St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-23
VOTED TO READVERTISE
FOR PROPOSALS 70 LIGHT STREETS
WITH GAS0L I'VE.
ACME CoMPANx,s HARD ROW.
On the Face OF the Bids. This
Company Is the Lowest, but
Seeger Has Supporters Who
Insist That He Should Have
the Contract-Finally Voted to
Readvertise.

Insist That He Should Have, !
the enthusiastically Voted to
Readvertise.
The joint council committee on gas,
to whom were referred the bids for light
ing the gasoline lamps of the city for
the year 1894. held another protracted
session yesterday afternoon. After
three hours discussion, during which
the gentlemen forming the Acme Vapor
Stove company were subjected to an
examination as to their responsibility
carry out the work, the com mIttee de-
cided upon report to the effect that
they were unable to agree as to the low
est responsible bidder, and recom--
mended that all bids be rejected and
new proposals advertised for. This rec
concentration was arrived at by the
statement made that while the bids
called for only $500 lamps to be lighted
during the coming year, it was pr0ba-
BILE and necessary that at least 200
additional lamps would be needed. The
report will be submitted to the board of
aldermen at its meeting this afternoon
and action of some kind taken.
There was full attendance of the
members of the committee, and Assem-
blyman Doran occupied the chair. Har-
ris Richardson, representing Robert
Seeger, one or the contractors, explained
to the committee that the bid of his
client was the lowest responsible one.
From what he had learned he was of
/ the opinion that the Acme Vapor Stove
company was not in legal existence at
the time the bids were received. In
view Of this it was not. he said, in the
province of the council to let the con-
tract to the concern. jacob HeilbrOn.
manager of the Acme company, in reply
to the statements of Mr. Richardson.
said that the company had been in exist
ence for several months, aud was the
lowest responsible bidder. The agree
ment between the members of the com-
| pany, which consisted OF A arOn and
| Levi Herr. his brother julius Heilbron,
and himself, was made in the latter
| part of September or the first part of
| October. He was willing To present to
| the committee the articles of agree
| ment If it was necessary, but he first
| desired to consult with the other MEM
| berS of the company and their attor-
ney. In his opinion it was not at all
necessary that the articles of agreement
| should be produced. The company
| had submitted bids which were lower
! than tine other two bidders, and had
| accompanied its bid with certified
i cheek for s.. so to show that they were
willing TO go into the contract should it
| be awarded to them. Aside from this,
the bonds to be submitted by the COM
| pany wonld be first-class, and there was
no reason why the contract should not
be awarded TO them. -.
Aid. Zimmerman said he would be
| glad to have it settled whether at the
| time the bids were submitted there was
| any such company as the Acme VaDUr
Stove company. AsSemblymau Dorau
wanted legal advice on the question AZ
to whether the contract could be let to q
company which was not formed when
the bids were sent in. City Attorney
Chamberlain stated that if an agree
ment had been made by certain persons
and after the agreement bids had been
put in by them and the bid should lie
the lowest and the firm Responsible:
there was no doubt the firm ShOaida BIZ
awardedhthe contract. In reply TO a
question of one of the committee, Mr..
Chamberlain said there must be show
ing made as to the esponsibility OF
the firm before the committee sho uld so
decide. He also thought it competent
for the committee to inquire as to the
persons forming the company. mas
much as it had been stated the company
did not legally exist.
Acting on this suggestion, jacob He'll
bron, manager OF the company, was
given time to have the members of the
company brought before the committee.
and after he had gone out for the other
members of the firm. the committee dis
cussed Informally the matter.
Levi Herr, one Of the firm of Herr
Bros, called before the committee, said
that he had been i'll business for thir-
teen years in this city. The company
had been formed under the name Of the
Acme Vapor Stove company about the
first of October to do general business.
He did not know as to the number of
copies of the agreement made, but
he and his brother had one between
them. The articles were signed by all
four of the members and all of them had
been consulted about the sending n OF
the bid for the street lighting.
At this stage of the proceedings
Assemblyman Doran SAID he was
obliged to leave. but he thought as fal
as he was concerned the contract should
be awarded to the Acme company. The
committee had heard the evidence OF
two reputable business men as 10 the
forming of the company, and he was
opposed to the setting OF drag net Uy
the committee to prove that the state
ments were false. He desired TO be
recorded when the vote was taken as in
favor of awarding the contract to the
| Acme Stove company. Aid. Markham
was called to the chair, and Julius
| Heilbron was examined by the cOmit
| tee. He corroborated the statements oil
his brother and MIR. Herr as to the
! agreement and the bids being put in
He did not care to say who put up the
t money for the company, Or as to whG
kept the books. but thought the certI
fed check accompanying the bids anG
: the statement that bonds in the sun
! deemed necessary by the city would bt
[ furnished, was sufficient guarantee.
Aid Zimmerman said the statement:
of the members of the company con
fiicted somewhat as to the time of thu
forming of the company. Mr.. Val
Slyke questioned whether the city coul(
afford 10 take chances on the lighting
being done, even though bonds were
furnished by the Acme company. Aid
o Conley tbouget. under the circum
n stances, Robert Seeger was the loves
Y responsible bidder, and moved the con-
2 mittee recommend the awarding of tn,
e contract to him. aud Assemblyman Val
a Slyke seconded the motion. On the rol
= call, Aid. Zimmerman and Assembly
Il man Sandell voted against such action
q and Assemblyman Doran was also re
S corded as voting no. Aid. Conley ant
: Assembly man Van Slyke voted for tn
s awarding of the contract to Seeger, an,
4 as Aid Markham held the chairman di,
not h a ua to vntn unless there WAS q tie