The record-union., 1897-04-07
MAYOR GAINS His POINT.
Trustees ReScinded the Sewer Contract
Yesterday.
Devine Proposes to Supersede the
Vrooman Act in Year
or So More.


adjourned meeting yesterday afternoon,
Trustees Leonard, Wachhorst, Kent,
Davis, Mckay, Devine, Bentley, Iozer
and Pennish being present.
Corporation Counsel Johnson ap-
peared to give his opinion on the con-
tract with Campbell He thought that
1t was not such a contract as the board
could enter into. The only person who
could enter into a contract for run
ming the sewage plant, under the Vroo-
man Act, is the Superintendent of
Streets. There is another provision
that renders the contract an unfit one
and that is the provision that the plant
shall be run to the satisfaction of the
Chief Engineer of the Water Works
and the Board of Trustees, while the
Chief Engineers duties are most for
eign to the supervision of the sewage
plant.
WELL" said Devine, 1--WE hope within
year to wholly devroomanize the
whole matter 1t is against public pol
icy to deny an opportunity to the peo-
pie to save several hundred dollars a
month
Kent move that the board rescind
the contract with Campbell and let him
be paid for running the plant during
the time he has run it and release his
bondsmen
Devine moved to amend by reconsid-
ering the action by which the board
adopted the contract over the Mayors
veto. The amendment was carried
and Campbells bondsmen were also re-
leased
ToZer said he had serious doubts as
to whether the city wants to let out a
contract for running the plant and
the matter, he thought, should be con-
sidered carefully before further action
is taken.
The Cle-k read the specifications pre-
pared by the Superintendent of Streets
and DeviEe said he did not think any
contractor in the State would enter
into contract under them.
Mckay suggested that the matter be
deferred till next Monday night and
Devine said he wished to give the May
or a chance to show that he could run
the plant for 5000 a month, as he
claimed. He moved that the matter
go over and that the Mayor and Super
1ntendent of Streets continue to run the
pump until further action is taken.
Also, that the Sewerage Committee
make amendments to the specifications
as would enable contractors to bid.
Superintendent Croly said that he
had drawn the specifications and that
they were in line with what he, as
contractor, had repeatedly bid on.
Specifications always require the en-
ployment of competent men and he
had more than once had to let men
go because they did not suit the con-
tractor and architect
w. J. Hall said he would not bid on
the specifications, as they require the
contractor to make an exact report of
the amount of coal, oil, etc, used.
Tozer said that was just what the
board wanted. 1t had been stated that
the plant could be run forty per cent.
cheaper than by coal and he wanted
TO see if that We're so and could only
do SO through such a report as to cost
of coal.
Superintendent Croly said it cost for
the month of March, S1360 20.
Bentley said that if ever he had been
in favor of municipal handling of plants
of this kind, that opinion had been re-
moved by the report of the experts on
the pump and boilers. Every member
of the board knew that there was at
least one man in the water works who
was unfit for his position, but it had
been found impossible to remove him.
although he had been before the board
two or three times. He did not know
what the obstacle was.
1T is on account of his pull; that's
ALL" said Tozer
Five votes, that's what is the mat
ter" said Mckay.
Devines motion to defer it and
change the specifications was carried
Wall & Dainton were granted an ex-
tension of thirty days on their contract
to clean the Thirty-first street canal.
The specifications for sprinkling, fix
ing the boundaries of the sprinkling
districts, was read, as were the recon-
mendations made in them by the Street
Committee and Street Superintendent
Devine favored the recommendation
that teams for doing the sprnkling at
so much an hour be advertised for. and
that the sprinkling be done under the
supervision of the Street Superinten-
dent He also thought it might be we'll
to allow the superintendent to employ
a man to watch the sprnklers and see
that they do their work properly.
On motion of Kent, the specifications
We're laid over till Monday.
The Superintendent of Streets ex-
planned in relation to A. Mazzini's bill
for street sweeping, that 1t was larger
than the contract called for. He also
said that the contract called for sweep
ing the streets clean from curb to curb
at least once day, which has not been
done, although they are much cleaner
than heretofore.
The board then adjourned.