Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-03

ton Of the slope between the railway
tracks be reduced, to conform TO that
of the balance OF the street, IL was
agreed between that office and the
chairman Of the board that the fill on
the south side of the said street should
be raised one foot over the said lim-
It, and that sufficient additional cut be
made on the north side to accomplish
the object stated. and thereupon the
assistant city engineer. Mr., Zulich, In
the presence OF the chairman, was In
structed 10 prepare plans and establish
grades accordingly.
After the excavation of several
thousand yards Of earth. represented to
be In accordance with the agreed
grades, 1t was discovered that the I'LL
provided on the south side was from
two To two and one-half feet short Of
the agreed limit. and that the cut on
the north side WAS correspondingly
deeper, disclosing an apparent purpose
on the part OF the city engineer, by In
direction, 70 force through his original
plan, with its Objectionable side road
and retaining walls,
CONSENT TO COMPROMISE.
Failing 70 secure the return to the
grade, or so-Cplled compromise grade,
the chairman at meeting of the
board. held April II, 1905, withdrew his
consent to tho compromise grade, and
insisted that grades should be furnish
ed IN accordance with the strict letter
Of the ordinance IN which position he
received the unanimous Endorsement Of
the board, all members being present.
City Engineer Ritter being present, as-
al tki4l MI
Used TO furnish proper grades without
delay.
COURSE OF ENGINEER.
IT was subsequently announced by
the city engineer that some $40 feet In
length Of The Bell Telephone company's
conduit would have to be lowered, and
accordingly tho board was directed by
the council to arrange with Mr.. Moran
To have the said work done under the
direction of THE citv engineer, and
thereupon not only $40 feet, but some
2,l00 feet were lowered from one and
one-half to two and one.half feet lower
than was necessary 20 provide for the
grade upon which the street was to be
built, and low enough TO accommodate
the engineers original plan, the evil
dent purpose being TO still force its
adoption, or to defeat the establish
ment OF the grade ordered by the coun-
Gil by. precipitating litigation on the
part of the abutting property -owners
against the city, or the chairman of
the board. upon his "indemnity bond"
LABOR AND MATERIAL WASTED.
The actual cost of labor and material
wasted In this work, exclusive OF cost
of supervising. inspecting and engi-
neering. was over $1,000, Following
this, the rejected side roads and re-
tanning walls were staked out at the
intersections OF A, B G and ID streets,
and work begun thereon, that at A
street being allowed TO go 20 compile
ton, as an object lesson to the pro-
erty-owners, and the public, OF course
they were condemned and torn out,
but not until an additional sum OF
about 81 900. exclusive OF engineering
and inspection. had been wasted,
NOBLE BRINGS ACTION.
II win be remembered that an action
at law was brought by William Noble
for damages, and to compel the restord
tion OF the sidewalk on the west side
Of his property and II and South Tenn
pie streets. the walk having been low
cred some four and a half feet, to con-
form 10 an arbitrary grade established
by q former engineer This action was
compromised by the city attorney
agreeing to have the walk restored at
point about one foot below the orig
ina surveys, ana city Engineer Ritter
established the grade at the point
agreed 10 with Mr. Noble IN the pres
ence Of his attorney, Judge Dninny,
and the board caused the fill to be
made accordingly
STILL ANOTHER BLUNDER.
Afterward Mr.. Ritter established the
South Temple street grade so as to In
volVe a5cut so deep as To render APP
proaoh TO the north, and over adJa-
cent properties impossible, unless the
sidewalk should be cut down some three
feet below the compromise level. Com
plaint was made OF the excessive cut,
ana the matter was then brought To the
attention OF the engineer by the chair
man VI the board, special reference be-
ing made 10 the compromise level es-
tahlished by Mr., Ritter himself; but Mr..
Ritter Insisted that no binding oompro-
mIse had been made, and that the side
walk must be cut down to conform to
the street grade, hut finally, upon the
personal Intervention OF Mayor Nor
ris, bee yielded, and the cut In the
street was filed two feet
WHAT iT COST THE CITY
This useless and unnecessary excava-
ton ana filling involved additional cost
OF something over $500. still de-
ternlned 10 accomplish the cutting
down Of the walk. aud the line Of In
valuable shade trees. he caused the In.
tersections OF II and ! streets TO be
cot down, and the curbs set about three
feet too low. upon the discovery OF
which facts the chairman OF the board
had the curbing raised about Is inches
at II street. and about 10 inches at |