The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-10-14
MORE TINE
IS NEEDED
Contractors Should Not Be Rush.
= = ed onssStreet WORK, Says
City Attorney Smith
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
Action of Street Committee I'm
M Awarding Contracts Rat
flied Yesterday
Afternoon.
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING

I'm getting tired Of framing ordin-
ances for the extension OF time for the
completion OF street improvements >
said City Attorney Smith al the special
session of the council held yesterday
/ afteraoo1. s.As far as am concerned
believe the contractors should b.
given more time for the work which
they undertake. In this manner spec
ial council meetings and much clerical
work would be avoided"
At the special meeting called by
Mayor suprenant the time for the COM
pletion OF several improvements was
extended. ordinances governing the
matters having been passed under sus-
pension Of the rules. Mr.. Smiths re-
marks were prompted by the necessity
for this action on the part OF the
council. He said he believed contrac-
tors should be given six months in
which to make improvements, adding
that It seldom happened that an Inn
provement required in 60 days was
completed In the time specified.
I'VE must inaugrate q new system
for street work. said the city attorney
to a reporter after the meeting. THE
surveyor must post himself as to the
price of lumber. labor and other essen
tlaIs In the Improvement OF streets,
make a reasonably low estimate for
street work. and the council must
never allow that estimate to be ex-
ceeded. We must also see to 1t that
only good lumber Is put into streets.
There has been complaint on this score
in the past, and we shall arrange i 50
that there will be no further cause for
objection"
1t has been lntimated for months
past that street contractors have an
understanding whereby street work
brings good prices. and the plan pro-
posed by the city attorney is safe
guard against combination bids. The
contractors deny they are in pool,
but those who entertain the opposite
opinion say the contractors would not
admit 1t II they were. and that their
denial really amounts to nothing. Be
that as it may, members of the council
feel that more care must be exercised
in street work. The statement was
made yesterday by city officials that,
If contractors were given more time
in which to make contracts. a saving Of
fully Is per cent could be effected.
Astoria property owners spend a vast
sum yearly for new streets and the
saving named would be material one.
The special session yesterday was
brief. President Hansen occupied the
chair in the absence of Mayor Supre-
nant. An ordinance confirming all
the action taken by the street commit
tee in the past was enacted under sus-
pension of the rules, as a precautionary
measure. The street committee pre-
sented report In which was detailed
the manner in which the Sixteenth
street improvement contract was
awarded. and asked the council to
ratify its action. The report was
adopted.
Ordinances were passed extending |
until February 10, 1904. the time for
the completion of Sixteenth street, and
extending until December % the time
for the completion of the improvement
Of Franklin avenue between Ninth and
Twelfth. Franklin between Ninth and
Fifth, and Exchange between Four
teenth and. Seventeenth.
An ordinance accepting the bid Of
w. A. Goodin for the improvement OF
Sixteenth street was also passed under
suspension of the rules. thus relieving
the street committee of responsibility.
DR.. j. A. Fulton presented a COM
in which he expressed the
opinion that 1t would not be practic-
able to make good street improve
ment on Franklin avenue between
Ninth and Twelfth during the winter
and recommending that the !
work be deferred until summer He
stated in his letter that q suitable
could not be laid during the
rainy season, but members of the
council believed few dry days would
make 1t possible to put in the crush
ed rock in satisfactory manner. The
letter of DR.. Fulton, which he took
care to explain was not a kick was
He'd.