The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-03-16
THE COUNCIL.
The City Fathers Indulge in a Monkey
and Parrot Time.
Carelessness ina Management Causes a
Squabble.

Carelessness ia Management Causes a
Squabble.
The usual serene routine of 81 move
and | second" and carried" proceed
ings of the city council. were slightly
distigured Tuesday evening when the
city fathers met in special session to
transact ordinary business and accept
the new city hall building from Con-
tractor Jury.
In order that all may understand
what was in the wind, we give Just
IL little history Of the affair for the
benefit Of those who could not attend
the meeting, on matters appertaining
to the welfare Of the city:
On July Is. 1899, Contractor Jury
signed bid, offering to build the city
hall building for $4,000. Below
the lump sum was placed price on
extras, such as Sl3 per cord for extra
stone rubble wall; also, IF gallery in
court room Is omitted, deduct $780,"
deduct $780," TIE bids of the vari-
Gus contractors were opened and
Jury's accepted. Jury ordered his
material and began work. The fin
ishings, castings. ETC., were ordered
from firm in Duluth, which firm
afterwards burned out and did not
furnish the order. In the meantime
the council decided no gallery neces-
sary and when the contractor ordered
the bill from another firm he omitted
the gallery stuff. This is the history
| OF the affair as near as we Can get at it.
No written contract was executed
| by the city with the contractor, the
bid only being filed and used as con-
tract. The building was subsequently
| finished with the gallery omitted.
When the bill for the balance due
MI. Jury on the building was brought
| up two weeks ago it was referred to
| the finance committee in the regular
routine; the committee, at Tuesdays
meeting referred it back to the coun-
| Gil. Later motion made. by Alder
man Housley supported by Alderman
| Cox that all bills be allowed, was lost.
Then motion by Alderman Knut-
son supported by Alderman Ellefsen
| that all bills be allowed with the ex-
ception of that of Contractor Jury
from which there be deducted $500
for the omission of the gallery, was
also lost.
Pyrothecnically speaking, here is
where the magazine exploded. The
discussion was general and was car
ried on vigorously. Midnight still
found the council in violent discus
fNion but peace was declared for a
I'moment in order to put a motion to
adjourn.
| The following afternoon another
meeting was called and motion carr
ried to adjourn to next Tuesday even
was all that was accomplished and
| thus the matter stands. Aldermen
! KnutSon Ellefsen and Glode, who are
opposing the allowance of the bill,
aver Chey will hold out until dooms-
Gay Gay rather tb3H allow the amount.
In the first place. the council had
no right to let the work proceed with
out contract duly signed by both
parties. We are certain that either
one OF the gentlemen in a job involv-
ing seven thousand dollars of their
own money would have had an IRON
clad contract to work with. A man
may be good fellow but when it
comes to show down. the paper with
names thereon does the business. 1t
seems to us there is law somewhere
in the charter that says all public
work to exceed certain figure. 800
we believe, must be let by contract
and the same must be signed by the
council and the contractor. Had this
been done, no such trouble would
have appeared. The council simply
took it for granted everything was
0. K, and now it's different, A lax
way Of doing business reaps its own
re ward and the squabble was the out
come OF a piece Of carelessness on the
part of the council.
Contractor Jury holds that in ac-
cepting the lump sum bid of S7.It0.OO
the council should pay him that sum
inasmuch as the gallery part was ON
tilted after he had begun work. 1t is
also commended that the contractor
did not make wages on the Job, but
how he can consistently charge that
to the council is mystery. He made
his own figures besides we believe the
council has leniently assisted him on
several matters.
The affair will probably be settled
at the next meeting, if not, thecourts
will decide it, as both sides are OBJ
stinate. Seance No. 2, will probably
develop when the water subject is
preached,