The herald., 1898-12-02
WILL Rf-ADvfRTISt
MORE BIDS WANTED ON FIRE
ALARM APPARATUS
THE SALARY WARRANTS PASS
Several Funds Transferred by Council
on Recommendation Of Finance
Committee-City Hall Notes

1t was decided at special meeting of the
council yesterday to reject the bid OF the
Gamewell Fire Alarm company on the fire
alarm apparatus to be bought by the city un-
der the provisions of the bond issue, and to
readvertise spr bids. This action was taken
at the request of w. A. Rose, coast, agent OF
the Camewell company. The company,
through Mr.. Rose, had made a proposal Of
$6l75 to furnish the city with fifty fire alarm
boxes, 700-oell storage battery, an auto
matte repeater, wenty-four-circuit work
ing board and twelve-circuit storage battery
switchboard. This being the only and con-
seQuently the lowest, bid, it was referred to
the board of public works to report on at
next meeting.
Yesterday Mr.. Rose was on hand with a
request that the bid be rejected, for the
reason that the company in figuring up the
total had neglected to add an item Of some
5000; in other words, had offered to put
in the fire alarm boxes for nothing. As the
company had figured the cost of the other
apparatus at $6l75 and as there are besides
fifty fire alarm boxes to supply which are
valued at 500 each, the company was not
anxious to abide by its bid. Mr.. Rose ex
BiulhGu Vic pOSitiOV anu OhClSO W otohA thS
expense of readvertising.
"You can plainly see, gentlemen, that it
was blunder," said he, but the matter is
in your hands. l can assure You that our
bid will be the same as before, with the one
exception of the addition of the cost of the
boxes"
Councilman Toll moved that the bid be
rejected and that it be agreed that the next
successful bidder stand the expense of ad-
vertising. Mr.. Nickel offered as an amend
ment that no matter who was awarded the
contract that the Gamewell company should
stand the expense. This amendment, which
was practically the same as the original
motion, as the Gamewell company was the
only bidder, was carried, and the clerk was
instructed to readvertise for bids.
The council then turned its attention to
salary demands, passing demands to the
amount of $l4,293.69 paid. The warrants
cover salaries in the engineers department
amounting to sl9l769, park department sal
aries to the sum of $3,977.6O, and salaries for
police employees amounting to $S39S.40.
In the recommendation of the finance
committee the auditor and treasurer were
instructed to make the following transfer
of funds from the cash fund: To street
lighting, $344ll9; to street sprinkling,
S3s95.57; to fire department, $lOlS. These
transfers were ordered to cover deficiencies
in the funds, provision for which was
made July l in the tax levy of the current
year.
The committee also recommended that
$4,000 be transferred from the street sprink-
ling fund, $35OO from street lighting and
S250O from fire department, to the tax fund
of lS9S-99. The above amounts were trans
ferred from the tax fund of lS9S-99 for tenn
porary use some time ago.
T. Boster's petition asking permission to
grade by private contract an alley from
Lucas avenue to Bixel street between Sew
enth and Magnolia, was referred to the
board of public works for investigation.
Steps toward such improvement have been
taken, but so far no contract has been let.
F. Wiesendanger' request that the coun-
ell order cement sidewalk and redwood
curb placed along both sides of Fifty-second
and Fifty-third streets between Central and
Mckinley avenues, was also referred to the
board of public works.
A communication from Austin B. White,
asking for reduction in his taxes, was sent
20 the finance committee Mr.. White
claimed that there had been an overcharge
of $l406, and wanted it returned.
In the matter of improving Benton boule-
ward in front of Sunset park, the city clerk
made the following estimates per front foot:
Grading, "A cents; decomposed granite paw
ing, 45 cents; curb, 20 cents; part of inter
section, l3 cents; total, $l.3l. This was re-
ferred to the board of public works.