The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-07-22
AID. SAULPAUGH'S STATEMENT

Aid. Saulpaugh believes that the
public work being done under the
charge of the Board of Public Works
is not done as well and as economic
ally as it should be and proposes to dc
what he can to bring about reform.
He states that he shall introduce a
resolution at the next meeting of the
council requiring Engineer Haynes to
show where the money expended un-
der his department goes, in order that
the people may know how much is ex-
pended upon each street and peice
of work. 1t seems reasonable that
this should be done, as a matter of
record and for the benefit of the pub
lie, who have no means of knowing
where the large sums spent monthly
go.
In regard to the character Of the
work being done, Aid. Saulpaugh
states that he has been looking into
some of the work and believes that it
| is not as well done as it should be.
He has made life work of oversee
| ing stone work and grading and his
words bear greater weight than those
Of other critics, who are not supposed
to be posted upon such work. Ifmat-
tiers are as he states, it is well that
they should be ventilated, though the
engineer and board doubtless have an
explanation or can make a satisfac-
| tory presentation of their side of the
case.
In regard to the grading of Sixth
street, Aid. Saulpaugh states that
the Board Of Public Works accepted
the work as done last fall when really
it was but two-thirds done. As re-
suit, this spring more work has been
done on that street by the city than
upon any other two streets. He says
that according to Mr.. Halsted's state
ment over sixty days work has been
put On that street by his crew. How
many men have been thus employed he
does not know, but has heard that the
work cost over $3.50. This is not
right to the tax payers. He says that
the Sixth street culvert is the worst
he ever saw: that the water has run
under the foundation: and that the
foundation has been protected with
dirt.
The Vine street culvert should
have walls two feet thick, according
to the specifications, yet in places it
is not more than eighteen inches
thick, and becomes as wide as thirty
inches. The cover stones are not cut
sQuarely and the interstices are filed
with small stones. The cement is not
properly mixed, for when day old it
crumbled in his hands. 1t should be
mixed two parts of sand to one of
cement, while the alderman thinks
that the contractors are putting in
four or five parts of sand. He says Mr..
Haynes should employ a competent
Inspector to see that the work is
well done
Aid. Saulpaugh further states that
there has been a break in the water
pipe uear buttons barn for ten or
twelve days, and that the Board has
done nothing to repair it. He COM
plains that the Board does not know
its business and says that he will not
let up upon it until it does what is
right by the city. He wants the en-
gineer to let his contracts for grading,
by the yard and not by the bulk, as he
cannot guess correctly upon the lat
ter. The alderman states that when
he asked Mr.. Haynes in a gentle
manly way where he ever did
any stonework he was informed that
it was none of his business. He says
that if the other alderman are going
to stand such work by the Board he
will not do so. He says that he is not
here to see the city robbed and will
do what he can to protect the inter
ests of the tax payers
We give Mr.. Saulpaugh's criticisms
in full in the belief that city matters
should be stirred up once in a while,
whether everything is all right or not,
and if his complaints are just we hope
that the Board will mend its ways and
be more careful with the contractors,
as the Board was established to pro-
tect the interests of the city in just
such matters.
The Blue Earth County Worlds