Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-21
Allegheny Common Council Ap-
proves of the Silsby Engine.
NO RAKE-OFF WAS TO BE PAID.
It Was Done Sometimes, but Not This Time
on the Northside,
MUCH NEW BUSINESS is INTRODUCED

VlouS meeting anu WAS Iecousiuereo-
Mr.. Bosh, the Silsby agent, said ALE
gheny was the only city that gets an engine
with German silver jacket and dome, sill
yer plated springs and bolt heads, extr,
heavy running gear, etc. Other cities ge
brass Jackets, cast iron hubs, painted springs,
etc The specifications called for by ALE.
gheny City are more costly than the others
and they have all the improvements The
Jackets, wheels. relief valves and all cost
cluded all these thingG Mr.. Bosh
said further that he had sold two first-size
engines to Philadelphia at 81, 500 each that
were not as finely finished as that of Alle-
gheny. He next read q letter from C. T.
Silsby, Treasurer of the company, sent in
answer to one from Mayor Kennedy in
reference to the bids offered Boston for
engines. The letter set forth that the two
engines for Boston referred to, on which
their bid was Sc, ,450 for the two, were not
frst-class engines No city had been offered
engines at less than Allegheny City.
Continuing. Mr.. Bosh said that he had
never sold first size, first-class Silsby en-.
gine at less than s., 500. He had sold them
as high as Sc, 600, and recently sold one to
Buffalo at S., 500.
An Inquiry Into Rake-ons.
Mr.. Simon-Do you ever pay anybody q
rake-off?
Mr.. Bosh-I have no doubt that such .
thing is sometimes done, but have never
been approached in that manner in this
city aud know of no such arrangement
ever having been made.
President Parke here remarked that there
was no disposition to buy any other than .
Silsby engine for Allegheny City, but
some of the members thought they were
being charged more for an engine than
other cities were paying.
Mr.. Bosh replied that such was not the
case. Allegheny was not paying a cent
more for the same engine than any other
city. He then referred to the Boston bids,
and said they were not the same class en-
gines as those called for by Allegheny.
President Parke-Where did you get
these extraordinary specifications for Allie
gheny that differ from any other city?
Mr.. Bosh-From your chief engineer, Mr..
Jones
Boston Got a Different Style.
President Parke next asked number of
questions about details of the Boston en-
gines that were somewhat similar to the
Allegheny engine, but Mr.. Bosh said he
knew nothing about the Boston engine ex-
cept what his firm had written him, but he
knew they were not the same class engines
as bid on for Allegheny.
Mr.. Gregg here moved to adopt the reso-
luton awarding the contract to the Silsby
Company for s., 5OO
Mr.. Stauffer said if anyone had any proof
that any city got any engine at a lower
price. he would vote against the measure
Mr.. Parke thought it fair to Councils to
have an explanation of these differences,
and also to have copy Of the Boston speci-
fcations.
Mr.. Mercer said they could get that be-
fore the measure passed Select Council and
was approved by the Mayor The resolu-
tion awarding the contrac: was adopted by
a vote of 30 ayes to 5 nays The ayes were
Messrs. Armstrong, Bader. Born, Buente,
Dahlinger, Freinstein, Gerwig, Gregg, Har-
bison, Knox, Lewis, Mercer, Millard, McAu-
ley, Mech, Oliver, Pappert, Paulin, Rippey,
Robson, Roderick, Simon, Smith, Speidel,
Stacey, Stauffer, Thomas, Winters, Zang,
Parke. The nays were Messrs Drum,
Eshelman, Henderson, Rudolph, Schondel-
myer
A motion was next adopted that Mr..
t. Bosh procure copy of the Boston speci6-
cations and forward them to Mayor Ken
nedy.
Instructed Not to Grade.
Mr. Armstrong offered a resolution that
the Chief of the Department of Public
Works be instructed not to grade Shady
avenue at the city's expense, as it was
illegal and no grade had ever been estab-
lished, and by law the cost should be as
sessed on abutting property. After dis
cussion it was referred to the Committee on
Public Safety.
The following measures were passed
finally: Resolutions to establish grades on
all streets on which grades are not already
established; awarding contract for periodi-
Gals for the library; ordinances for the ap
pointment of two additional health in
spectors and a hospital steward; to pur-
chase lot and receive bids for a garbage
furnace; opening an alley from Basin street
to Point alley; changing grade of Yale
street: purchasing lot on Villa street; for
sewers on Cedar alley, Liberty street and
Fremont alley.
The following papers were presented and
referred to the proper committees: Ordi-
nances vacating Chelsea street; for a sewer
on Yale street; to repair Palo Alto street;
fixing the term OF Office of the chiefs of de-
partments; resolution instructing City
Solicitor to bring proceedings to compel the
Pittsburg and Western Railroad Company
to open Ohio street from Franklin street to
Juniata street.
Business In Select Council.
In Select Council, on the call Of the
wards, ordinances were presented for vacat-
ing portion of Montana avenue and for q
relocating Morrison avenue. A resolution
for improving Spring Garden avenue and a
petition for the repeal of the ordinance for
sewer on West Jefferson street were also
presented. All the papers were referfed. /
Mr. Wertheimer, from the Finance Com
mittee, presented an ordinance for refund
ing street improvement assessment lille
gally assessed against the School Street
Chapel; passed
Mr. Lowe, from the Committee on Pub
lie Works, presented an ordinance regulat-
ing the construction of sewers; for grading,
paving and curbing Wolf alley; awarding
the contract for paving with improved
pavement Cabinet street. West Mar
ket street and High street; authorizing the
building of retaining wall' at the
Howard street pumping station; granting
Herbert DuPuy the right to pave Lamont
street and to lay . sewer on that street at
his own expense; for sewers on North street
and Hazel street; providing that all i'm
must be connected, with the sewers; repeal |
ing an ordinance for opening Rodgers street; |
fixing the lines of the sidewalk on Hem. |
lock street; authorizing the advertising for |
bids for the iron fence around City Hall |
All of which were passed The ordinance |
for the purchase of Q reservoir site in the |
Tenth ward was laid over.
Mr.. Lowe also presented the report OF |
the Committee on Auditing as preyiouslv