The herald., 1896-08-13
/. FOUR Days GRACE GIVEN
Another Chance for Main
Street Contractors
rF|NVL ACTION TAKEN ON monday
A Strong Showing Must Be
Made at That Time
WILL BE NO MORE THRILLING
Mr.. Widuey Tells Why There Has Been
So Much Delay
he Lays All the Blame on the Several Snb.
Contractors
WILL BE NO MORE THRILLING
Mr.. Widney Tells Why There Has Been
So Much Delay
he Lays All the Blame on the Several Snb.
Contractors
Regular Weekly neeting OF the Boar & Of Fire
Commissioners-Protc,t Against q
Power Piant-Furniture
Bids Opened

The Main street paving contract was
again up in the city council yesterday
morning, and the contractors got an
other lease of life until Monday. That
is, action on the city attorneys report
recommending that the contract be can
celed was deferred to that time. The
final action of the council will depend
entirely on the contractors themselves.
II they at once STRAIT up actual work and
prosecute the same in a business like
manner they will probably be allowed
TO finish the work without further pro-
ceedings being taken. If the proper
showing is not made, then the contract
will be Cancelled without further DELAY
on Monday-at least that is what the
members of the council say. Messrs.
Munson, Pessell and Snyder voted yes
terday to at once cancel the contract.
Messrs. Ashman, Kingery, Stockwell,
Teed and Blanchard voted to defer ac-
tion. MI Savage was not present
When the council met, the city attor-
ney was sent for, and when he arrived
II. j. Widney, jr, on behalf of the con-
tractors, stated that last week Mr.. Long
had been recalled by telegraph from San
Francisco for the purpose of at once
starting up the work. He had been de-
tained, and did not get home until Mon
day. The sub-contractors and material
men had at once been instructed to pro-
ceed with the work. There had been
some trouble about getting the curb
lines and grades, and in consequence the
men had been unable to proceed This
had now been arranged and a gang of
twenty-five or thirty men We're on the
ground ready to commence as soon as
the engineers force could give them the
grade. He assured the councilmen that
there would be no further delay. Itwas
necessary to keep ahead on the curb two
or three blocks. so that the cement
would harden, but the actual work of
laying the pavement would commence
this week.
Councilman Snyder wanted to know
why the work had been delayed until
this time. The contract had been signed
up since the 9Th of May last, and moth
ing had been done except tear the street
up and leave it in an almost impossible
condition.
Mr.. Widney in reply. said that they
had been kept back by the sub-contract-
ors. Contracts had been made with
certain parties, who disappointed them,
and at the eleventh hour contracts had
to be made with others. Gray Brothers
N w dIu Idu the SuD-cO1tTdct IOr OOlnS
the cement work, and they would push
the work.
'As a matter of fact, Mr.. Widney,"
asked Mr.. Munson, has not all of this
delay been because you were waiting for
a decision of the supreme court as to the
validity of the bonds?"
TT has not" replied Mr.. Widney. II
know that L will not be believed when l
say so, but such has not been the case"
rl.f N,tr-
owners had not been treated fairly by
the contractors. 1t was unfortunate,
but they had been the chief sufferers by
the delay.
Councilman Snyder asked Mr.. Wild
ney if he thought the work had been
prosecuted with reasonable diligence.
Mr.. Widney replied that they were
now going to push the work, and there
would be no further cause for complaint.
do not expect to live long enough to
see the work completed" remarked Mr..
Munson, in a sarcastic manner. Mr..
Munson then told about going over the
street and seeing but one man at work
filling a chuck hole. He declared that he
had no confidence in the promises of
the contractors. The way in which the
contractors had acted was an imposi-
tion on the property holders, and it
should no longer be tolerated.
L
due Difference to what Mr.. Widney had
said, he regarded the last promise of the
contractors as a mere subterfuge. He
therefore moved that the city attorneys
report be adopted, that the contract be
declared Cancelled and that the clerk be
instructed to readvertise for bids.
Mr.. Munson favored the motion, and
Mr.. Kingery went on record as favoring
some immediate action.
City Attorney Dunn said that 1t was
currently reported that the contract was
a fat thing, and that the contractor
would probably make fight in the
courts for his rights and further compli-
cate matters.
Then all the councilmen took shy at
Mr.. Widney and the other contractors.
All agreed that what was most urgently
wanted was the paving of the street.
Mr.. Pessell, however, wanted to "cut the
heads off the contractors at once" in
which he was econded by Mr.. Snyder
and also by Mr.. Munson. The other
members, however, thought that as they
had waited so long, four days more
would Go no material harm, and a vote
being taken, action was deferred by
vote of to 3. 1t was stated, however.
IL actual paving was not commenced
this week, the contract would be can
celed and the matter could then be set
tied in the courts.