St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-14
IT is GOOD FOR EVIL
That the Sanity City Has Re-
turned to Minneap-
oils
IN AWARDING A CONTRACT
TO a Minneapolis Firm Whose
Bid Night Have Been
Rejected.
THE COMO AVENUE BRIDGE.
Its Superstructure Will Be
Built by Gillette-Herzog
Company.
The COMO AVENUE BRIDGE.

body decided to recommend that the
contract for the construction of the
superstructure Of the Como avenue
bridge be awarded to the Gillette
Herzog Manufacturing company, of
Minneapolis. The entire committee
was present, and so were represent
atiVeS of the rival bridge companies
and their attorneys, the city en-
gineer, the first assistant corpora
ton attorney and Tim Reardon. The
latter, however, was merely a spec
tator-a rare role for Tim to play.
The controversy was not Of vital
interest to the city, as it involved
only the sum of $18.97-the difference
between the two bids-but it fur
nished food for an entertaining dis
cussion. AS previously set forth in
these columns, the board of alder
men at its last meeting a week ago
tuesday night voted to award the
contract to the Wisconsin Bridge
and Iron company, of Milwaukee,
whose bid, according to City En-
gineer Rundlett's figures, was $2.99
lower than that of the Gillette-Her-
zog Manufacturing company. At
the meeting of the assembly the
Thursday following that body voted
TO award the contract to the Mime
apoils company. as it had in the
meantime been discovered that upon
another basis of calculation than
that adopted by the engineer. the
Minneapolis company's bid was
1887 lower than that of the Milwau-
kee concern, whose bid was $31, 1S6. 80.
Inc discrepancy was caused by
variance In the form of the bids. All
OF the bidders save the Gillette-Herzog
company bid strictly in accordance
with the specifications, which, in the
iiiatter Oh the wooden sidewalks on the
prlcse, asked for bid of so much
per meal foot of sidewalk COM
pleted. The Minneapolis company's
DID offered to furnish sufficient lurn-
Der at SIS per 1000 feet, board measure.
to construct the sidewalks, which are
10 be IL feet inches in width and 65O
Ieet long. City Engineer Rundlett
oeemed the Gillette-Herzog company's
Did informal, and so reported. but in
calculating the total, he figured on
the basis of 12-foot lumber, as it is
cut at that length. But First Assist
ant Corporation Attorney Phillips adj
V1sed the assembly that the contractor
could collect from the city ONLY for
the actual amount of lumber laid and
as on the basis of II feet and inches
the G1llette-Herzog bid was SIS. 81 low
er, the assembly voted to award II the
contract. A special meeting of the
board of aldermen was then held IN
take action upon the assembly reso-
tuition, but, instead of concurrine with
it,
REFERRED THE MATTER
TO the committee on streets.
AT the opening of the session yes
terday, ex-City Attorney Chamber
IAN, who appeared in behalf of the
Glllette-Herzog company, made an ar
gument in their behalf. He contended
that the question at issue was one of
law Tor the corporation attorney to de-
clde, and not question of fact for the
city engineer. Mr.. Phillips had given
1t as his opinion that the Herzog bid
was formal and regular, and Mr..
chamberlain thought he was right.
THE specifications" said Mr.. Cham
berlain. do not require any definite
form for the bid, but simply that the
bidder provide sufficient lumber to con-
.struct a sidewalk of the dimensions
specified. Nothing is said about nails
and bolts. AS for the matter of 12-
foot lumber. it makes no difference
what the Herzog people calculated
on, whether to cut the II foot inches
from 12-foot or 16-foot boards. There
is no inaccuracy in our bid, and any
way you figure it, we are s18. 81 lower
than the Wisconsin company"
Then, referring to the fact that the
Gillette-Herzog is a Minneapolis con-
Germ, Mr.. Chamberlain said:
ut is true they live in Minneano,is
but what do you care whether thew
live in Minneapolis or Jericho or
TeXaS?"
c. d. O'Brien replied to Mr.. Chamber
lain, in behalf of the Wisconsin Bridge
ana iron company. Mr.. O'Brien began
by deprecating the circumstance of his
pelng Obliged to argue such a matter
before officials of the city government.
He thought it was wrong to permit a
question of this kind to reach such a
stage. 1t was bad system to make
the council half a law court and half a
jury. 1t seemed to him that there was
only one course for the council to
pursue. 1t had referred the bids to the
city engineer and that official had
found that the bid of the Wisconsin
company was the lowest, after figl1r-
ing on the proper basis. 1t was, there
fore, the duty of the council to abide by
the decision of its official If there was
a wide disparity between the bids.
there might be some justification for
a careful investigation or hesitation
before taking action, but in this case
the public question Of money was not
involved. Mr.. O'Brien contended that
the bidders should be compelled to fol-
low the specifica tons as the specifica-
tons We're drawn up for the protection
of the public, and that the company
which followed the specifications and
put in the lowest bid, was entitled to
the work. In conclusion, Mr.. O'Brien
told the committee that the council
could not obtain good service If it
PUT NO FAITH
| in its competent advisers.
Mr.. Chamberlain remarked that the
Herzog company was not charging the
city engineer with error, but was in
sisting that it was a question of law
| at stake and that the city's law de-
| partment had advised that the Herzog
| company's bid was regular.
Mr.. OBrien then arose in his capac-
| ity as citizen of st. Paul, and uttered
| some pertinent opinions concerning the
| municipality ten miles up the river.
81 do not" said Mr.. O'Brien, wish
| to be understood as asking you to
discriminate against the Gillette-Her
zog Manufacturing company, because
| it happens to be located in Minneapolis.
l dislike to say anything against that
city, and would not were it not for the
| fact that our legislators at the state
| house have had to dig their toes into