The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-01


At a special meeting yesterday after
noon, the city water board again consld-
cred bids for putting in the 100000
gallon pump at the water works pump
ing station. above the city, and awarded
the contract to the Holly Manufacturing
Company. at its amended bid of $4,000.
The only other bid considered was that
of the wllson-snyder Manufacturing
Company, of Pittsburgh, which was
Is5.s55..
Originally. the bids of these two conn
panies were as follows; Holly, 3ss,sOOi
wIlson-snyder. $74.55O. a difference of
$3.50 in favor Of the Holly bid. The
bids were opened and considered come
time ago. The delay in letting the con-
tract has been occasIoned by the disIn-
cljnation OF the board to pay out SO
much money for the work. SO It was
decided to change the specifications and
secure amended bids from the two con-
Germs. These changes included the de-
crease Of the stroke from ffty-four
inches 10 forty-eIght inches, and the
piston speed was decreased from $50 to
go. on the changed specifications, the
two companies entered the bids stated
in the opening paragraph, which in
creased the difference between the two,
which now foots up 1856. The contract
it Is hardly necessary to state, has been
given to the lower bidder.
The new 100000 gallon pump dts
capacity is equal to the entire present
two-pump plant) is to be the Holly YER
ticle, composite, condenslnE, high-duty
style and is guaranteed to pump the
stipulated amount of water into the
reservoir every twenty-four hours. The
stroke is 4s inches, the piston speed 900.
ON steam pressure of ITO pounds. The
duty is guaranteed at 100000 foot
pounds. There will be deduction Of
$500 on each million gallons under guar
anteed capacity, and a bonus of $500
win be paid for each million gallons
over the 100000 mark. The duty test
will be conducted by two experts, one
selected by the city and the other by the
Holly Company. The machinery is to
be delivered on the ground by April 1,
1899, and is to be erected, ready for SER
vice, on May l. The duty test is to be
made not later than July /. The COM
pany gives bond for the full amount of
the contract, $4,000, and an additional
bond Of 5000 that the machinery will
be kept in repair for one year. Fifty
per cent of the amount of the contract
will be paid upon delivery of the ma
chInery; twenty-five per cent when 1t is
put into service, and the balance when
a satisfactory duty test has been made.
The specifications, which were prepared
by City Engineer A. L. White, are quite
volumInous, covering thlrty-slx closely
written typewritten pages of legal cap.
The contractors were not at all pleased
with the style OF specifications Mr..
White got up, and said they were the
slightest" they had seen, and give no
loophole Of escape from any provision Of
the contract.
There has been some unjust criticism
OF the water beard for its action in not
making public the bids for the improve
ments at the pumping station, and init
nations not in harmony with the facts
have been made. For good business
reasons the board decided not to make
the figures Of any bids public in advance
of the giving of the contract. Now
there is no reason for holding back any
information in the keeping of the board,
and public inspection of any or all bids
fled with the board is invited.
In every instance the board has
awarded contracts to lowest bidders.
The contract for the new well was
awarded June to L. G. Hallock at ST.
12O; Hamilton Brothers bid was &27,SoO.
The contract for the new pumping well
building was let July 10 to L. G. Hal
lock at s1O.6S7, while Hamilton Brothers
bid was s1Os49
The water board has shown its busi-
ness capacity in contracting for the Inn
provemcnts at the pumping satIon. The
entire cost of the improvements is as
follows:
Pump ~
Building ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. igHSt
Well ........."...''''''''''''' %i'l%O
Totnl .ss''''''''''''''''''''''''' -
Now, what did the original pumping
station cost? Just s25O,OOO. and It's capa-