The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-05
COUNCIL REORGANIZEs
". s. CLANCY, of Fourth Ward,
is Made President.
East Fourth Street Paving is
Given a Setback.

w s. CLANCY, member of the city
council from the Fourth ward, was
unanimously elected president of the
council at the meeting last night after
the newly elected members had taken
their seats to which the official canvass
OF the votes had shown them entitled
Mr. Clancy succeeds Mr.. Snattinger.
The result OF the canvass simply con-
frned the unofficial returns Of the cleo
tion, except that J. ". Blossoms ma
iority i'm the First ward was declared to
be % instead Of 26. No account was
made, of course. of the A Blossom
votes which were wrongfully cast out
in the second precinct Of the First ward
The canvassing board was composed
Of an the old members of the council
The board of tellers was appointed by
the mayor, and consisted Of COuncilmen
Clancy Warner and Griley
Before the old council resolved itself
into canVassing board, a business ses-
sion was held, at which the bids on
asphalt pavement which were on nIe
were all rejected, and the council voted
unanimously to readvertise for bids for
eight days and permit the Introduction
Of bids until the regular meeting of the
council on the first Monday in May.
The fight against the scheme to award
the asphalt repair contract after allow
ing only eight days to receive bids,
the State Journal was successful in
every particular. AS the matter stands
now, a fair chance to submit bids is
given to all asphalt companies, and To
peka will have an opportunity to rid
itself of the Barber concern, which has
beaten and bafled the city so success
fully in the past
BERGUNDTHAL LED THE FIGHT.
After some minor matters had been
disposed of, City Clerk Squires an
uounced that he had four bids on file
in response TO the advertisement which
was placed in the official city paper as
directed at the council meeting on
March o.
The four bids were from the Barber
Asphalt company, the Western Paving
and Supply company, the Abbott
Gamble company and j. Bradley when
are the firms which the State Journal
reported Friday afternoon would sub
nit bids.
Councilman Bergundthal made the
first speech. Il want to confess that
WREN the council passed the resolution
setting the time for receiving bids on
this repair contract [ did not know
what was going on The matter mas
been brought to our attention by one
of the evening papers, and 1 say frank
~ that j think it was a mistake 10
give only seven or eight days for re-
celving bids This is an important
contract. Only four bids have been re-
eeiyed. F1at is not enough. L think
we should readvertise, and give at least
SO days time for bidders to figure on
want to ask for information" said
NaN eiirran Warner what Mr.. Ber-
eandthal thinks should be done about
= think we should give these gentle
men who have bid the right to with
draw their bids If they desire" said Mr..
Bergundthal. IF they don't want to
withdraw them, they can leave them
here, and we viii consider them with
the bids received later on"
When was the first official advertise
ment for bids in the paper?" asked Mr..
Warner.
ION March 2s." said city Clerk
Equires.
Wei that gave a very short time"
said Mr.. Warner. I'VE certainly should
can"
Councilman Bergundthal then moved
that the city clerk be instructed to re-
advertise for eight days in the official
city paper for bids for repairing the
asphalt pavement; that the limit for
receiving bids be the day of the regular
May meeting of the council; and that
the clerk be instructed further to send
copy of the advertisement to all the
asphalt companies in the country of
which he could obtain the address.
Councilman Swendson seconded the mo-
ton.
II would like to ask the city engineer
said Councilman Nichols, whether his
specifications shut out any asphalt COM
uany I'm the United States. I understand
they do not"
City Engineer McCabe said: LAS far
as my specifications are concerned, i
consider them fair to everyone. I speci-
fed Trinidad asphalt or other asphalt
equally as good There has been much
said about the binder course I called
for. I am certain that the Barber COM
pany has no exclusive control of the
binder course system. Any company
can use binder. My specifications left
out resurfacing because the Barber
company has the exclusive use of the
Perkins heater. and I considered it un-
fair to other concerns to force them to
compete against that form of heater. 7
say that these specifications are like
those being used in all large cities.
Competition is open to the world. The
Barber company had nothing to do with
these specifications i drew them my
self"
Councilman Nichols moved as a sub
Etitute to Mr.. BeFgundthaPs motion that
the four bids received be opened. and
the contract let No one seconded the
substitute. Mr.. Bergundthals motion
then passed.
Some OF the Representatives OF the
asphalt companies then INDUCED in a
debate with each other and with the
council T.. b. Demarest the well known
Barber asphalt representative was on
hand, as was also Mr.. LO0mis of Chi
e4s0. Mr.. Newman Of St Louis and J.
Bradley Of Topeka. Mr.. LOOMS asked
to be heard He said:
81 represent the Western Paving &
Supply company which has a bid in
here. i claim that we have complied with
your advertisement and with the a
You are obliged to open these bids. You
have no right to ask the bidders to take
back this bids For my part. I refuse
to accept my bid back. How DO I know
J viii get my bid and not some other
feuows2 Are the envelopes marked 2''
Councilman Bergundthal replied with
4 considerable asperity to this speech. He
said.
H7This council is not accustomed to be
dictated to By any pavement con-
tractor. consider it a remarkable
thing that this gentleman should ad-