The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-14
TROUBLE OVER A CONTRACT.
BIDDERS. MISTAKE IN FIGURING
On A HIG PIECE or WORK.
In SiEing Up Plans for Two sewers.
sttrrat ~ Goctx Fail to Get Their
bearinxs-rhey Appcai for Re-
iease-An interesting Question.

There Is trouble at the city hal, with
reference TO the contract for the sewers
20 De built on Eighteenth and Twenty
inird avenues. The date fixed for open-
ing the bids happened 10 fall at time
wnen two OF the members of the board
or public works, Messrs. Thomson and
Lis'ie, were absent from the city. Mr..
foungs. the sole remaining member OF the
BOARD. opened the bids at the appointed
time. and when the other members re-
turned. at a full meeting of the board on
May III, the contract was duly awarded to
Siirrat & Goetz, who We're found 10 be
by far the lowest bidders.
In fact. the bid OF Stirrat & Goetx was
too low; and thereby hangs tale. That
nrm has done large amount of contract
work for the city, and hitherto no flaw
has been found either IN their bids, es-
Inmates or work. Some weeks ago Secre-
iary Frank Oleson, of the board of pub
lie works. said to Post-Intelagencer re-
porter: IF anybody wants to get ahead
OF Stirrat a. Goetz he has to get I'D very
early in the morning and keep both eyes
open all day long. OF course there are
other good contractors in the city, and
they have from time TO time secured work
and done it WELL But none of them is
better posted than Stirrat d Goetz''
1t happens. however, in the present in
stance. that Stirrat & Goetx made a blum
der. 1t came about in this way: All the
city plans on which they nave hitherto
hgured were drawn on ruled paper. the
space between the lines representing one
foot. OF the two plans for the sewers on
Eighteenth and Twenty-third avenues. one
was drawn on the usual scale. but for
some unexplained reason the other was
drawn on scale In which the space be-
tween each Of the two lines represented
two feet instead of one. This was due, as
City Engineer Thomson explained yester-
day. TO mere accident on the part of
the draughtsman who drew the plan At
the same time the plan was properly
scaled and the marks along the margin
left no room for doubt as to the scale on
which ii was drawn.
When Mr.. Stirratt came TO figure on
the plans he took both or Them together
and jumped at the conclusion that both
were drawn on the same scale. The ditch
for one Of the sewers was to go tn a
depth of from twelve to fourteen feet. He
figured on it at the usual scale as being
from six TO seven feet. and made his bid
accordingly. The other bidders got the
correct scale. and consequently their bids
We're much higher. and the board unhes-
ftatingly awarded the contract to Stirras
& Goetz.
Meanwhile the contractors had discov-
cred their error and found that they had
gotten themselves into hole. They cast
hon fays r.y Av~ "A
liverance. 1t occurred 10 them that as
only one member of the board had been
present when the bids were opened, they
might impeach the validity of the pro-
ceedings. Accordingly they addressed a
communication to the board and that body
sought legal advice of Corporation Coun-
sci Humphrey. He returned a written
opinion yesterday stating that the open
ig of the bids by one member of the
board at the appointed time. in the abb
sence of the two other members. constl-
tuted simply an irregularity, and would
not be sufficient ground TO invalidate the
action OF the board in awarding the con-
tract.
Mr.. Goetz. In behalf of his firm. appeared
before the board yesterday and made
full and frank statement of the error Into
which the firm had fallen. The secre-
tary read the communication from Cor
poration Counsel Humphrey. and Chair
man Thomson stated 10 Mr.. Goetz that
the charter allowed the board only one
ground for rejecting a bid. viz, that IL
was too high With a smile which COM
rnunicated Itself around the room. Mr..
Goetz said he Could hardly hope TO plead
that ground In the present case. Mr. Goetz
went so far as to offer 10 bear the ex-
pense of re-advertising for bids II the
board would reconsider the award but in
view of the opinion Of Mr.. Humphrey. the
board postponed the matter for further
consideration. Judging from their indi-
vids,ai sentiments. the members or the
board are thoroughly convinced that Stir
rat 81 Goetz fell into an honest and not
wholly Inaccessible error, and they would
be glad 10 release them from the results
IL they saw any LEGAL means OF doing So