The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-25
Contract Awarded to Firm of
Black, Laird & Blackman.
NOT THELOWEST
Two Other Bidders Submitted
Lower Bids.
More Threats of Injunction Are
Made.

Z
another star chamber session for an
hour and a half on Saturday evening,
the council awarded the contract for
the erection of the city building to
Black, Laird & Blackman Their bid
was higher than that of two other bid
ders, J. S. Morse and L D. Eversole
and Mr.. Morse threatens to contest the
award. Four councilmen favored Mr..
Morse and seven favored Black, Laird
& Blackman.
Soon after the council assembled on
Saturday evening the members went
into secret session as a committee OF
the whole in the mayors office. After
discussing the bids for some time, each
of the four bidders whose bids were be
low the estimate, were called before the
committee to tell how much time they
wished to complete the building. Black
Laird & Blackman agreed to have it
ready for occupancy by the city on Sep
tember l, 1900, but the others wanted
two months longer
After the committee returned to the
council chamber, Councilman Warner
as chairman of the committee, made
the following report in writing:
Your committee of the whole has
given careful consideration to the sew
eral proposals submitted for erecting
the city hall, and have the honor to re-
port that we find Black, Lard & Black
man to be the lowest responsible bid
ders, and we recommend that the con-
of S76,611''
This is 81, ,624 more than the bid of J.
S. Morse and 1881 more than the bid of
L. D. E1versOle
Immediately following this report,
Councilman Morgan made a minority
report recommending that the contract
be awarded to Mr.. Morse as the lowest
bidder.
Mr. Mergan's minority report was
voted down by a vote of 4 to Z. Ayes
Blossom, Belts. Mergan, Roundtree;
nays-Benson, Elliott, Nettels, Burgess,
CLANCY, Warner Willard. Councilman
Hughes was absent on account of sick
ness in his family.
The majority report was then adopt
ed by a vote of to 8, Mr.. Belts vOt-
ing in the affirmative, but explaining
his vote by saying that he was in favor
of giving the contract to the lowest bid
der but as that proposition had been
defeated he would support the will Of
the majority. Blossom, Morgan and
Roundtree voted mo- on the award
on motion of Mr.. CLANCY it was de-
cided that the work should be COM
| menced on January 2, and that the con-
| tractors should be required to complete
| it by September 1, under penalty of $25
a day for each day that the compile
tion was delayed after that date, and
! City Attorney Bird was Instructed to
I draw up a contract embodying these
/ details.
At this point in the proceedings COun-
/ Gilman Blossom announced that Mr..
! Morse had something to say to the
/ council, and Mr.. Morse came forward
/ 7 want to file a protest against this
! unfair way of letting this contract. It
! is not right to let a high bidder have it
! in this way. It is not only unfair but
| it is illegal"
Mr.. Morse then filed his written pro
| test as follows:
Honorable Mayor and City Council:
I hereby earnestly protest against
| the contract for the city hall being
/ awarded to the third bidder Black,
Laird & Blackman. J. S. MORSE .
L suppose the unsuccessful bidders
I are entitled to have their certified
! checks returned to them,'' said Council
/ man Blossom.
! Those who were above the engineer s
! estimate can get their checks back
now" said Mayor Drew, but I do not
think We should return the other checks
yet, for If Black, Laird & Blackman
should not give the required bond we
would have to let the contract to one
/ of these other bidders
y ou have not considered my bid, - said
! Mr.. EversOIe, and 1 demand my check
Mayor Drew asked City Attorney
( Bird as to what ought to be done in the
case.
4 suppose" said Mr.. Bird. that if
/ the checks are demanded the city viii
have to return them now, but if the
! contract should have to be let to some
1 other bidder it would preclude those
! who demand their checks from getting
/ it."
| Mr.. Eversole's check was returned to
/ him, and the council adjourned.
The councilmen who voted to give
! the contract to Black, Laird & Black
| man instead of Mr.. Morse saw that they
! did so because they believed that the
] former firm is the best equipped to
/ carry out its contract. The question of
+ time, however. also entered into the
! awarding of the contract If the build
/ ing is completed by September 1 it will
/ be in time to be used for big political
/ gatherings in the presidential campaign
next year, while if the completion is de-
/ layed two months later the campaign
/ will be over.
1T looks to me- said Councilman
| Blossom after the meeting adjourned.
! .'as though some Of the cOuncilmen were
/ afraid North Topeka would profit too
/ much by the city building. North To
/ peka got the first contract for excavat-
4 ing, but the council refused to give
the North side the building contract al
/ though Mr.. Morse was the lowest bid
/ der. They viii find they are not through
I with it yet, though. Mr.. Morse is a
/ fighter and he will not give up this
| thing yet"
| Mr. Morse threatens legal proceedings
/ to secure the contract The law pro-
/ Vides that the council shall give the
/ contract to the lowest responsible bid
! der and Mr.. Morse may enjoin Black,
| Laird & Blackman from proceeding
/ with the contract on the ground that
| this was done he would have to 90 into
/ court and prove that he is a responsible
/ bidder
It is hoped that for the good of the
! city the building viii not be delayed
! WANTS TO BE SUPERINTENDENT
Applications have already begun to