The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-18
paid for ana the warrants 70 draw inter-

-
paid for and the warrants TO draw inter-
est
This proposition plunged the counclmen
into maze OF partial payment intricacies.
from which they could not exiricate them
selves.
In the ensuing discussion there was much
heat displayed and hints of collision and
uafairness Were freely banded back and
forth. So great was the opposition express
ed by some OF the members 10 granting the
contract that toward the conclusion OF the
meeting. Mr. Gahan, of the bidding firm.
asked the council 10 return the certified
check of So, eo which had been deposited.
and they would go their way and have
nothing more TO do with contracts IN the
city Of Seattle.
The principal objection to awarding the
contract to these bidders on the conditions
they proposed was that 1t was manifestiy
unfair To other bidders. who had considered
the matter In the light of the advertisement
for bids which, had the Gahan-Byrne prop
osition been adopted before, would have re-
suited in many other firms submitting bids
While the discussion was going on Comp
troller Parry claimed the floor and spoke
on the financial plan upon which the pro-
posed contract is based and said that ne,
had not changed his views from three years
ago. when he stated that there would be
great difficulty in getting responsible con-
tractors TO bid with such doubtful security
as the basis. 1t was his opinion that the
plan should have been changed so that any
contractor Of responsibility could finance
the contract. He was surprised that even
one bid had been offered, as he knew that
financial houses all over the country had
refused 10 handle the paper because of the
provision that no interest would be paid on
warrants given 10 the contractor in pay
ment of the work until after the final COM
pietion and acceptance of the plant.
Details of the Bill.
The proposed division of the work submit
ted by the bidding company was into the
nine following departments:
% Head works. 90 pressure pipe from
mead works 10 city park reservoir, 80 high
service reservoir IN city park; CD low serv-
ice reservoir IN Magic addition. C) metal
work for stand pipe on Queen Anne hill.
concrete work for stand pine on Queen
Anne Hill. pumping mains: 90 wooden stave
and steel pipe between high and low serv-
ice reservoirs, % waste pipe from high
service reservoir 10 Lake Union, 81 con-
rection or Tow service reservoir with dis
triouting system and Tenth avenue sewer.
go changing Of Cedar river channel and
connection with Swan lake.
II was proposed that warrants shall be
ISSUED as follows:
"On or before The Goth day Of each month
during the progress of the work included In
these contracts warrants shall be issued for
t.mated amount Of said work returned by
the city engineer as having been done dur
ing the preceding calendar month on each
separate contract. and the balance of said
contract price, being 30 per cent. thereof.
shall be retained 10 secure the payment Of
lahorers who shall have performed work
thereon and material men who shall have
furnished material therefor"
III case no lien is claimed against the re-
serve mentioned and no uncompleted or de-
fectiYe work is discovered by the city engi-
neer in the succeeding 30 days ~ per cent.
OF the reserve is to be paid to the contract
ors. and under similar conditions at the end
OF $50 days the 10 Ger cent. balance of the 80
per cent. reserve il TO be paid
1t will be seen by the report OF the board
Of public works that the construction OF the
hid by that body shows an excess over the
amount authorized for the construction OF
the works by $50, opo, but this was expla ned
by the bidders, who held that the S6i eco fer
rieht-of-way. etc. which has been much dis
ciIssed. was included in the gross bid being
distributed among the various Items. This
made the actual hi1 several thousand dol
lars less than the limit.
1t d!d net come out In the meeting whcth-
er the interest TO he computed would bring
The principal above the statutory wall but
after the adjournment of the meeting Ca
han & Byr1e stated that II the council
thought that interest should not be paid
on the warrants until the completion of the
contract. they wousd waive that provision,
provided non-intercst- b airing warrants
were delivered 10 them within a reasonable
time after complt ting II the satisfaction OF
the city any one ot the nine portions OF the
work.