The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-05

SeiuDlyIlen VIII QeclQe the spirited
contest now on for supplying the city
with $500 iron lamp posts.
The matter was really billed for set
tlement by the committee on streets OF
the board of aldermen yesterday after
noon, but no decision was reached.
While admitting that the American
Development company had the best of
the argument, it's bid being over $4,000
the Cleveland Vapor Light company,
some of the. members thought that the
quality of the posts the American De-
velopment company had to offer should
be inquired into first, and on this con-
tentlon a. postponement was agreed to.
City Engineer Rundlett was instruct
ed to examine the posts that the Amer
lean Development company proposes to
furnish, and it was agreed that his re-
port should decide the matter when it
is brought up for final consideration at
the meeting of both the board of alder
men and the assembly called for this
evening.
With the statement that there was
no question as to who was the lowest
bidder, Aid. Holt was for disposing of
the matter without delay by awarding
the contract to the American Develop
ment company.
From what l can see, the company
has fully complied with the specifica
lions. They back their offer up with
bond. What more can we do?" OBJ
served Mr.. Holt
But what about the kind Of posts ~"
| asked Aid. Hinkens.
Where are those posts?" interrupted
Aid. Moriarty, directing his question at
Robert Seeger, the American Develop
ment company's manager.
'They are within easy distance" was
Mr.. Seeger's answer
How old are they, Mr.. Seeger?" ask
ed another member.
''rhey have been in use one year"
answered Mr.. Seeger.
Questions were being fired thick and
fast at Mr.. Seeger, some of which he
thought were actuated by inauisitive-
| ness on the part of his rival, the Cleve-
land Vapor Light company, and finally
he dismissed them all by saying:
Offers Additional Security.
Gentlemen, my company is the low
est bidder for this contract, and you
know it. We have backed our offer
with a good bond and stand ready to
give more security if you demand it.
w dS1C6 " llNC up W lllc SpcCIlICCl-
lions and you cannot demand more.
If any posts that we sell you are not
as the specifications call for you have
| the right to throw them out. We stand
ready to give you good ones in their
| place. We can furnish double the
number of posts you ask for
Aid. Bantz wanted the committee to
adjourn in body and inspect Mr.. See
gers; posts, but Aid. Dobner demurred
on the ground that the city engineer
was more competent person to say
whether they were all right.
| The Cleveland Vapor Lighting COM
pany, through it's manager, Charles
Patterson, and Attorney Thomas Nc
Dermott, favored Mr.. Bantz's sugges-
ton, and announced that they stood
ready to prove that the posts offered
by their rival had been in use more
than two years, the maximum of serv-
ice permitted by the specifications.
They made the broad statement that
the posts were little better than junk.
Mr.. Dobner, however, insisted that the
city engineer was the most competent
person to pass judgment, and this was
finally agreed to by the other mem
bers.
Features of Specifications.
One of the features of the specifica-
lions is that the bidder must show to
| the council his ability to fulfill the
contract not only in respect to finances.
but also as to stock on hand, which
must fulfill certain requirements as to
height, weight and age.
The location of the stock owned by
the American Development company,
it's rival, the Cleveland Vapor Light
company, made efforts to disclose. but
were frustrated by Mr.. Seeger, who
in nc H.
and stood ready to deliver them
And for your satisfaction" he add
ed, Il can provide double the quantity,
and every one Of them is better than
those the city is now using. 1 think
| can show, if necessary, that the posts
the Cleveland company is Offering
hardly conform with the specifica-
tions.'
Some criticism was offered yester-
day regarding the specifications,
which, it is claimed, favor the Cleve-
land Vapor Lighting company, the
present contractors. The specifications
call for furnishing and installing 1870
iron posts not later than Dec. 15 The
Cleveland company has it's posts al
| ready in the ground and in use. Less
than four weeks is given for instalIa-
ton. Had the posts to be cast, it is
claimed, the period would be too short
The specifications say two years of
previous use shall be the maximum
where secondhand posts are offered
The Cleveland company's posts have
not been in the ground that long. They
will not be two years old, as far as
the councils knowledge extends, until
the first of the year.
In the case of second hand posts,
the specifications say the posts shall
pass inspection. All the council can
inspect of the Cleveland company's
posts is what is above ground.
Present Posts Would Have to Be Moved.
These and other things have been
pointed out, but perhaps the most per-
picking feature Of the whole thing is
that the posts will have to be removed
when the next lighting contract is let
if another bidder is awarded the con-
tract. This applies only to street cor
ners where the posts of the Cleveland
company, the present contractors, are
installed. They cannot be removed
until the contract expires, which will
not be until the first of the year, and
this would necessitate the installation
of the new posts several feet distant.
The extra cost of removal would
have to be paid by the city when the
next lighting contract is let. This
would not have happened had the
Cleveland company made the lowest
bid for the poles.
"The bid of the American Develop
ment company seems to be the low
est" said President erode, of the