The record-union., 1896-03-29

Touhey, that all these bids except
mine were all made out in the same
room, and each man saw them all and
knew just what they were before they
went to the Board of Trustees"
THAT is not So" shouted Perrine.
There is no truth in the assertion
Contractor Read also denied the soft
Impeachment in vigorous language.
1T is So" said Touhey, and you fell
lows tried to buy me off. You asked me
what my price was and told you was
not for sale The bids were made up at
All street."
Mr.. White" said the Governor, you
say this contract belongs to your client.
Tell me what is the duty of the board,
when Mr.. Perrine offers to do the work
for $1,000 less than Touheys contract.
Have we a right to use the peoples
money in paying Touhey?"
Mr.. White answered that the State
could well afford $1,000 to break up
the combination and give other con-
| tractors a chance and to bring down
the prices of such work. Mr.. Perrine
had plenty of chance to bid, but inten-
| tionally omitted to do so and it was
unjust to allow him to come in now and
underbid Touhey. 1t was never in
tended in the law TO take a contract
from a man who bids openly and give
it to another man who comes in after
wards and offers to do it lower.
Secretary Brown said he wanted to
do right toward ALL If the board could
not let Touhey go on with his contract
it should not build the street at all. He
would vote not to.
ATTEMPTED BRIBERY.
There has been some queer work
about the Streets" said Kent John
Beaton, who was appointed by the
property on K street to look
after their interests and see that the
proper quality of cement and other ma
terials were used, told me that he was
offered $500 to go home and be sick for
three weeks. It's a mighty poor street.
but he did not go home sick
Il want to deny that right here" said
Perrine, excitedly. mo such offer was
made, and if it had been, it would have
been taken quickly. The street is all
right, except along the car tracks,
Leonard said that the lowest bid for
the contract for bituminizing street
from Eleventh to Fifteenth last year
was not accompanied by a 10 per cent
check, as required, and all bids were
rejected. Touhey's bid was the next
lowest and he believed it should have
been taken, as he thought the lowest
bid, unaccompanied by a check, was
trick to throw him out
well, If we accept Touhey's bid,
when another responsible person offers
to do the work for $1,000 less, what
will the people think of us?'' asked the
Governor
L think If the people knew all the cir
cumstances as we know them, they
would say you did just right said
Leonard.
Secretary Brown said he cared moth
ing for the $4,000 when it came to the
question Of justice and right He was
ready to vote now and go on record, too
He believed in doing justice to ALL When
he was contractor and got beaten
he took his medicine and never squealed
He thought 1t was child's play.
Mr.. White said there was a chance
now for the board to break the combi-
nation and do the people the greatest
service, in comparison to which the
S2,OOO was nothing. If the board thought
1T could not give the contract to Touhey.
however, let Perrine reduce his bid to
writing and put up a check, and then
let others bid also.
After some more discussion the board
went into executive session on the aues-
tion.
Secretary Brown and State Treasurer
Rackliffe were appointed a committee
to consult with r. T. Devlin in the mat
ter. Mr.. DeVlin inforrnar tbar, tbo+
without taking time for an investiga-
tfon, he knew of no reason why the State
could not make a private contract with
Mr.. Touhey as well as anyone else. and
take bond guaranteeing the street for
term of years; nor did he know of any
thing to prevent the Board of Trustees
from appointing Marsden Manson on
the request of the State, to represent
it in seeing that the work is well and
faithfully performed
The board will meet again on Monday
at II a. m.s