The herald., 1895-03-22
The Special Council Meeting
Held Yesterday
CONTRACTORS HAVE A SAY
Mayor RAIDER Is Requested to Return the
MetcaIf Contract
BY Selling the Sand in the River II Is Claimed
That the Burden of Expense viii
Fall on the Builder.


was held yesterday morning. Present,
Messrs. Blanchard, Pessell, Teed. King
cry, Ashman and Stockwell.
President Teed resigned the chair to
Councilman Stockwell so that he could
take the floor and join in the contem-
plated discussion.
The lobby was packed with contractors
and they listened attentively to the read
ing of the call by the clerk.
Festivities were opened by Mr.. Pessell,
who moved that the Mayor be requested
to return without his signature or ap-
r1oval the contract recently signed be-
tween the city and H. II. Metcalf, where
by the latter was granted exclusive right
to the sand in the river for ten years
President Teed was on his feet in an ln-
stant and explained that the contract re-
fer-ed to had been entered into by the
Council upon the recommendation OF the
Board of Public Works in perfect good
faith. At that time he thought that the
proposed cents yard for the sand
would yield the city a good revenue,
which he thought preferable to the old
plan whereby the contractors helped
themselves and the city received no re-
mpense. Since the signing OF the con-
tract a contra ctor named John Redman,
whom he had known ten years, and in
whom he had every confidence, had told
him that he would gladly pay % cents
cubic yard for the sand under the same
terms as had been agreed to by Metcalf.
This contract. said Mr.. Teed, does
not give Mr.. Metcalf a 'cinch on the
sand, for. in the first place, under his
contract with the city. he cannot charge
more than 25 cents a yard for the sand to
the other contractors, and in the next
place were he to place the price at an ex-
orbitant figure contractors could secure as
good, if not better, sand at the Arroyo
Seco without charge. | am told that
some contractors used to charge toll to
contractors to go over their roads or
bridges to get down to the river. am
in favor of doing away with this toll bus
mess and l want the city now to adver-
ise for bids and let the contract for sand
to the highest bidder, as is done in other
matters
Attorney Messmore said he represented
the taxpayers. During each year, he
said at least $4,000 loads of sand are
taken out of the river bottom, and he fa-
vored the plan of advertising for bids. He
was squared off on the floor of the Coun-
Gil for a lengthy discussion. but Mr.. Teed
called him to order by saying: 1.-The
Council does not care to discuss this sub
ject at this time. | mean no offense to
the gentleman, but if we go into a long
discussion Mr.. Mcfarland, attorney for
Mr.. Metcalf, will also have to be heard,
and we must get through today Mr..
Messmore subsidized, and ex-City Attorney
Mcfarland took the floor and said that
while City Attorney he urged that the
Council should be as fair and impartial as
private persons in business matters He
claimed that for years the city had re-
ceived no revenue from the sand and
Mr.. Metcalf, who is not a contractor, but
a private citizen, made an offer OF eight
cents load. so that the city would get a
revenue and the Council had closed a
~ irh hi 10 coiH hot Il Il
not believe that the Council should call a
special meeting for the purpose of intiu-
encng the action of the Mayor in the
matter
John Rebman, the contractor quoted by
President Teed, said that the citizens
and not the council compose the city.
By this action the man who owns the
property being constructed will have to !
pay for the sand at the rate of % cents a |
load, and the city will receive but cents !
in return. 1t would cost too much to haul /
sand from the Arroyo Seco. and favor
letting the sand business stand as it al !
ways has
Captain Mackay, OF the firm of Mackay |
d Young. one of the leading contracting !
firms of the CITY, could not refrain from
saying few words. He said that on an
average 150, 900 loads of sand are taken !
from the river, and - cents yard had |
been paid for some of it. A brick firm |
had screened it, loaded it in boxes from
which it was loaded by u chute into |
wagons when ready for use. BY the por- |
posed plan cents Il yard will have to be |
paid for the sand, and it will have to be
screened besides"
o. r. Johnson said that the city should |
advertise for bids instead of farming out
the sand. He did not favor selling it, for
the burden would have to be borne by !
those building homes.
After the discussion the question was
put and Mr.. Pessells motion to request
the mayor not to approve the contract was
adopted.
President Stockwell appointed Mr.. Teed
committee Of one to notify Mayor RAIDER
of the councils action. He returned in ii
lew minutes and said his honor would
give the matter due consideration, and the
sneCial session MaS at an and.