The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-15
Board of Public Works In a
Dilemma.
PROPOSALS REJECTED
WORK OF GREAT NECESSITY
HUNG UP AGAIN.
?. ). Moran's Bid Of S34, 1872 is the
Lowest, But the Figures Are
Away Over City Engineers Esti-
mates-only One Ray of Hope
No Bids for Park Bike Path.

Inc tate OF the proposition to COM
plete the 100000 gallon reservoir at the
head of First South street is hanging
in the balance. Bids for the work were
opened last evening by the board of
public works, but instead of awarding
the contract to the lowest bidder. the
board DECIDED to advise the city council
that new proposals should be solicited.
rms action was taken for the reason
that the lowest bid submitted is nearly
20 per cent above the estimate of the
cost.
Only two bids We're received. The
proposal OF P. ]. Moran guaranteed to
complete the work July Is, and Arnold
u: Glauque fixed Aug. 20 as the date
of completion.
An abstract of the bids follows:
Items. Gi IA g; Moran +; a.
g sayating :::.,s 1850 90 5 $50 90
2,25O cubic yards mason
5000 square yards ce-
81, me 9Il plaster -, $500 21sO 90
coping .......... -. 1855 50 $50 60
Olhef items .............. 40 90 Las At
Totals .........,.....S36,26 8 90 $34.S82 o.
The only bid received for the iron
work Tor the valves and connections
with the water system was in the sum
OF Sl,Vo5, but 10 action upon the pro-
posal, which was from the Silver Bros.
Iron Works company, was taken.
Situation is Embarrassing.
During the discussion of what dispo-
sltlon should be made with the lowest
DID, whether to accept or reject. the
variance in the prices offered for the
several items in the proposals was
noted. 1t was noticed, too, that Mo
rams bid exceeded the city engineers
most recent estimate by $5.S32. Four or
nYe months ago Engineer Kelsey's es-
innate was for $4,000, but since then
prices on materials have risen.
Chairman Dolly and Messrs. Claw
son, Fabian and Kahn concluded that
lnasmuch as the lowest bid exceeded so
much the engineers estimate, it would
be prudent to recommend to the council
that both bids be rejected and new
proposals called fog.
Engineer Kelsey conceded that the
prices bid were excessive, but he feared
that If new bids were called for the
time fixed for completing the reservoir
would then be so long DELAYED that no
relief could be secured from imperfect
water distribution this season. thus
| endangering the entire project from
contamination before next year. View
ing the pressing and increasing neces-
slty for the reservoir, especially for
fire protection, the engineer hesitated
to concur with the board.
On the city engineer's plea that no
proposals from eastern Contractors. who
| might bid lower for the work, could be
secured in less time than thirty days
extension, the boards motion that was
adopted Included a specification stating
that new bids would be received the
council cOnsenting, at the end Of thirty
days notice.
After adjournment it was the con-
census Of opinion that if Mr.. Moran
reduced the amount of his bid to near
the engineers estimate, the boards ac-
ton might be modified to the extent
of recommending to the council the
closing Of a contract with him for the
work
Contrary to expectation. no bids were
received for the construction of a BIZ
cycle path in Liberty park, which i'm
prOYement the council ordered in
adopting a resolution urged by Council
man Hartenstein.
The contract for delivering two cars
of standard six-inch cast iron water
pipe was awarded to P. J. Moran, who
bid S41.50 per ton. The Colorado Fuel
& Iron company's proposal was % cents
a ton more and Z. K. BOWles offered
the pipe for SAP a ton.