The Saint Paul globe., 1902-03-08
STRIKE AT GLAUSSEN
MEMBERS OF BOARD OF PUBLIC
WORKS REPLY TO CRIT
ICISM
SAY HE REDUCED ESTIMATES
City Engineer Was Present at. the
Meetings when Contracts Were
Let and offered Few
Objections.
SAY HE REDUCED ESTIMATES

An odd feature of the paving bids which
City Engineer Claussen declared to be
downright robbery Thursday night be-
fore the assembly, is the fact that after
giving his estimates for the several
streets to the board of works he reduced
the figures 10 per cent. This statement
is made by the members of the board,
and is given by them in refutation of
Mr.. Claussen's remark that the bids were
away and above his estimates.
For the benefit of the brick combine
it has been charged that Mr.. Claussen
increased his estimates on this material
over last year, but he denies it, claiming
that the prices on this class of material
show little change. The members of the
board of public works, however, say that
his estimates are higher than last year.
because he was cognizant of the fact
that sandstone and the labor necessary
to lay it has risen in price.
The members of the board of public
works, especially Commissioners Mahon
and Hammer, were anything but pleased
yesterday with the statement creulted
to Mr.. Claussen, though they refused to
do much talking Their only remark was
that it was extremely odd that Mr.
Claussen had been present at all the
meetings held in which the paving con-
tracts came up and he had offered few
objections.
The only member Of the board who
strenuously objected was Commissioner
erode, his vote being found in the mega
tive at nearly all the meetings of the
board
Mr.. CIaussen says the board of works
changed his Specifications radically, es-
pecially those relating to the indemnify
ing features The board acknowledges
this, but says he offered no objections.
Mr.. Claussen says he thinks that if the
board had given more publicity to the
many contracts it had to let outside
bidders would have become interested
and better prices would have resulted
Instead, the charter requirements were
only barely observed and local combines
benefited accordingly. He disclaims any
part in the result and lays the blame en-
tirely at the door of the board.
Relied on Board of Works.
That the board of aldermen relied en-
tirely on the statements and actions of
the board of works is shown by the fact
that when the contracts were received
for approval not a dissenting voice was
heard except in the case of some indi-
viduaI aldermen, who had been asked
that a street be held up until the prop
erty owners could file their objections.
This was The case with both Democrats
and Republicans alike. For the paving
of Payne avenue, Aid Holt, a Republic
an, led the vote and with Aid. Knauft,
another Republican, was equally agree
able to the approval of the other streets.
| The vote of Aid. Hunt was also given
| The same course characterized the meet
ing of the assembly Thursday night it
only reconsidering it's action after the
sensational statements made by City
Engineer Claussen.
The new board of public works will
enter upon it's duties next week, and ac-
cording to one of the parties who will
constitute it, new bids will be called for
and they will be in reason. Both the
brick and asphalt combines will have to
drop a dollar or two. he says, from their
present prices or they will not get any
business in st. Paul.