The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-23
MORAN IS GIVEN
THE PAVING JOBS
Cuts Down His Bid $4,000
and Is Awarded 100000
Worth of Work.
MAKES A DEAL WITH EZRA
CONTRACTOR is MASTER OF ALL
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Patrick J. Moran was awarded yester-
day the four big street-paving contracts
which have been the bone of contention
between the board of public works and
the city council for three months. The
award, which was made by the board of
public works, is subject to the ratification
Of the council but Moran has shown i'm
the past few weeks his ability TO dominate
the latter body absolutely and It will
without doubt, approve the action OF th8
board.
To secure the contracts Moran agreed
TO deduct $1,000 from the total amount OF
his bids on the contracts His total fig
ure, according to the bids submitted June
-, was SjlSSlb-60; deducting from this
$1,000 leaves S30I,S76.60. which Moran will
receive for the work
In April when bids were first opened on
three of the streets. the Barber Asphalt
company was the low bidder. Were the
contract now to be let for the four streets
upon the same basis as that low bid. the
cost would be %. This means THAI
Moran will receive $3S39.70 more for the
four jobs than the property would
have paid had the contracts been awarded
on the basis of the April bids Of the
asphalt trust.
Moran in the Saddle.
Chairman Fred J. Leonard stated in
the meeting Of the board Of public works
yesterday afternoon that the deal to let
the contracts 10 Moran had been fixed
ITp with Mayor EZTa Thompson before the
latter left for Denver Thursday. and that
Ezra was satisfied that the contracts
should be let to Moran with the deduction
of $1,000. Three weeks ago Mayor Thomp-
son and al his satellites registered a sol
emn vow that under no circumstances
should Moran be given the contracts
They swOre they would punish him to
the limit for causing the council TO rejecL
the April bid of the Barber Asphalt COM
pany.
The letting of the contracts to Moran
places bim i'm absolute control of city
work By using his power over the city
council ard by forming combinations Of
one kind and another he has driven all
rivals from the field. and forced outside
contracting firms to give uD al nope Of
securing contracts in Salt Lake.
The result also means that Moran VIII
have at least 1000 men at work for him
on election day this fall. and no secret is
made OF the fact that he is 10 vote as
many as possible for the American f..
county and legislative ticket. II means
that the streets viii De torn up al win
ter. Moran has fifteen months 10 finish
the paving OF Second South from fhiru 90
Tenth East. The shortest time he has To-
complete any of the contracts is nearly
ten months. He cannot lay asphalt paw
ing during frosty weather but he Will d"
al his grading during the winter months.
and viii have 20 work every possible day
during the winter in order TO finish the
jobs in time. IT is claimed
Moran Makes His Offer.
The deal to give Moran the contracts
and thus call off the board Of publ.
works i'm its opposition thereto. was fixed
up with Mayor Thompson Thursday be
fore he left for Denver. Yesterday Chair
man Leonard called a special meeting Of
the board. AT which were present Chair
man Leonard. 5 N Borrow and G. T.
Brooks c. y ROoklidge and W. J. Hal
loran. the other members OF the board. be
ing out Of the city.
The following communication was read
from Moran
Il submit herewith supplementary pro-
posal to my bid of June i for the paving
Of First South street. East Temple street.
State and Fourth South streets, as fol-
lows.
viii say that I hereby propose 20 ac-
cept the contract for this work should
YOU desire TO award same. at price
ma king the total cost Of the work for
the three extensions biased on the ap-
DrOximate quantities OF the city engineer
equal to s11.450 less than the cost Of same
would figure a the prices submitted 70
you in my proposal Of June -.
cit IS understood that this proposal IS
made subject to and conditional upon
Your awarding me the contract for the
paving OF Second South street in accord
auce with my bid submitted to YOU june
l. covering this work"
Thought Moran Was "Fudging."
Chairman Leonard objected to this bid.
1T was my understanding. he said.
that Mayor Thompson consented that
Moran should have the contracts provided
he would deduct 81 900 from his bids This
deductS only s1145Q
Accordingly Nj Leonard went to the
telephone and c0nversed with Moran.
When he returned he declared that Mo
ran was willing to deduct $1,000 and have
II deducted prOpOrtiOnately from All the
contracts according to the amount of
work ia each one. including the Second
South lob
Assistant city Attorney IT. J Dininny
was asked if it would be legal 10 award
Moran the contract under the CirCum-
stances. He replied
I think the contract. if awarded. would
be binding upon Moran and the city
would not want TO say without eXamina-
ton OF the law and without consulting
Judge EIiles. whether or not il would be
binding upon the property OwnerS-
After some sparring as 10 the proper
mode of procedure. Mr.. Barlow moved
that the action Of the board in rejecting
the bids on June i be TeScinded- Nr.
Brooks. who was absent when the bids
were rejected. seconded the motion and
on roll call all three members present
voted in the affirmative
Moran Given the Contracts.
Mr.. Brooks then moved that the con
tracts be awarded in accordance with the
verbal understanding had with Mr.. Mo
ran by Mr.. Leonard over the telephone.
and that City Engineer Kelsey be in
stTucted to appOrtIOn the amounts under
the $4,000 deduction. and draw Up the
contracts an conformity thereto. This
motion prevailed
The contracts viii be drawn il time
to permit Moran TO sign them and file
his bond before the council meets Mon
day night Mayor Thompson. in all prob
ability, will have returned TO Salt Lake
by that time, owing to sickness in his
family. He Will doubtless approve the
contracts promptly. and the work is like
~ to be commenced next week
As a further present to Moran the
board yesterday awarded him contract
for fixing UP holes in existing Davements
at price of $40 per square yard. No
competitive bids were called for The
council has appropriated s2.500 for the
work
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