Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-10-01
"nnu,eri.o,sn"nridxe Middle" (Not Mine)

r disclose his name). has made through
the columns of the News what In the
concluding paragraph of his article he
calls ga plain statement Of the facts
concerning the two iron bridges lately
erected Ia this city. OF course II that
article contains "a plain statement OF
the facts" and all of them II Is "waste-
full and ridiculous excess" for me to
say anything in this matter, but If 1t
be that "Baxterite" did not know the
facts at the time he wrote that article,
or, knowing them, did not want the
public 10 know them, then ! am justi-
fled in trying to enlighten "Baxterite"
(if he did not know and enlightening
the public Qf he did know.
AT the meeting Of the county COM
missioners in the latter part Of July or
early part of August when the conf
missioners "voted the city the 5000
without any qualifications" US "Bax-
,erite" alleges, let me say there were
qualifications that the action of the
county commissioners was conditioned
upon and the commissioners gave eX-
press and positive instructions aud Or
ders TO the city of Baxter Springs
through its attorney, that due notice
should he given for the receiving Of
bids, ETC., etc; and let inc state that
those conditions and instructions were
not obeyed.
After the action Of the county COM
missioners the city officials proceeded
TO "get some bridges and get them
quick" as "Baxterite" says, and he
might have added, "without any re-
gard for the orders of the commission
ers nor for the provisions of the law"
Let us examine for a moment what
the provisions Of the law are, in sub
stance: If the county is 10 pay in
whole or in part for building bridges
the law requires plans and specitica'
tons to be kept OH file in the county
clerks office; public advertisement to
be made for receiving sealed bids, fix
Ing u certain day for opening the bids,
etc. the person whose bid is accepted
TO enter into q bond, etc. If the cost
IF the bridge is to exceed $1,000 there
must be vote of the people upon the
matter; and right here let me correct
"Baxterite" in his statement that
"andei the statutes of this state county
boards are allowed to appropriate two
thous sand dollars without advertising
in cases of replacing old and danger
Gus bridges, like the one OH Sheridan
street or washed out or wrecked
bridges urgently needed, like the one
Oh Military street by the spring." by
saving that "Baxterite" may evolve
Out Of his fertile brain "plain state
ments OF facts" CO but he cannot
make the courts of Kansas believe there
is ANY such law. II the bridges are
built by the city the law requires an
estimate by the city engineer aud no
contract shall be made for sum OF
money exceeding that estimate; and it
requires public notice of the receiving
of sealed bids for building the bridges;
aud whether built by the county or by
the city no bids can be opened and no
contract entered into earlier than noon
of the day fixed in the notice; now
these provisions of the law were disre-
grrded. The city clerk sent out no.
iices to several bridge companies and
.'Baxterite" says "The clerk had not
been authorized by the council" by
which "Baxterite" plainly cOnfesses
that the clerk is the only one who
made any attempt to obey the commits
sioners or to follow the law "a motion
10 now in order that the city clerk take
the place Of the city fathers). The
following Is Il copy of one OF the orig
in6l notices lin my possessiom) sent by
the city clerk:
BAXTER SPRINGS, KAN, Aug. ?, 1892.
Canton Bridge Co., Canton, Ohio:
SIRs:-Sealed bids will be received by
the clerk of this city for two iron bridges
sill Aug. Is, 1892. One 30 feet extreme
length by 90 foot roadway, One 30 feet
extreme length, to have one roadway Is
feet and footway five feet clear width.
Your own specifications received.
Resp'y, C. S. MCFADDEN, Clerk.
Now early in the morning o. Aug.
18th two gentlemen-F. j. Hobsom,
representing the st. Joseph Bridge and
Iron company, and Mr.. Ed. Goldberg,
one Of the proprietors of the Canton
Bridge company of Canton, Ohio
came to this city with plans. specitica-
lions and bids to submit to the city
officials. Upon going to the Office of
the city clerk they learned that the
contract had been let some six or
eight days before to the Missouri
Valley Bridge company of Leaven-
worth, Kansas, for the sum of 500.
Mr.. Goldberg had sent or handed to
Mr.. McGregor "a commissioner, sew
eral days prior to the 18th, bid with
plans, etc., Offering to put in two iron
bridges having a capacity nearly two
aud One-half,imes AS great as those we
have, and much prettier, neater and
better bridges for $675. Mr.. Goldberg
had submitted another bid for bridges