The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-24
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
FIRST MEETING OF THIS YEAR
HELD YESTERDAY.
Very Little Done, But It May Call
For Action By the Mayor and
neutrality-suspicious. Likely to
Follow. ,ssH

/ The first meeting of the board of public
works this year was held yesterday after
noon \ bare quorum, consisting OF
Chairman Haines and Messrs. Hale and
Downey. was present. Messrs. Marshall
and Treweek being absent. Only small
amount of business was transacted. but
that little may possibly prompt the mayor
and council TO remove the present mem
bers, so that the board may be reorgan-
lied on more economical lines as has been
proposed. The recorders formal notice OF
the passage of the salary reduction frdl-
nance which was designed TO anect the
board members as well as all other city
officials, was expected to nave caused
some discussion, or at least an intimation
that no obstacle would be left in tho way
for the early reorganization contemplat-
ed. But there was no discussion and no
announcement of intended designations.
The recorders notice was merely filed
CARRYING CHIPS ON SHOULDERS.
The meeting had been called to pass up
on the city engineers first and final eSti-
construction of the Third East street sew
err The engineer reported the work salts
factorily completed and that the sum OF
S532. ~ was due the contractor, with $40 IN
addition if it We're deemed best to waive
the penalty for seven days delay in the
completion the delay having been due
largely to the fact that the temperature
WAS too low for doing the cement work.
Chairman Haines started the music by
saying that he believed there was nothing
before the board TO act upon, no of1clal
notification having been received of the
councils approval of the contract made
by the board with Mr.. Folsom. The chair
man made the further point that the
council had refused to allow the board to
employ an inspector and that the board
had had no supervision of the work.
On Mr.. Hales motion, the city engineer
was notified that the board had nothing
to act upon, for the reasons stated by the
chairman.
The melting was then adjourned.
THE ENGINEER'S VIEWS.
Engineer Kelsey waited for a quorum
and. thinking no meeting would be held.
went up town on official business. He re-
GREETED that he was not present at the
meeting. To a Herald reporter he stated.
in response to questions, that the board
should have notified the council of its ac-
ton. Under the law. it was his duty to
submit his estimates for contract work to
the board. AS TO the claim that the board
had not received formal notice of the
councils approx i of the contract and had
had no supervision of the work, he knew
that Chairman Haines had a copy of the
approved contract in his possession and
had also visited and inspected the work
during its progress. Moreover. the chair
man had joined him in issuing q letter of
permission to Contractor Folsom relative
to making two tunnels, on Jan. q.
THE COUNCIL APPRAISED.
Contractor Folsom sent a communica-
ton to the council last evening protesting
against what he termed the boards spite
work. which resulted in the money due
being without excuse retained from him.
Councilman Buckle explained the situa-
ton as he understood it, and N his reso-
luton, the sum of 800 was appropriated
to Mr. Folsom on account. The matter of
the difference between the council and the
board which also carries with it the bal
ance OF the contractors claim. was re-
ferred to the sewer committee to investi-
gate and report.
In the opinion of several councilmen.
the next step will be 20 remova the re-
fractory members. so that the board may
be reorganzed without further delay on
man to be the new city engineer, and the
balance of the membership to be made up
of the heads OF the street and water
works department and two citizens.