Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-14
MAY TAKE CHECK
AS A FORFEIT
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
SEES OPPORTUNITY
Declares Firm Which Abandoned Out
fall Sewer Seeks to Obtain An
other Construction Contract
In Clerks Name

The board of public works believes 1t
finds itself in a position to revenge it.
self on c.. L. Powell of the firm of
Stanshury & Powell, the outfall sewer
contractors who abandoned work on
the big sewer, leaving the city in q
deep hole. 1t is said that indications
point to an attempt on the part of Mr..
Powell to secure another contract by
subterfuge.
Powell makes a speciality of sewer
work, and in addition to the big outfall
sewer has several contracts in Los An
geles for sewer construction. awarded
him before the contract on the big bore
was abandoned. Yesterday the board
of public works opened bids for the
construction of a vitriied pipe sewer
in Avenue Fifty. Among the bids was
one signed M. l.. Hostetter, inclosing a
check which Secretary Ferris declares
was signed by c. L. Powell. AS there
were a number of bids to be opened
the board paid very little attention to
this particular bid until the others had
been announced.
When all other bids were opened 1t
was found that the one by Hostetter
was much the lowest of the six pro-
posals received His bid was $4S0S5S
The next lowest was that of f. w.
Whittier for $7370.
Is Powell's Clerk
WELL" said Chairman Anderson of
the board there is difference of more
than $4,000 on this contract. Who is
this Hostetter, anyway? He has never
before submitted bid to this board" !"
II understand he Is a clerk in Mr..
Powell's Office said Secretary Ferris.
"Ugh!'' exclaimed Mr.. Anderson, and
cold type cannot depict the mingled
emotions, disgust predominating, that
filled that one little exclamation or the
alacrity with which he dropped it as
though it were something accursed
Later in the day Mr.. HOstetter told
Mr.. Anderson that he had made mis-
take in submitting his low bid. This
was after all other bids had been
opened and Hostetter had had an op-
portunity to learn their amounts. He
received little satisfaction from Mr..
Anderson, however.
The board is convinced that Powell
is at least backing Hostetter, if this Is
not PowelPs own bid, and not a single
member of the board would be averse
to paying Powell back in some of his
own coin.
Might Collect Amount of Check
1t is extremely improbable, according
to the city attorney, that Powell can be
declared an irresponsible bidder on ac-
count of his actions on the outfall
sewer, especially if. as the board be-
lieves, he is bidding under another
name, but it is possible to award the con-
tract to Hostetter at the figures he has
submitted, and if, as he claims, he cam
not do the work for the amount of his
bid, to declare the certified check for
feited and collect the amount for the
city.
The bids received by the board were
as follows:
To construct vitrified pipe sewer in
Avenue Fifty and other streets-Alsop
Engineering and Construction company
proposed $9705, M. L. Hostetter pro-
posed $4308.5S, John Genilla proposed
$11, $50, A. p. Pusich proposed $S5OO, G.
Ukropina proposed $685. and F. W.
Whittier proposed $7370.
To improve Juliet street, between
Adams street and the whitney tract
w. A. Slower proposed 1895 per lineal
foot for grading and graveling, 40 cents
per lineal foot for cement curb, II
cents per square foot for gutter and is
cents per square foot for sidewalk;
George Rheinschild proposed 1920 per
lineal foot for grading and graveling,
3S cents per lineal foot for cement curb
and IA cents per square foot for side
walk; NJ. S. Cummins proposed $2.93
per lineal foot for grading and gravel
ing, 40 cents per lineal foot for cement
curb, 32 cents per lineaI foot for red
wood curb, IL cents per square foot for
gutter and 15 cents per square foot for
sidewalk.
To construct vitrified pipe sewer in
Court street, from Flower street to
Hope street-John Genilla proposed
$440, A. p. Pusich proposed $4S0 and F.
w. Whittier proposed SAL.
To improve Dorchester avenue, from
Normandie avenue to Jasmine street
M. s. Cummings proposed $S97 per
lineal foot for grading and graveling,
40 cents per lineal foot for cement, 30
cents per lineal foot for redwood curb
12 cents per square foot for gutter, Is
cents per square foot for cement side
walk and cents per square foot for
era vel sidewalk