San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-02-25
CONTRIBUTED SCRAPS.
Written for the LIGHT.

II sewer Contractor Hindry has
failed to begin work at the time
fixed and agreed upon, In the con-
tract between the city and him, he
has forfeited his contract. Time
was OF the essence OF the contract,
as the city felt a great solicitude to
furnish the unemployed with
work.
The City Council should prove
itself equal to the occasion, by de-
claring, that Mr.. Hindry has for
feited his contract by failing to be-
gin work at the time agreed on.
A rumor has been current, that
Mr.. Hindry has sublet his con-
tract, and is to pocket snug
profit without doing the least
bit Of work to earn it. Rumor
likewise, has it, that when he
could not be reached at his home
city by kilograms from our Mayor,
he was over at indianapolis max.
ing arrangements for subletting
his contract. If this was the
cause Of his failing to be-
gin work at the time agreed on, it
would indicate pretty clearly he
never had any intention to fulfill
his contract, but meant from the
first to sublet it, and to reap his
profit in the lump.
This course on his part would
approach very closely to bad faith
and trifling, and would furnish
good ground for declaring the con-
tract forfeited.
AS a matter of course, Mr.. Hin
dry could not legally sublet his
contract, without the consent Of
the city. II he has taken it on
himself to sublet it without first
procuring the consent Of the city
thereto, the question arises as to
whether it would be sound policy
on the part of the city to consent
to and ratify the transaction.
Engineer Gray estimated the
cost Of the work at about $4,000
and Mr.. Hindry's bid was a frac-
ton Of 1891, 900. Where a contrac-
tor bids so low as to make it GER
tain he has left himself no margin
for profit and will really lose
money, he is under a powerful
temptation to use inferior mate
rails and to slight the work so as to
hedge.
Litigation is an expensive luxury
and usually hangs fire for quite
while, and-it would not be advis-
able for the city to pursue course
that would force it to sue on the
contractors bond for damages for
non-performance of his contract, or
to pocket loss to the amount paid
the contractor prior to his default.
That would be a cnl de sac into
which the city should not allow
itself to be forced.
The council owes it to the people
and itself to consider the entire
ground and to act advisedly in this
matter, having an eye single to the
good Of San Antonio. What course
would pan out best for the city?
That is the only question involved.
Prompt action is always the truest
wisdom. 1t nips prejudice in the
bud and destroys factiousness in
the egg. Nine men out Of ten re-
spect and admire a decided, posi-
tive policy and prompt action,
while they look with contempt
on wishy washy, trimming
policy, that halts between two
opinions, like the ass between the
two bundles OF hay in the old fable.
The council should start out
with the fixed determination to
pursue a broad gagged policy-tO
cultivate barmony-to frown upon
and discourage cliqueism and fac
tiousness in it's body, and to make
the public good its guiding star
and its chart and compass. II it
will run on the above schedule, it
will win golden opinions" even
from its adversaries.
There is a squad of wise acres
and "smart Alexis" in our city
that is never happy except when it
is snarling and growing, or deal
ing out insinuations about there
being jobbery and corruption in
every act of public officers to
whom they are opposed. Such men
use but two colors, pot of white
wash for those to whom they
toady, fetch and carry, and pot
of lampblack for such as they OPP
pose.
These wiseacres and "smart
Alecks," with owl-like looks, and
much shaking Of their added
heads, insist that Mr.. Hindry was
awarded the contract from cor
rupt motives on the part of some