The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-26
ONE CHANCE FOR TAXPAYER.


In their attempt to rush through the
conduit grab, those minority "Ameri-
cans who proposed the donation party
for Contractor Moran overlooked the
possibility that their associates who
have some regard for honesty and
economy might block the game. The
result has been, so far, a division Of
the ranks, with the ''grafters" on one
side and the sensible, conservative
councilmen on the other
Another factor they had not counted
upon is Mr.. DOremUs, who was the
consulting engineer when the plans for
the conduit were adopted. and who is
on record with his opinion that the
concrete conduit would meet all the
requirements without the plaster, if
the concrete were put in according to
the specifications. Mr.. Doremus might
have gone even further and said that
the plans were all submitted to him and
were adopted with his approval in
every detail. He knows, as any praC-
teal engineer knows, that the original
plans viii stand the test of exam ma
ton by impartial engineers familiar
with concrete work. and that the pro-
conduit is made largely in the interest
of the contractor for whom the add
ton would mean so much added TO the
profits of his contract.
The cold fact is that the concrete
which leaks was not up to speCifiCa-
tions. and that the suggestion of a
plaster covering was intended to cover
defects in the concrete work. and at
the same time give the contractor more
money for work which would be I'M
right in the first place
The suggestion that the matter be
submitted to some impartial engineer
IS a good one. provided the engineer to
be consulted is a man of high stand
ing in his profession and familiar with
concrete work and hydraulic engineer
ing. 1t would cost money but it would
be better spent than the $4,000 which
some Of the councilmen s. cheerfully
intended To give to Contractor Moran.
It is a hopeful sign that some of the
American COunCiImen would not sub
nit to the dictation of Black, Mulvey
and others who meant to rush through
the $4,000 job without consideration:
and it viii be a more hopeful sign if
the cOuncilmen who are honest and
able will take control of the business
as they should and see to it that the
city's interests are protected.
In this connection it may be added
that the talk OF the Black MuIvey-
Kelsey-Moran combination about the
conduit having been projected as a po-
litical undertaking, might have some
force If it were not for the facts in the
case. Mr.. Doremus, the consulting en-
gineer, has never been affiliated with
the democratic party; Pat Moran.
who got the conduit contract. was a
heavy contributor TO the American
campaign fund; his principal sub-con-
tracts went TO Americans" and his
support, so far as he gave any open
support was thrown to the patriots. "
Engineer Bacon, who planned the con-
duit, earned the criticism of some ar
dent democrats because he refused IN
consider politics at all I'm his DEPART
meHt work. and the whole undertaking
was divorced from partisan politics
from its inception to the letting Of the
contract.
No public work here in recent years
has been handled more Iegitimatelv as
straight business proposition; and its
management affords a pleasing con-
trast with the system which Black and
Mulvey and Kelsey and Moran have
begun TO establish in the engineering
department Of the city.