The record-union., 1898-05-06
A VERY FAIR PROPOSITION.
MUIR'S OFFER TO THE BOARD
OF PUBLIC WORKS.
VIII Construct a Dredger, and IL
Not Satisfactory, the Board
Need Not Keep It.


A meeting of the Auditing Board TO
the Commissioner OF Public Works was
held yesterday for the purpose OF open
Ing bids and awarding a contract Tor
the construction of an easement at the
Butcher break, near Elkhorn ranch IN
Yolo County. The members present
were Corcoran, Doty, Hall and Tatter-
son. Commissioner Leake was also
present.
A. Hauser. one of the Yolo County
landowners whose property adjoins the
river, told the board that it had agreed
TO strengthen the levees, and until that
agreement had been carried out he did
not propose to put one dollars worth of
work on the levees on his property.
He was informed that his agreement
had been made through the Sacramento
Chamber of Commerce, and not directly
with the board, and though he subse-
quently got another hearing he was
requested to state his grievances to the
Chamber of Commerce.
Bids for the construction of the ease
ment were received from Darby Laydon
& Co. of San Francisco, Thompson
Bridge Company of San Francisco, Jas.
A Mcmahon of San Francisco. City
Street Improvement Company of San
Francisco, Healy, Tibbits & Co. of San
Francisco, Mclean Bros. of Sacra-
mento; F. Lowry Of Sacramento;
Clark & Henry of Stockton,
James Touhey of Sacramento, Mont
gomery & Jones of Woodland and Cot
ton Bros. of San Francisco.
The question as to whether the bids
should be considered in the aggregate
or whether the items should be segre-
gated and bids on each be considered
separately caused considerable discus
sion, and the opinion seemed to prevail
that the latter plan should be adopted.
ThereupOn several bidders, among
whom were the Thompson Bridge Com
pany, Clark & Henry and others, de-
manded the return of their bids, un-
opened, stating that the Public Works
Department had informed them that all
bids would be made in aggregate, and
that they had accordingly bid high on
some items and far too low on others,
and that to have their bids segregated
would entail loss on those bids which
might be accepted.
Finally a resolution by T. B. Hall
that each bid be considered in the ag-
gregate was adopted.
After comparing the bids it was found
that Clark & Henry of Stockton were
LOCO lower than their nearest COM
petitor, James Touhey of Sacramento,
and a resolution by Mr. Doty, that the
President be authorized to enter into a
contract with them for the construction
Of ha axr
agreeing to do the work for $24, 396 SO.
BUTTE SLOUGH PROTEST.
The following communication and res
olutions from the Trustees of Reclama-
tion District No. 10S, protesting against
the construction of an easement at the
mouth of Butte Slough, was received,
read and filed.
Grimes Landing, February "a, 1893.
Hon. Z. Z. Leake, Commissioner of
Public Works-Dear Sir: Inclosed you
will find a copy of a resolution which
was unanimously adopted by the Board
of Trustees of Reclamation District, No.
10S, at their regular meeting this date,
relative to the weiring of Butte Slough.
In addition to the resolution wish to
add that 1 believe after you have per-
sonally examined the situation here you
would readily see the impracticability
of such q scheme. The Sacramento
River could receive no benefit from the
same, yet it is true it would be OF
some benefit to the Sutter Basin. I was
informed by the United States Engi-
neer last September that from Moon s
Ferry to Meridian they found the deep
est water of the Sacramento River, and
this is just below the mouth of Butte
Slough" (Signed), T. H. Sullenger
Secretary.
The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas. The Commissioner of Pub
lie Works has recommended the con-
struction of a weir on the east bank
OF the Sacramento River at the mouth
of Butte Slough to the hight of the nat
ural banks of said river, and
Whereas, Said Butte Slough is a nat
ural outlet from said river, and the
channel thereof is in its natural con-
dition, now therefore be it
Resolved, By the Board of Trus-
tees of Reclamation District, No. 10S
that a protest against said proposed
work be transmitted to said Commits
sioner of Public Works, the Hon E. E
Leake, and that his attention be called
to the fact that said Butte Slough is a
natural outlet as above recited and that
said Commissioner be earnestly re-
quested to take no steps toward the OBJ
stTucting in any manner the said out
let, and a copy of this resolution be for
warded to him" (Signed) w. P. How
ell Trustee.
WORK ON FEATHER RIVER.
The proposition of the Auditing Board
to perform work other than that rec
commended in the report of the Commits
sioner of Public Works having been
questioned a letter was recently sent
TO the Attorney-General, requesting ar
opinion as to whether, under the Act
of the Legislature, work could be done
on the Feather River, or on the Sacra-
mento River above the mouth of the
Feather. The opinion was on hand yes
terday and the full text follows:
San Francisco, April 20, 1898.
Auditing Board to Commissioner OF
90