The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-13
BOARD OF WORKS
LETS CONTRACTS
Still There's Mystery Whether
Moran Isn't to Figure When
All Is Known.
OTHER BIDDERS DENY THIS
LEoNARDITEs HOLD A SECRET
SESSION.


After holding a secret session lasting
nearly an hour with Councilman t. r.
Black present as the personal represent
ative of Contractor p. ]. Moran, the
board of public works held a public ses-
sion of three minutes duration yesterday
afternoon. and let contracts for three big
paving Jobs to the Barber Asphalt com
pany-oommonly known as the asphalt
trnst-which has outbid Mr.. Moran.
The star chamber session, coupled with
hurried unanimity of action which fol-
lowed, has two constructions placed upon
trend of affairs at the city hall. One is
that the asphalt trust and Mr. Moran
have reached an understanding, and that
Mr.. Moran is to be given sub-eentract
to do the actual work provided for in
much as the contracts to become effect
i've must be approved by the city coun-
ell, MIR. Moran decided to wage his fight
before that bedy rather than to insist
that his friends, the members of the
board of public works. run unnecessary
outright that he be given the jobs, not
est bidder
Leonard Bars Reporters.
-Four o'clock yesterday afternoon was
set fer the meeting of the board and at
that time three newspaper reporters
walked into the office of the board
Chairman Fred J. Leonard informed them
That the board wished TO hold a private
conference with City Engineer L. c. Kel-
seY before holding a public session. The
reporters went out, and; at the threshold
they met Councilman Black. who is close
TO Contractor Moran. Mr.. Black was adj
n1itted TO the secret session and remained
there until the doors were opened
The board, City Engineer Kelsey and
Councilman Black discussed for some
time, and then sent for G. II. Draney of
Denver, who represents the asphalt trust.
Mr.. Praney was waiting with the COM
was summoned into the august presence
or the board he was asked where his
Vista" asphalt specified IN its bid.
Draney Tells the Board.
Mr.. Draney told the board that "Buena
Vista is the trade name for an asphalt
which the trust mines at Bonanza, this
state: that ID is to be shipped over the
Rio Grande Western from Dragon. He
said that the asphalt in question is a
natural bitumen, and not rock asphalt.
cessfuiiy in Denver, 6hieago' ST. ST. Louis oSi
and other cities. Later, In response to a
question by Herald reporter, MIR. BRA
ney declared that, in the event his COM
pany IS given the contracts, no sub-con-
bodv Use P Rf bat " the "F 0a1 9r any
the work itself
After Mr. Draney had left the star
chamber session the hoard came out in
the main room and the members ranged
themselves around long table Mr.
four members had in his hand a tabulat-
ed statement of the bids the various
sT5nme. which, had ii been cen r rehear PsSi
b~laSoriously, could not have run more
7 Smoothly, was then enacted.
Moves Like CIocEwork.
G. d. Rookiidge moved that, inasmuch
as James kennedy's bid for sewer extern
sions was lower than that of anyone else
it be recommended TO the council that he
he awarded the contract. The motion
carried unanimously Mr.. kennedy's bid
As PROMPTLY as though a call boy had
notified him of his cue, w J. HallOran,
after consulting the paper in front OF
him, moved that 5, Birch, the lowest bid
der for cement sidewalk extensions, be
given that contract. Once more the mo-
ton carried unanimously. Mr.. Birch's
Then it was Sam Barlow's move. He
moved that the contract for water main
extensions be let to j. w Percival, and
again harmony and unaRimitY character
lied the Vote Mr.. Percivals bid was
Trust Gets the Paving.
It was reserved for G. P. Brooks tc
make the most important motion of the
day 1t was that TO the Barber Asphalt
company be given the contracts for street
having, and that the contract be awarded
and that reinforced concrete be required
Again the motion carried. This motor
makes, the contract price for the paving
Main street; frem Fourth South to Sew
eRth South, S62 ,S04.
State street. from Fourth South to Sew
epth South, and Fourth South from West
Temple to Second East. $92,023.20.
to Third West, S47, 40O. p.
The total amounts of ali the contracts
recommended TO the council is S423, 075 81
City Now in Litigation.
Friends of Contractor Moran. who de-
clare that he is in no collision with the
asphalt trust, declare that the latter
should not be given the contract because
81 is now in litigation with the city over
previous contracts In 1901 the Alcatra;
Asphalt Paving company was awarded
the contract for paving Second and Third
South streets. It was absorbed by the
Barber Asphalt company while the work
was going ON. 1t is alleged that it un-
dertook the work under time limit OF
40 days, and that il ran 293 days ovel
time The board of public works deduct
ed $3.50 from its contract result Of
the delay and the company is now suins
the city for that sum. The board held
that 15T DAYS Of delay were not justified