Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-02-05
SIDE TALK.
Bids for Paving Opened at Last
Nights Council Meeting.
THE SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTORS

Edwards & walsh Construceion COMPANY
the Lowest on the Twelfth Street I'm
p.ovement, II. L. whsslan sevs.th Ave
nue. and Thirtisth Stfest-Other Mstters
Bids for the improvement OF
Twelfth street from Fourth avenue
to the city limits, Seventh avenue
from Seventeenth to Twenty-third
street, and Thirtieth street from
Fifth to Seventh avenue were opened
at last evenings session of the city
council. There were four bidders on
the.Twelfth street paving, and from all
appearances the Edwards & Walsh
Construction company will be
awarded the contract, its bid being
the lowest. H. L. Wheelan will un.
doubtedly receive the contract for
paving Seventh avenue and
Thirtieth street. his figures be-
ing considerably below those Of
his four competitors. The bids
in the tie on the three sec
tons of paving were referred
to the street and alley COM
mittee and the mayor, who were in
structed to report the successful con-
tractors at the next meeting, when
the work will be formally awarded.
1t is gratifying to know that our
home contractors will receive the
bulk of next years public work,
which is assurance that our home
labor will be taken care of and the
improvements executed satisfactor-
lily.
That Telephone Franchise.
A communication from &. G.
Lezynsky, president of the Interna-
tional Telephone Construction COM
pany Of Chicago, was read to the
council. The letter states that
Messrs. Crawford. Bond and Smith,
who obtained a franchise for the con-
struction of a telephone exchange
here in their own names, are no
longer employees of the Chicago COM
pany, and therefore asks the council
to insert in the franchise the name,
International Telephone Construc-
ton company, instead of the original
holders. The council granted the
right to Messrs. Bond, Crawford and
Smith on their own individual repre-
sentation, and without regard to Mr..
Lezynsky's superiority over them, and
the latter gentleman will have to go
through the same formalities to
which his employees, as he calls them,
were subjected to. The telephone
franchise was granted to Mr.. Craw-
ford and his associates in absolute
good faith, and the council did not
intend to act through brokers, and the
sooner MIR. Lezynsky understands
that valuable franchises are not dealt
out in this city open handed to all
who may ask for them, the
sooner he will understand the
situation here. This instance in
question serves to demonstrate
the wisdom of The ARGUS sugges-
ton that the city should place in
trinsic value on the franchises
granted to people it has no acquaint-
ance with. The ARGUS hopes that
the council will move with extreme
precaution in dealing with this pro-
ceeding.
The matter. as it should be, was
referred to the proper authorities for
deliberation.
Other Matters.
A bill presented by Engineer OAR
ling for $12O for services rendered
during the month of January was
rather extortionate. as viewed by
Aid. Corken, of the finance commit
tee, who moved that it be referred
for investigation.
The ordinance for the pavement of
the alleys between Fifteenth and
Twentieth streets, and First and
Fourth avenues, with the exception
of two blocks, was adopted together
with the grades established, and this
improvement is included in next ses-
sion's work.
Another important matter which
came up. was one looking to the es-
Enlistment of a system of sewers in
the Seventh ward, Aid. Foss present.
ing an ordinance to this effect, which
wos odoptod