East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-09-24

AS was feared, there was a scarcity
of levee repair bids for the council
meeting Saturday evening, and after
a two hours session that body ad-
journed without having done anything
further than to let contract for the
concrete foot wall, which is to be
plact along part of the levee, and pa'd
the engineers $500, which was SEEM
ingly not yet due them.
Most of the members of the council
were in their seats early Saturday
evening, and while waiting for the
mayor to arrive the levee problem
was freely DISGUST. Much of the talk
was in regard to Councilman Hinkle's
Plan for drafting the voters of the
city to work on the levee, and there
was much good natured raillery over
the. work which would fall to the diff
ferent councilmen and others prezent.
"All the same, that is what the
thing is coming to, and only by draft
ing can we get the work DONE" de-
clared Mr.. Hinkle in defense of his
plan.
Moussu Gets Contract.
When the bids on the table were
opened H. Moussu & Co. were found
to have offered to construct the con-
crete foot wall for $40 per cubic
yard. After some discussion the bid
was accepted and the contract or
dered granted to that company.
However, the bid was merely for do
ing the concrete work and did not
provide for the excavating that will
be necessary before the wall can be
placed on bedrock.
The only other bids prezented were
an unsigned one for the concrete work
which was higher than the one ac-
cepted. and one from Mr.. Jacobsen
for rebuilding the wasn't out portion
of the levee at the lower end. AS he
askt 20 cents per cubic yard for maxi
ing the embankment, while the en-
gineer's estimate was for 80 cents,
the bid was considered as exorbitant.
Engineers Are Paid.
Altho the council has found it diff
ficult to spend money on actual levee
work the engineers have not been
backward in seeking pay for their
lowed. At the Saturday night meet
ing a communication from them was
read in which they insisted that a
payment of $500 be made them at
once.
Under the contract with the en-
gineers the city is to pay them per
cent of the amount expended in con-
sideration of their services in drawing
plans and supervising the work. As
no money has yet been spent. some
councilmen had difficulty in seeing
how anything was due the engineers.
However. the sum of $500 was or
dered paid them.
Three Per Cent Was Due.
Regarding the $500 Councilman
Hinkle said since, that the same was
due under the terms of the contract
iwth them. He says that 8 per cent
OF the estimated expenditure was due
when the plans were adopted. the re-
naming 2 per cent is to be paid in
monthly instalments as the work pro-
ceeds. 1t is estimated that the work
planned will cost between $40. 900 and
$4,000, and the amount paid the en-
gineers was based upon the cost being
even less than the former amount.
Fair Bilding Problem.
In signed letter to the council the
insurance company having a policy on
the Ferguson bilding adjoining the
fair pavilion held that granting a per-
nit for the construction of the frame
pavilion had violated an ordinance OF
the city, consequently they declared
they would hold the city responsible
in case of loss by fire from the fair
bilding.
In order to avoid such responsible