected
shall be voted for by ballot and shall be
required to have four out Of the six votes
in order to be elected. Two ballots were
taken for the respective candidates, result
ing: Maloney 8, Verrill 1, Mr.. Todd not
voting AS there was no choice, and
there seemed to be no likelihood of being
any, the meeting adjourned.
| City Mission.
We are informed that the City mission
excursion yesterday numbered about 800
instead of 1876, as stated. Also that the
excursion next week will be larger still,
probably from 400 to 500, and funds are
| lol L. H. &c i,