The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-21
READY 70 CALL FOR BIDS.
BE Excited. Reducing the Cost to
the Cfty-LarKest Water Com

TIE tine IS drawing near when work On
sne Cedar river water system VIII have
actually begun. A force Of three craughts-
men. including Assistant Engineer @. "
Miller. whose work along this line for two
years has famslsarszed him with every de-
tai, IS basi!y engaged preparing plans ana
specsaea tons IN readiness for tho cal ror
bids that Will be made about September 10.
Advertisements Will run either sixty Or
ninety days. preference being IN favor OF
the latter period. in order thar the details
may be more widely disseminated among
these who are in position 70 bid fer the
contract, IS the greater the competition
The less costly the system Will he 10 the
city.
Any fears that may have existed as 20
an adequate nunber Of bids being made
have been dIspeiled by the great interest
displayed by water works contractors In
al! sections OF the country. Several par
ties. representing large iron concerns in
Boston, Duluth and other cities, have been
IN Seattle investigating the route OF the
righi-oi~Way and securing the necessary
data 10 enable them 10 tender their bids
when advertisements are opened.
Acting City Engineer George Cotteriti
said yesterday TO a Post-Intellisencer re-
porter thar everything was progressing in
A most satisfactory aad promising man
ner
ut Is we'll known" said he. "that Mr.
thomson has been steadily, almost exCiu-
sIsely, engaged on the Cedar river plans
Tor several months past, and before start
ing Tor the north he ief, explicit and com-
preaensive instructions as 10 the manner
IN which the work should be carried on
during his absence. l shall start at once
upon the work of draught!ng a form OF
contract 10 be used. No form that We
now have on hand is applicable 10 the
variations of this work, and this one Item
VIII involve large amount OF labor and
tine for its completion. In the mean
time. the preparation OF specifications and
blue prints viii continue 10 be pushed
with all possible facility. there being no
other obstacle in the way OF advertising
for bids, now that the council has cleared
the right-of-way by an appropriation of
Se7.oso TO pay off the warrants and insure
a clean title 10 the contractors
"A formal call will be made not later
than September 10. I should say. and the
number OF contestants promises TO be
large. They Will come in from all over
the country, East, West and the Middle
states, and in view OF such keen cognpe-
tition the bids will be figured down to the
lowest possible margin, the benefit Of
which, in its Connection with economy TO
Seattle. will be greater than Is popularity
supposed by those who are unfamiliar
with the methods pursued in this work.
This will be the heaviest contract ever
let in Seattle. and probably the greatest
IN connection with the establishment CT
water system that the West has ever
seen. involving. as 1t does the expenditure
OF more than sl.01o0oo, When this is I'M
derstood. il Is no mystery why contract
ors are eager 10 secure the work
The balance of work in the office can
now be pursued Systematically and speed
ily. Pamphlets containing all data reiat-
ing to the terms and regulation OF con-
tracts. as we'll as specifications OF most
vouininous nature. will be prepared IN
numbers sufficient for distribution among
all who desire 10 investigate, and blue
prints Will also be made TO meet the de-
mand. Our idea is 10 set fun and free
competition. and lower the cost as much
as possible for the city.
calls for bids viii be published In the
Post-intelligencer. the official city paper.
and In the leading engineering ana con-
tracing publications OF San Francisco and
New York, advertisements 10 run thres
months, probably. for the purpose. as I
said before o: securing the greatest pos
s;ha number OF bids"