The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-15
SPRINKLING CONTRACTS.
The Trustees Forfeit Those of Dehn
and Burns.
They VIII Advertise at Once for Bids
for New Contracts, to be
Made Next Monday.

The Board of City Trustees convened
yesterday to listen to the complaints
against the street sprinklers, and the ball
opened with the complaint of Z. Roth,
who complained that the contractor had
utterly failed to sprinkle l. street, be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth.
Mrs. Laura Burton also complained
that Thirtieth and B streets were never
sprinkled. She had not seen a street
sprinkler there in the past thirteen years.
She would like to get sight of one in
front of her house occasionally.
Henry Dehn said that he had plenty of
teams but he could not get the water
to 90 the sprinkling. There are not
enough hydrants and there is not enough
water. When he asked Mr.. Conklin to
put in a standpipe, Mr.. Conklin said it
was OF no use, that Dehn could not get
water If the stand pipe was put in. 1t
takes from twenty TO forty minutes to fill
cart, and even with four carts he could
not get water fast enough to get over the
ground. The water is not there to be got.
lie had four wagons, and they had to
stand still half the time.
\. Gibson OF Twenty and T.
streets said the gravel teams came in on
twenty ninth street, and there is a cloud
of dust.
Michael Hughes said that there had
been trouble with street sprinkIing since
1861. lie hau not come to find fault with
the sprinKling. The trouble is that there
are not wagons enough. From Twenty
sixth street there are only three teams,
| when there ought TO be SIX. He was not
referring to MIR. Dehn's district; it was
another district. The contracts were not
carried out. All he wanted was to have
the men sprinkle the streets as they
agreed TO. He heard about men having a
pull, but he did not believe it. His mo-
tive IN coming was honorable, and he
cl-me as taxpayer.
Cotiey said the trouble with the wafer
IN the eastern part of the city is that the
country teams are allowed to take water
10 sprinkle outside the city, when the
supply is not now sufficient Tor the needs
OF the city.
7. W. Sheehan said that his street had
6 peen graded from Twenty-hrst to
Twenty and had not been
sprinkled, and that Mr.. Green had prom
lsed to have the street sprinkled, but it
had not been done. His furniture is be-
ing ruined, and he asked the board to
put on another wagon and have the
street done properly, if it was only Tor
one day.
Mr.. Green said he spoke to the con-
tractor and he promised to sprinkle the
street. He would see that it was done.
The Mayor said that Mr.. Sheehan and
his neighbors were entitled to relief, and
the street must be sprinkled He asked
Mr.. Green to see that it was done without
tail.
Lincoln White wished to have the
driver in Spurgeon's district put on the
stand to show that pwenty-tirst was
sprlnkIed and John Stevens complaint
was not well founded, but The Mayor said
this meeting was called in order to listen
TO the complaints of citizens. not to listen
TO the drivers. The Street Commissioner
and his deputy agreed with the complain
ants that the sprinkHng has not been
properly done.
MIR. W bite said that Twenty first street
was IN very bad condition, 50 that a full
load OF walter cannot be carried, and there
are not enough stand-pipes; on street
there is none between Twelfth and
lWenty-hrst streets. There should be
one on Twentieth, between o and p
streets.
Henry Dehn called two other contract
ors who sometimes came into his district
10 get water, and who stated that when
hydrant farther west was being used
sometimes they could get no water from
the eastern hydrants aud it took a whole
afternoon TO get three loads Of water
trustee ConkIln said he thought per-
haps the contractors were doing their
pest 70 90 the sprlnkllng right. There
were two sides to the question. He
thought the best thing to do was for the
Street Commissioner to hold them rs
closely to the specifications as he could
and see that the work was done as well as
possible.
Mayor Steinman said the contractors
had taken the contracts and were not do
ing the work. They were getting the
they DID not do the work they contracted
to do.
Dehn said he would do the work
II the Trustees would give him
water. Ii they would not and held him
to perform his contract, they could take
the contract and he would throw it up,
The Mayor thought that Dehn and
Spurgeon had little excuse, but the
others had none. He favored recalling
the contracts and having them let TO men
who would do the sprinkling.
On motion Of the Street Commissioner
the contracts OF Dehn and Burns were de-
clared forfeited and suits commenced
against their bondsmen, Trustee Conklin
voting no.
On motion of the Mayor bids were
called for to sprinkle the streets to. be
opened next Monday, Conklin voting no,
The Mayor asked who was taking water
for country roads, and Trustee C0nl1lin
stated that it had been for some time tile
custom of the city officials TO give per-
mission to take water for sprinklinp the
main roads leading into the city, instead
OF contributing a monthly sum for
sprinkling them.
The Mayor said that he thought the
city should take care of its water if it is
short, and let the country roads supply
their own tanks. He moved that the
Street Commissioner investigate the TAX
ing of water on the Freeport road and re-
port next Monday, and it was so ordered.
The board then adjourned Till Nondav