The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-01
LEONARD FAILED
To GIVE A BOND
ALLOWED FURTHER TIME,
BUT CITY WILL NOT WAIT LONGER
THAN TEN DAYS.

In Letter TO Mayor MIR. Leonard Ex-
pressed Desire to Put mp Certified
Check for $25.O0O Rather Than
Give Surety Company BOnd-Alder-
men Decided, However, That Pro-
visions of Original Resolutions
Would Have TO he Complied with.
Leonard Says He Will Get Bond.
At a special meeting of City Council
yesterday it was decided TO allow Mr..
s. S. Leonard, the contractor for the
new City Hall, until noon, March 10,
to file bond with the city. according
TO agreement, for the proper compli-
nnce with his contract.
This action of Council was taken
after a letter from Mr.. Leonard to
Mayor Myers was read, in which the
contractor asked to be allowed to de-
post a SIS, 900 certified check instead
of making the bond required, which
should be for $52,44S75, one-fourth of
the amount of the contract price.
After reading Mr.. Leonard's letter
and discussing the matter in caucus,
Council passed the following resolu-
ton:
Resolved, by the Mayor and Alder
men of the city of Savannah in Coun-
Gil assembled, That Mr.. S. S. Leonard
having failed to furnish the bond with
satisfactory surety company as sure
ty, as required by the resolutions of
Council as to the new City Hall build
ing contract and bond, passed at the
meeting held on Feb. IL. 1904, and a
reasonable time having already elapsed
for the giving of said bond and the
delivery thereof to the Mayor, yet, as
Council is DESTROYS to give Mr.. Leonard
full opportunity to comply with the
terms and requirements already made
in this regard, he is now allowed until
IL o'clock, noon, on March 10, 1904, to
comply with said resolutions of Feb.
II, 1904, in giving such satisfactory
bond and executing the building con-
tract as prepared and agreed upon by
Council and by himself, and no further
extension of time beyond the foregoing
will be allowed.
Would Forfeit Contract.
In the event. MIR. Leonard fails to
give bond within the time now grant
ed, his contract will be forfeited.
Council may then either call for new
bids, or may award the contract to
one of the cd bidders. 1t is thought
this latter course will be pursued.
OF course the firms that bid at the
regular time, are not now under any
obligation to erect the building at the
figures named then. but it is believed
any one oe them would be glad to
get the contract at the figures they
bid. 1t has even been suggested that
one of them might take the contract
at Mr.. Leonard's figures, and be glad
TO get IT.
In his letter to Mayor Myers. Mr..
Leonard complained that there were
things in his contract with the city
Objectionable to the surety company
He made three specific complaints, but
the aldermen did not consider these
very seriously. as he signed the con-
tract himself Just twenty days ago,
and by signing it agreed to all the
provisions. Mr. Leonard and the city
each retained a signed copy.
why Leonard Is Kicking.
Mr.. Leonard's first complaint against
the contract is that it required moro
than the state laws allow. By this
he referred to the special provision
in the contract that material men could
sue on the bond in the name of the
city. This provision was inserted by
the aldermen to protect the sub-con-
tractors. On private buildings in Geor-
gia, both laborers and material men
may file liens. the laborer within six
months and the material man within
three.
But. public buildings in Georgia are
exempt from liens, for material. II
the provision complained of had not
been inserted III the contract with the
city, those who supplied Mr.. Leonard
with material would not have beer
protected in the event he failed tC
nay, for under the law a lien would
not stand The same point came u
in Savannah when the Chatham Acad-
envy was built and. a $4,000 lien was
thrown out of court because the build
ing was a public one.
Another complaint made by the con-
tractor was that no allowance is made
for bad weather and other things In the
time limit. Providential delays are
mentioned, however, and that could be
construed to cover this point. The third
complaint is regarded as unique. Mr.
Leonard says while he is subjected tC
pay demurrage of so much day, II the
building is not finished within the time
limit. no rebate is to be given should
he finish the building ahead of time.
Must Give surety Bond.
When bids for the construction of tbs
building were advertised for it was
stated a bond of one-fourth the amount
of the cost of the building would be re
quired. This is what the aldermen ash
of Mr.. Leonard, and they were unwill
ing to accept his offer of smaller cash
deposit Mr.. Leonard did not appeal
worried over the action of Council. H
says he will be able to give bond anC
erect the building. But the delay il
the matter has caused uneasines
among a number of the city officials
The fact that he went to Baltimore {,
arrange his bond and returned to maxi
a counter proposition in place of tn
bond, indicated to the aldermen tina
there was some trouble with the suret.
company.
The sub-contracts for the building
have already been let. In one instanc
six carloads of material are now on tn
road. Should Mr.. Leonard not be abb
TO give bond by March 10, these sub