CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1902-10-23

the goth inst, is an article under the
head. adams Peabody in which
an injustice is done Mr.. Peabody, in
regard TO his connection with certain
sewer contract for a sewer system for
this city, and for which beg place
in your paper to correct The facts
are:
Soon after taking office, he appoint
ted from the members of the city
council, sewer COMMITTEES. to devise
ways and means for the construction
OF a sanitary sewer system for this
city
As city attorney for Canon City.
was called upon by the committee 10
furnish them with information as to
the law relating to the subject
knew that the city did not have
the money in its treasury to pay for
constructing the sewer, and also
knew that the city was bonded to its
constitutional limit. besides the cost
of the construction of the sewer WAS
more than this city could issue bonds
TO pay, even if il had not a single
bond outstanding at that time.
The only way in which the city
u.,,,a 100000 80 co,s,rrc, ,h. s..,ar
was under the provisions of the law
of 1899, found at pages 395 to Ala of
the Session Laws of 90. and that
in the law under which the city pro-
ceeded. This law is practically the
same as the charter provisions of the
City of Denver, under which that
city is and for some time past has
been paving its streets and construct
ing sewers. This law provides for
the formation of sanitary district
and the issuance of bonds OF such
district mot the city's bonds and a
line is created on all property within
the district for the payment of such
bonds.
During the early part of the pre-
| liminary arrangements for the con-
strucrion of the sewer, Mr.. Peabody,
of his own account, consulted me, as
city attorney, on the advisability of
requiring the successful bidder for the
construction OF the sewer, to work
his men only eight hours per day, and
to pay, at least 81 90 for days work,
and particularly requested that such
provision be Incorporated in the con-
tract, if it could lawfully done l
advised him that TO insert such pro-
vision in the contract, whether il
limited the time TO eight or any
other number of hours and whether
it compelled the payment of two dol
lars or any other amount per day,
would be in violation of the provision
vi NHt statute WHICH says, All SuCn
contracts shall tie left to the lowest
reliable and reasonable bidder:' that
such provision Incorporated in the
contract would make the city liable
to I've eniuined by any property holder
in the sewer district from CARRYING
ont the contract
The obstruction to Bidders which
were sent to each person bidding on
the contract contained the following.
Bidders must get their information
as to local trade, LABOR, etc, from
personal inquiry upon the ground.
The resolution tthe one which de-
clared the necessity for such sewer
system was passed, by the city council.
ON the Eth day of June. 1901. The
notice TO property owners, that such
sewer would be constituted. was ad-
vertised in the local papers three in
number from August 18th. to Septem-
her Sd, 1901; bids for the construction
of the sewer Were twice advertised in
the same local papers; number of
representatives of the labor organiya
tions attended the meetings of the
city council when the bids wer,,