The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-08-08
Work on the Gravity Sewer
Temporarily Stopped.
THE CONTRACTORS TALK.
A Fair Proposition Submitted by Mr,
HobsOn.
He Does Not Propose to Allow the Eu-
gineer to Walk All Over Him-Meet-
ing of the Joint Building Com
mittee Held Yesterday.


works visited the gravity sewer yesterday.
and after spending several hours in in
speeding the work, returned to town and
held a meeting last evening. Chairman
Haines, and Messrs. Clawson. Noble and
Conkhn OF the board were present, as
were City Engineer Doremus and City
Attorney Hoge.
After the routine business had been
disposed of, the Communications OF the
city engineer with reference to the sewer
inspectors, alleging that they did not
perform their duties properly, were read,
and q motion to refer them to the city
council was lost, the vote being tie.
The engineer also notified the board
that he refused to confirm the order al
lowing the sewer contractor to sub-let
part of the work.
The matter of the construction of the
sewer was then taken up, the members
of the board stating their views as TO the
quality OF the work done.
Mr.. Hobson, one of the contractors,
was granted permission to make few
remarks, and he gave the board fair,
square talk, which, though brief, was
right TO the point, and made the engi-
neer, whose ambition in life seems to be
10 rum COulEACLOIS, RlQCk kt1S fJOlut6Q
beard nervously.
"When we made cur hid'' said Mr..
Hobson, 1--WE sent sample brick in with
1t, and they were part OF the bid, and the
basis on which our figures were made.
If the samples were not satisfactory the
bid should have beea rejected, that's all.
We were willing to have those bricks sub
mitted to any test the engineer can de-
wise, either by crushing or otherwise,
and then let our material be judged by
the standard thus obtained -
Mr.. Doremus-Do yon think all the
brick that have been used in the sewer
are up to the samples?
Mr.. Hobson-I say they are, and ask
the board to produce the samples and we
viii prove it.
Mr.. Conxlln thought that the propo-
sition was fair one and would furnish a
definite standard.
Mr.. Noble took the same view. The in
spector, who had had twenty years
experience in the brick business, said the
material used was good, while the en-
gIne9r said it wasn't. The thing to do
was to fix upon some definite standard
and then whenever question arose it
could easily be settled
Mr.. CIawson moved that work on the
sewer be ordered stopped forthwith, until
the difficulty concerning the inspectors
should be settled. The motion was car
meeting tonight, 70 dispose of this mat
ter, and if all is satisfactorily arranged,
operations will be resumed in the morn
ing. The inspectors will be present at
the meeting, and 1t is thought that they
will have a clearer conception of their
duties after a talk with the board.
Mr.. Conklin then said that there had
been considerable complainst because
non-residents were employed on the
sewer. From the observations made
by him he was satisfied that UGH
a charge would not be made against
Houlahan, Grifiths & Morris, but he be-
lieved that Mr.. Holt, sub-contractor,
was employing large number of outside
men, and he thought this was wrong.
One man who had lived here for years,
who was good workman and who had a
family, was unable to get employment of
any kind, while non-residents seemed to
fall right into jobs. The man referred to
had been employed in the water
works department. for short
by Ryan for some unknown reason,
Mr.. Conklin thought the attention o
the city council should be called to the
fact by the board.
Mr. Clawson believed in Salt Lake
work for Salt Lake workmen. first, last
and all the time, but he did not think il
came within the province of the board tc
take k4S indSlSA OSlSAS SlS SOuISiAs IL
would be all right Tor them to do SO as
citizens.
Mr. Conklin made long speech in sup
port of his motion and Mr.. Haines re-
piled that he could not as member o.
the board, take the matter before the
council, the members of which were as
well aware of the status of affairs as the
board, but be would willingly sign re-
port as citizen calling attention to the
matter.
The motion to send the matter to the
council was lost, Conklin and Noble
v9ting in the affirmative and Haines and
Clawson in the negative.
The board then adjourned until to.
night.