The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-09

At the session of the council tonight
a communication from the board OF
public works will be read which viii
be of great interest to the members of
the former body, inasmuch as it per-
tains TO the settlement of the ques-
ton of authority in the making of con-
tracts, as to which body has the right
to control the erection of buildings.
the laying of water pipes and other
work.
The question was raised yesterday
afternoon in the meeting of tine board
of public works by Judge Marshall
who declared the case was one which
should be decided as soon as possible.
He had talked with Mr.. Young Of
the city council on the matter and 1t
was decided from the reading of the
statute that it was the duty of the
board to take action in this matter.
The board has the right and it is the
duty of the members as a board, to let
all contracts for city work, no matter
how large or how small they may be.
Action was taken on the matter by
ordering the clerk to write the council
in relation to a former communication
bearing upon this subject and ask for
action.
This matter is important in this that
it will settle the question as to who
has the right to let the contract for
the new Jail, the board or the council.
1t is understood the mayor believes
the board is the proper body. The
opinion of the attorney will doubtless
decide the case without further lparley.
Gravity Sewer Matters.
Chairman Doremus raised an import
ant question; one which will cause
some debate of a grave character when
the final meeting is held to dispose of
it. The chair called attention to the
fact that the sewer in the part of the
city lying north of the Warm Springs,
on the fill near the mill of the Salt
Lake Mill and Elevator company, has
settled some two and oRe-haf feet.
There is a section three hundred feet
long and the sag is a gradual one.
The question is who will have the duty
of repairing this? Will the city do
tractors have to make the L1cded re-
pairs?
This question was of such Importance
the board did not care to take action
right away, but decided that it should
be brought up at a special session OF
the council which shall pe called for
the purpose at which the city attOr-
chairman of the board shall be in
vited to be present.
1t appears there is a question as, to
whether the city, by its old chatrmal
of the board gave consent to the conn
tractors to go ahead with this worfd
and do it. If this be the case the ciaier
will be required to do the work; If -
the contrary, the contractors will had ~
to do the work at their own expensel
The chairman stated the sag was
such that it could be repaired by rails
ing the bottom of the sewer without
incommoding the flow for some years
yet. When the sewer was used to its
full capacity, however, the arch would
have to be removed and raised There
are few cracks in the work at this
time, those discovered being small
WatsOn's Time Check.
The matter of paying the time check
of J. c. Watson, jr., was taken up
once more. 1t was stated by the chair,
and the minutes of the clerk bore him
out that his testimony in this matter
was very conflicting, as to the time
put in and the wages received. It was
decided to reject the claim. Later IN
the session, Bishop Watson stated tf9s
young man was unable to make h1mf
self clear on all the points indicated on
account of difidence and mOdesty.
L
cision.
miscellaneous.
A communication which was read at
the last session of the city council in
relation to the clock at the corner of
Main and First South streets was
called up and the board, having no
facts before it, the matter was referred
to the chairman and the city engineer
for an investigation and report The
owners of the clock claim the city is
liable for damag es to the ticker by
reason of the construction Of sewer
man-hole close to the clock.
The engineer called attention to the
matter Of leaving some of the lumber
in the gravity sewer and stated he
believed it was not necessary, except
in certain cases. He favored giving
the chairman the option of leaving it
where he deemed the best interests Of
the city demanded it should be left and .
this action was taken.
Mr. Young also called attention tg
the fact that nothing has as yet beeIS
done in the way of disposal of sewage
from the gravity sewer and asserted
he had written to several cities on the
subject, but had received few replies.
The matter was finally left with the
city engineer to draft a plan and pre-
sent the same to the board for ac-
ton.
The board allowed the twepty-first
estimate of the engineer in favor OF
the gravity sewer contra tors amount
ing to $1O,952.36.
Frank Harrington's Eequest for lines
and grades for the fence on the sewer
fill north of the Warm Springs was re-
ferred to the chairman and the
engineer to settle.
The board then adjourned after al
lowing a few bills.