The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-08-02
TRYING TO AGREE.
City Officials and Waierworks Contract
ors are at Odds but will Probably Agree.


Is the question that has been bother
ing the members Of the city council
and the board of public works this
week. Things have been moving 80
smoothly that little rebuff in the
out Of the plans seemed. for
time, TO threaten the whole deal but
since the aldermen got to figuring
closely and came to the determination
that the new waterworks had TO come
matters are looking a little more prom
Using
The hitch came when tho bid Of
C. S. Weeks & Co the only con
tractors who figured on the whole job
were opened and it was found that
their price on the JOB was $40, 500 which
with the machinery that was pur-
chased, the amount OF that purchase
being S6, 900. brought the total OF the
plant and installation up to S35, 500 aud
with the price Of the IS. aud added
81. 600 mace a grand total OF S5O OOO'
several thousand dollars more than
had been raised by bonds
1t may seem to our readers that
there is a great discrepancy between
the amount of this band the estimate
made earlier but when the facts are
explained it will readily be seen that
this Is not the case, When the board
got estimates it got them. on the
cheapest kind of plant The ground
was to cost but 81, 900 and wood was
to be used in the construction Of the
power apparatus. 1t was something
on the plan of the advertisements that
you see in the papers from the big
department stores Of our large cities,
The very cheapest was advertised but
when it came to purchasing the Gus
toner found that he didn't want it
and the expected snap bargain melted
into thin air When the board came
to the actual work Of selecting plant
they sought only the best Steel was
substituted for wood in the construction
of the power apparatus and brick
power house with slate ROOF WAS
selected for the cheap frame one. And
in doing this our public officers were
wish for it would have been foolish 70
% other wise.
The members Of the board look at the
matter in this light and Mayor Wehse
has asserted that he wants creditible
job or nothing and the people Of the
city may rest assured that he viii
stick for It, With this idea in view
the board appointed a committee K
wait upon the contractors and arrang'
with them to take a portion OF th'
amount in warrants and hold then
until the taxes are collected Their
being 81, 900 raised for the Maple Grow
extension that rightfully belongs t
this waterwork7 fund The con
tractors were very willing to do thi
and meeting was held Wednesda,
levening % let contract but ther
was some difference of opinion netwee
the contractor and the board over tn
rock that was apt 70 te founa back 9
the court house and near the river
1t was finally agreed that an adjourn
ment be taken tor tive days in orde
to allow the contractor 20 iuvestigat
the points mentioned Tle tollowin
day ne had gang Of men testpittin
10 determine the rock that existed q
the different places They foun
very little rock and it is the opinio
Of all that the board and contract
will come together and that work WI
be started next Monday
About the first thing that will b
done will be the construction OF cot
ferdam across the river just below th
, entrance Of Briar Hill creek and th
) removing of the little dam that no.
! exists on the east side OF the river /
! that all of the water will pass throug
the east channel This will dry I'll
> west channel. where the water flow
. now and give the workmep chanC
: TO build their dam which. by the wa!
: will be constructed of solid cvncret
~