Omaha daily bee., 1892-05-20
BIDS FOR PAVING REJECTED
New Specifications Will Be Prepared by
the Board of Public Works
ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHTS ORDERED
Report of the Special Committee to Inves-
tlgate the Squircs Matters How the
Boston Aldermen win Bc Enter
tained-other Proceedings.

| The city council met In adjourned session
last night and about the first thing that it
did was to put Chairman Brkhauser OF the
| Board OF Public Works on the griddle
Last Tuesday night, whon the council
adjourned, IL was understood that Mr..
| Birkhauser would be present last night
with the paving bids that were presented
! TO the board some two or three weeks ago.
! When the council convened the light OF his
| countenance failed to shine within the coun-
Gil chan Der. Mr.. Chaffee noticing this fact
| moved that the sergeant-at-arms be sent
| post haste after tho absent gentleman. The
motion prevailed and at the same time tho
sergeant-at-arms was instructed to round up
and capture oil of the heads OF the various
| departments.
After awhile the chairman came and with
| him he had the papers that tho council
wanted. The clerk read the figures.
MIR. Chaffee offered n resolution TO do away
! with the ten-year guarantee and instruct the
| Board of Public Works to reudvertise for
| paving bids in accordance with the specitica-
| tions OF 1891. He said that the new specih
| cations meant dearer pavements, but that
| they would be no better
Mr.. Lowry insisted that the ten-year guar
antee clause meant hith price pavements
without corresp sponding benefit to the tax
payers.
Thought 1t a Detrimcnt.
Chairman Birkhauser, upon being called
upon, thought q ten-year guarantee was de-
manded in brick and asphalt. II the board re-
advertised it would delay the paving from
three to four weeks. On stone he thought
the ten-year guarantee was detrimental TO
the taxpayers.
President Davis said that it was squander-
ing money. Last year brick were sl5 per
1000 and this year the price was only Sl2
This difference means that the contractors
had figured on a prlcc which they could re-
surface the streets at the end of ten years
lie did not propose to carry out any Whim of
the Board of Public Works.
City Engineer Rosewater argued that
ten year guarantee was cheaper TO the tax
payers than the five year guarantee under
the 1891 specifications, especially when brick
or asphalt was to be considered
President Davis said that contractor
could not do the work; he could not get
Dondsmen for ten year guarantee.
City Engineer Rosewater stated that the
ten year guarantee was for the pnrpose of
protecting the public. He had talked with
asphalt and some of the brick men, aud
they favored the proposition.
Mr.. Lowry knew that Mr.. Rosewater was
one OF the best men who had ever served the
city, put he had been misled by Squires of
the Barber company. Squires was smooth
little man. SO smooth that he had drawn
$1,000 out of the city treasury without any
one knowing anything about OF course. he
said, the ten-year guarantee was Just what
Squires wanted He wuuld get a high price
for his pavement on the start. If he secured
100000 yards Of pavement he would MAKO
$4,000 more than he entitled to. 1t
meant that he could deposit his Is per cent
reserve with the treasurer, drawing interest.
AT the END OF five years his interest would
amount to enough that he could tell the
city to take Its pavem and take care of it
if it SO desired.
Adopted Chafces Resolution.
Mr.. Chai1ee's resolution was udoped by
the following vote: Yeas-Messrs. Back,
Bechel. Chaffee, Conway, Jacobson, LowrS
McLearic, Prince Specnt, Tuttle and Mr..
President. Nays-Messrs. Bruner Ed
wards, Howell and Munro.
This settled the question. All tho bids
were rejected, the certified checks were
dered returned and the paving goes over
until the Board of Pu blc Works can prepare
new specifications, advertise and receive
bids on the same.
How Squires' Bill Was Paid.
The special committee to investigate and
learn just how G. F.. Squires' old street
sweeping bill happened to get into the ap-
preparation ordinance and be paid was ex-
planned
Squires got a certified copy of all papers from
the city clerk, These papers he took to the
comptroller who without any authority In
serted the amount in the April appropriation
sheet. The mayor signed the Squires war
rant because City Attorney Connell informed
him that it was a just bill and ought to be
paid.
The report also roasted the city attorney
by saying that he had told the council one
thing and the mayor another The commit
tee also stated that items were inserted in
every appropriation ordinance without any
authority, excepting upon the advice of the
city attorney. Tho report was adopted by