The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-20
WILL BEGIN
 NEW SYSTEM City Ready to Start on
 WaterWorks. TIT WILL COST $ls4.so2 Purchase of Compressor Causes Debate in Council. Committee Adverses Proposition to Sup plant steam Power at the Pumping station by the
 Use of Electricity.
 

The actual construction of the new water works system of Montgomery will begin January l. The total cost of the entire ssytem Is estimated in ex- act figures at $194.S02.
 | Such was the report of the Water works Committee submitted to the City Council last night by it's Chairman. AL derman A. C. Forbes. The submission | of the report was. in itself, | not so much a distinct fea- ture of the Council meeting, as the discussion which accompanied the con- sideration of one item of the report was a feature of interest of the meet ing.
 This item of the report recommend ed to the Council that the bid of the Hardy Tynes Manufacturing Company | to furnish the compressor at the pump | ing station be accepted. their oner be- | ing $9,S4O Alderman Forbes explain ed that this firm was the lowest origi- nal bidder.
 | Alderman Kohn injected excitement into the incident He asked If the orig l inaI specifications for the compressor had not been changed by the Commit tee without reference to the Council.
 Alderman Forbes explained that it had been originally decided by the City Engineer and the Consulting Engineer Ithat a non -condensing compressor should be bought. but they had later decided that condensing I compressor should be bought. The bid of four firms were received under the first specifications. Their bids were lreturned to them and the new specffi- cations were sent along. The four original bidders were invited to make new bids. and only the four original
 bidders.
 Objection of MT. kohn.
 Alderman Kohn signified that he did Inot like that procedure of the com
 mittee. He had. he said. as much re-
 srect for the Waterworks Committee las for any committee of the Council but the committee should have reject Ie ed all bids and advertised for bids un- der the new specifications. This the icommittee did not do. He asked that the matter be left over to come up al
 some future meeting of the Council. SC
 that the Aldermen could inform them
 selves upon 1t.
 ! Alderman Forbes protested against
 any delay In settling the matter. Int
 committee had devoted much time tt
 it. he said, and had investigated T
 thoroughly. The committees actior
 hadfbeen open and above board and ia
 miIiar to members of the Council. NJ
 unfairness had been done and the re
 port should be acted upon at once.
 T would like to ask the Chairman O
 the Waterworks Committee, said Al . derman Kohn, "to explain why thu
 changes in the specifications wer'
 made?'
 T will explain to the Alderman.
 said Alderman Forbes. that the orig inal specifications called for non-con densing compressor, but the Consulting : and City Engineer decided that tn
 city ought to have the most effectiv' and most econ omical compressor. whicl was condenser. The four origi
 nal bidders were given every opportup | ity and opportunities equal to eael
 other"
 Does not the Chairman of the Wa Iterworks Committee think that hi
 committee should have followed the ol | way of the Council and rejected all bid i; and acting with the Council advertise {; lfor new bids?" asked Alderman Kohn l. | ''Does he not think that the action o = the committee in changing the speci fications establishes a precedent tha {: may not work well?
 "The Alderman asked for permissio :. to ask question, and not to make :. speech" said Alderman Forbes. ;; gave him the right to ask question : but I did not give him the right to tn f floor"
 :: If the Alderman objects to tn | question I will withdraw it," said Al derman Kohn.
 < Put 1t Up to Council. . 'T will answer the question he ask
 ed by saying that we are right nov . proposing to let the Council settle tn question:" said Alderman Forbes. 9Th
 thing Is before the Council. The Coun cil Is to say whether the economics s coniensIn gcompressor shall be install
 ed or not The estimate of the en
 gineers figured that the compresso
 would cost about $14,000 and we hay
 bids here proposing that it shall
 furnished for something over 5000. f It was finally agreed to let the mat d ter go over and be discussed in execu - tive session.
 t Tho committee reported that the cor tract for furnishing the fire hydrant
 should be awarded to the Heron Pun
 and foIbory Company and the contrac : for the furnishing of gate valve should go to the Forbes Liddell Suppl D Company.
 The committe reported that the wor towards the construction of the nc,
 water works system was progressin
 favorably and tha. work of constru1
 tion would begin about January 1. The report of th' committee, wit n the exception of the item to whic 2 Alderman Kohn objected, was adopted q ELECTRICITY VS. STEAM.
 | Cuucfl OppOsea Use of Former 4