The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-03

BIDS ARE ALL REJECTED
The Council Decides Not TO Open
Electric Light Proposals.
1t Also Decides NOT to Build New
Pumping Station.
City Attorney Instructed About His
Answer to Injunction Suit.
Four Bids Were Received and Re-
turned Unopened.
From Mondays Daily.

The council held a special meeting this
afternoon to open bids for the furnish
ING and installing of a municipal cleo
hic lighting plant, and for the transac-
ton of any other business that might
come up. Mayor Petersen presided, and
all of the aldermen were present.
The mayor called the meeting to order
after short executive session with the
city attorney, and said that as the city
had been enjoined from going ahead he
was not quite clear whether the council
should receive bids, and he invited dis
cussion on the subject.
City Attorney DALEY handed three
motions to the recorder to read, and eacn
was unanimously adopted. By the first
one the council reconsidered all action
which it had previously taken relating
to the removal of the pump station from
its present location to the property which
the city owns on North Fourth street.
The second motion was that the pump
station bes not moved, and that no new
building be constructed for it, and that
all bids for new pump station be re-
jected.
The third motion instructs the city at
torney, in drawing up the answer to the
injunction suit begun by John B. Meag
her, to say that the officials intend to
construct a lighting plant and pay for it
out OF money derived from the sale of
bonds authorized by the law that author
ixes the issue of $4,000 bonds for the
purpose, and ON no other source.
The matter of opening bids was then
taken up. Alderman Leonard did not
favor opening them in view of the in
junction.
Alderman Taylor said that it was IN
fortunate that the bidders had been put
to so much trouble, but the council had
been acting in good faith throughout
He was sorry that the council could not
90 ahead, as the city wants the lighting
plant, but the court has enjoined the
council from going on. The only course
to pursue was to return the bids unopen-
ed, and he moved that this be done. This
motion was carried.
Mayor Petersen said that he was sorry
that the council cannot go on, but he
hoped that the day would come when the
bidders would be rewarded for their
trouble He thought that the next coun-
ell would see its way clear to go ahead
with the work. The people wanted it,and
if it were to be submitted to vote, the
proposition would carry by ninety-five
per cent.
The council adopted resolution grant
ing petition from the Chicago & North
Western railroad that it be allowed to
lay a sidetrack across Elm street for the
benefit of the malt house
There being no further business, the
council adjourned.
There were four bids presented on the
electric light plant. They were present
ed by j. G. Robertson of st. Paul, the
Crowley Electric company of Duluth,
the Minneapolis Electric and Construc-
ton company, and the Electric Construc-
ton Machinery company of Rock Island,
I'll.
w. 1. Gary & Co. of Minneapolis, did
not put in bid because of the fact
that Mr. Gary is the consulting engineer
of the city.