Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-17
HOME BRICK GOES.
The Councils Position as to
Paving Contracts.
AN IMPORTANT CLAUSE INSERTED.

| Former Contracts-The City attorney
Position-Two Sides of the situation.
Last nights meeting of the city
council was devoted mostly to the dis
clssien and reconsideration of the
Fourth avenue aud Twentieth street
paving contracts After the report of
the street and alley committee on the
Fourth avenue contract, City Attorney
Haas explained that upon examination
OF the ordinance previously passed. he
had discovered that it was defective
and had ordered new ordinance
drawn. Aid. Kennedy then yead the
report from the National Clay company
on its brick. in which it agrees to fur
nlsh it at SO so per thousand. Aid.
81 lesing thereupon stated that be knew
tnat the company just mentioned had
s)d brick laid down in the city at 80
pr thousand and could not see why it
should not give that price now.
AIdermanic Discussions.
AID. Guyer asked that Aid. Huesing be
called to order. Aid. Huesing asked if
that was the best price that could be got
ten from the company. Aid. Knox
thought that Aid. Huesing was not treat
ing the committee right in bringing on
such discussion.
Aid. Guyer thought that in Difference
to the wishes OF the numerous property
holders along Fourth avenue that Rock
Island brick should be specified in the
ordinance. so that all bidders would be
properly advised. Aid. Corken was of
the same opinion. Aid. Huesing then
asked If there was any assurance that the
| price named would be made by the Ma
tional Clay Co. to contractors in case such
brick wss used. Aid. Knox stated that
the committee had the word OF Messrs.
Mesd aud Ruuedge, of the Clay compa
ny, that such price would be given. Mr.
Rutledge, who WAS present, then re
aft med the staIemen'.
Position of the Property Holders.
AID. Guyer then read the list of
p operty holders in favor OF Rock ISL
ald brick. Aid. Huesing st atei that
petition had been gotten up with many
OF the same names attached, who at the
present time favored the letting of the
contract TO Edwards & Walsh. He
fur her stated that he hid seen nearly
veryone affected in his ward, that is
between Sixteenth and Twentieth
streets, and they were in favor of Ed
wards s. Walsh having it. A discus
sion as to the precedence of amend
ments then came up, after which Aid.
8 breeder explained his position in the
matter, in which he said he was hearts
lily in favor of home industries, but
had it not been that the people inter-
es led were DESTROYS of having the Rock
Island brick, he would have been in IA
yor of awarding it to Edwards & Walsh.
The action on the reconsideration of the
Twentieth street contract was then
taken.
Two Sides of the Situation,
AS far as the bids are concerned, Ed
wards & Walsh had the lowest bid on
Fourth avenue and Twentieth street un-
der the original specifications. and the
firm therefore felt that it should have had
the contract and that the Irregularities in
the ordinance was the fault of the coul-
Gil and not of the contractors who bid in
good faith At the same time the firm
held toat it could get no price on home
made brick and therefore had been oblig-
ed to 90 away for brick. Feeling that
they had not been treated fairly, Edwards
q Walsh asked to be released from their
Twentieth street contract. twice awarded
them. They were released ard the coun>
Gil was therefore free 10 jointly &C vertise
fer new bids as it did last night. the
safest and wisest way out OF the predica-
ment, no doubt
The National Clay company On the
other baud, stated exclusively its reasons
forrefusing to quote figures to contractors
other than those interested in the compa
ny. but yielding when it found the dispo-
sition OF the council to specify Rock ISL
and brick, and laying home brick down
at 81 so per thousand less than the out
side manufacturers give TO contractors.
Submitting to the desire Of TIE property
holders affected. the council specified
Rock leland brick. All contractors have
EQUAL advantage In bidding under the
conditions of the new specifications. The
council has solved the problem which
presented itself, in the best way pos sible
1t has extended the proper encourage
ment to home Industry under oondi-
lions not prejudicial to home contractors,
nnt interested In The irdnstru The