The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-16
FOR CEDAR RIVER SYSTEM.
Chicago Firm Bids for Contract
Under Present Terms.
PRICE UNDER THE ESTIMATE.
Gahan 4 Byrne'~ Offer Only One Re-
cefved by City Authorities
Features Of Contract Unastrac-
tive 10 Bfdder~-Board of Public
Works Will Report To the Coun-
Gil. Which VIII Act Thursday.

Works VIII Report to the Coun-
Gil. Which VIII Act Thursday.
A als;inetiveiy forward step in the con-
siruction Of the Cedar river water s,,nnlv
system "as taken yesterday By the rr,unicI-
pa authorities, when bids were opened by
the board Of public works for the consrrur
tlon or The plant. according 10 the speciri-
cations prepared by City Engineer r II
thomson. and according to the terms Of
oF1i'lahce No. 3ssg, voted upon by the peonls
OF Seattle December 10. lSs5.
he -Four ef l. O'Clock noon Yesterday WAS
SCI ny fae board for the opening of the bids.
Nhen the board assembled in the CITY nall
vas round that but one bidder had ap-
P'a9ed' thls one being the firm OF Gahan
& byrne Of Chicago. The amount named
IN the BID filed by this firm was 81 2ss go y,
or sii'S.'@ less than tie sum provided by
'ue ordnance Tor the completion of the
pant. IL was only within the province Of
H3e board 10 consider the bid and recon-
NERD IL either for acceptance or rejection
TO the city council. This the board viii do
a. special nesting Of the city council 10
De neld Thursday evening
The firm OF Gahan AZ Bvrne is well tnov,n
IA chicago and throughout the East. Pres
iGent thomson, OF the board of public
"oIAs, mas ascertained that the firm built
me sewerage system az the grounds of the
world Columbia exposition at Chicago in
lS9-. mat Ii has recently completed a con-
tract OF six and one-half miles of the Chi
caso drainage canal, and that it has at pres
ent contract for a trifie over four miles
or the canal at the lower end, together with
the construction Of the controlling works
for the canal
Why There Were Not Mare u,a
Ihat there were not more bidders was not
a surprise TO the members OF the city adj
ninistraton. The terms of the ordinance
provide That the work is 10 be paid for in
warrants, which are secured only by the
piedging of 70 per cent OF th. revenues
from the water plant. Interest on the war
rants does not run. under the terms OF the
ordinance. until the contract Shall have been
Completed and the work turned over to the
city and accepted
since the incipiency of the general scheme
Tor the addition Of the Cedar river water
system TO the citys source Of supply. the
municipai authorities have feared that the
features of the plan, as described In the or
dinance. relating to the payment of interes;
on the warrants, would tend to defeat the
whoie enterprise. Bankers and financial
men or the city have realized that under
the terms imposed by the ordinance. IT
would be difficult. II not impossible, TO Sc
cure reasonable bids from reliable con-
tractors. This fact undoubtedly had a de
tsfrent effect on several contracting firms
OF seattle. Portland. Spokane. Minneapolis
op-nion OF the city officials, for the want
or competition for the contract, as evidenced
by the receipt OF but one bid yesterday.
IL IS Just a Il some one came to the
city of Seattle ard said: Here's a house:
take IL and ren: IL. aud pay for il out OF
i mnat you have left from the rent after pay
ing Your expenses This is the way 4 men,
Der Of the city government described the un-
attractive features OF the proposals 10 the
contractors. He had reference. Of course
to that feature Of thu contract which saws
sAdt ne interest snail accrue on the dent
until the work shall have been completed
by the contractors and accepted by the mu-
hicphiity, ihsiead of allowing the issuance
or warrants els fast as the estimates OF work
done are made b. the city engineer
Tribute to SemttIe's Standing.
The members OF the board of public
works. ard. in fact. every city official OF
the past three years, who has had ANYTHING
10 do with the Cedar river water system
has realized that this feature OF the plan
would operate 10 the disadvantage of the
city, and would TO a certain extent retard
work on the system. inasmuch as il would
make the submission of bids by contractors
exceedingly unattractive While this has
been the sentiment at the city hall, since
work on he pans of the system have been
taken up. it is nevertheless realized that If
the contract is taken or the terms imposed
and 1t Is carried out. II viii be a tribute TO
the commercial integrity and business
standing OF The city.
The office Of the board az public works
vas hit'd yesterday AT L O'clock, when
or. Several members Of the city council
were present, among them J. a. James and
II. p. Rude. II. 4. elise, whose interest in
the Cedar river system mas borne fruit in
active work from the beginning Of the en-
terprlse; II. c. Henry. the banker and con-
tractor; CITY Comptroller VIII II. Parry
and several other well-known citizens were
In attendance. Mr.. Gahan and Mr. Byrne,
the bidding contractors. were also present.
and The remainder OF the gathering con-
sisted AZ prospective bidders on contracts
for wood itave and steel pipe and other
materials needed in the construction of The
plant.
Considerable soemnlty marked the occa-
sion President Thomson onenad tho envsI-
ope containing the bid OF Gahan & Byrne.
In which was eso inclosed "A certified check
for Ss2.ss. TIE bid was read and recorded
ey Secretary Frank Oleson. and then the
board adjourned till the evening session.
Items in the hid.
Following is a detailed statement OF the
bid of Gahan & Byrne:
Head WofkS ...-.. .---..-. ........ 81 ,6af 30
Pressure pipe from head works
% city park reservoir -. sI2. 2sI 50
High service reservoir in City
park -....... ....- ....-...-...... liz qi5 50
Low service reservoir In Magic
addition ...... -. .-..,. 800. i22. &c 10
Metal work on 30X60 foot stand
pipe on Queen Anne hill .... $50 o.
concrete work on stand pipe =. II 81 ~
humping mains 49,. --.....--... 1854 %
Wooden stave and steel pipe be-
tween reservoirs $500. ...... 1925 50
Waste pipe from high service
reservoir al City park 10 Lake
Union ....... ,....... ...-... ...-. 5.i37 %
Connection % low service reser-
Vo.r with distributing system
and Tenth avenue sewer . 37if1 %