Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-18
SELECT BRANCH so SAYS.
Irregular Bonds Cause q squabble
in Letting a Contract.
PLAIN TALK FROM SOME MEMBERS
The Northside Legislators Deny Soft
Impeachment.
THEY CLAIM THEY ARE NOT ROBBERS

they were not thieves and robbers as
charged recently by certain Allegheny
people. When ordinance No. 3, for the
erection of an engine house in the Seventh
ward, was called, Mr.. Knox said he under
stood the ordinance was irregular as the
| bond of the successful bidder was not cor
rect when the recommendation passed the
| committee.
Mr. Simon, Chairman of the Committee
| on Public Works, stated that the lowest
bidder was Klinkey & Co., but they had
| not filed q bond and the contract was
| awarded the next lowest bidder, s. Hast
ings & Son, for 1915 On ordnance No. SO,
for an engine house in the
Eleventh ward, Jacob Woessner was the
lowest bidder for S5,294, but his bond
was also defective. The matter was laid
over until they could have it fixed, and
then the contract was let to Hastings &
Son and Joseph Woessner respectively.
The contract of Hastings & Son for the
Seventh ward engine house passed by q vote
of 80 to2.
He Saw Probable Job.
MI. Knox said the law was plain, and as
the letting of the contract was irregular he
was not in favor OF it. A precedent should
be established, Mr.. Knox went on. If such
proceedings were allowed two men
could easily bid for q contract, and
by prearrangement one of the
bonds could be defective and the next low
est would get the contract whereby the city
would be out several thousand dollars. Mr..
Knox then moved to refer the ordinance for
the Eleventh ward engine house back to tn
committee with instructions to give
the contract to the next lowest bid
der whose bond was correct. The
motion was lost. Mr.. Gerwig, who came
in after the vote had been taken, asked for
an explanation of the question, which
was granted. Messrs. Dunn, Paulin,
MilIiard, Lewis and Rudolph changed
their votes from the affirmative to
the negative. The vote then stood 10 to 16,
which was not legal majority. The ordi-
nance was then referred back to the COM
mittee for REIMBURSEMENT
The ordinance for the regarding and re-
pairing of Sherman avenue was taken up,
and the disposal of the money voted by the
people on the bond issue was discussed.
the floor and said he wanted to call
attention to the fact that many
ordinances for the Improvement OF streets
are pending before Councils and are in the
committees. The citizens have voted $780,
900 for street improvements, he said, and
each member of Councils was desirous of
getting some of the improvements in his
own immediate neighborhood.
May Be Out of Funds.
For all they knew, no one having summed
up the whole business. they might have
already passed enough ordinances to swal-
low up the whole $500, 900; or they might
eat it al up in one year. He recommended
that they be careful and 60 over all
the streets and see what is best
to be done before acting. Counciimen
have been called robbers and thieves, he
said, and they should show themselves
worthy of the confidence reposed in them;
they should act in the matter as if it were
their own private business.
Mr. Patton concurred in President Parke's
views, but said the ordinance for Sherman
avenue was one of the necessary ones and
was the beginning of 3 plan to pave all
around the parks
Mr.. Knox remarked that if they paved
all the streets there were petitions in for
the $500, 900 would not be enough. They
should get the bonds out and secure the
money, then 60 over all the streets of the
city and see which needed most attention
After some further discussion a vote was
taken and the Sherman avenue ordinance
failed for want of legal majority.
Mr.. Mercer then presented a resolution
that all street repaving ordinances be re-
ferred back to the Committee on Public
Works to formulate a general plan for
street repaving and report to Councils.
Mr.. Gerwig opposed this. He remarked,
however, that there was too much of
scramble among Councilmen to get streets
repaved. They should take the best and
main streets first, but before passing the
ordinances they should have special COM
mittee or the Chief of Public Works re-
port.
Mr.. Boutwell, said he understood the
showing which needed improvements, and
would submit 1t to Councils.
Reached a Compromise.
Mr.. Armstrong offered a resolution, as
substitute for Mr. Mercer's, that the Mayor
and Chief of the Department OF Public
Works prepare plan for street improve
ments and furnish estimates for the regrad-
ing and repaving, and that no further action
be taken until the Mayor reported Mr.. Mer-
Ger accepted this, and the resolution was
adopted.
In Select Council the most important
measure considered was an ordinance for the
extension of the terms of the heads of the
departments OF the municipal government
from two to four years. The ordinance was
called up by Mr.. Wertheimer and some
little discussion arose on the motion to pass
| 1t finally. Just before it. was called up q
cOpy of the following communication was
handed to every member of Select Council:
CITIZENS REFORM Association
OF ALLEGHENY, Pa,
ALLEGHENY, Nov. IL, 1892. }
DEAR SIR-Whereas, an ordinance has
been presented to the Select Councils of
lengthening the term of office of the heads
of departments of the City of Allegheny
from two to four years, the Citizens Reform
Association respectfully enter their protest
same at present.
Respectfully r. 4. Secretary.
Arthur Ke nnedy favorecSthe ordinance,
as did also Mr.. Einstein. The latter re-
ferred to the communication from the Citi-
zens' Reform Association, but argued that
he could see no good reason why the ordi-
nance should NOT be adopted. If any of the
chiefs did not prove themselves capable of
filing their respective positions, or if they
did not give satisfaction, they can be re-
moved, he argued.
To Protect Counciimen.
MI. Fielding said be would be willing to
support the ordinance if it would have a
tendency to stop the annoyance of city
Councilmen, who are frequently appealed
to to intercede for incompetent employees
under the chiefs
Mr Warthaimar cNId hA &bo,.lk