The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-10
Believed That Contractors Can
Be Secured to Bid on the
Northwest Second Street
Work by Dividing 1t.
RE-ADVERTlSING WILL
BE DONE BY BOARD.
II No Bids Are Received on
September Is, the Plan of
Dividing the Work Will Be
Taken Up Seriously.

Henry w. Deuker. councilman from
the Second ward. had a suggestion to
offer the board of public works at the
council meeting Monday evening in re-
gard to plan he thought could be
adopted for the building OF the sewer
| system at North West Second street.
Mr. Deuker was not sure that his plan
would be legal, and after outlining N
he asked City Attorney T. ]. Study
what he thought OF 1t. Mr. Study
stated that the board and himself had
considered the same plan, but had
abandoned 1t because il is not in ac-
cordance with the state law
After stating that the city and p. G.
c. 4 l.. Railroad company had entered
into an agreement for a viaduct over
the North West Second street crossing,
and for other improvements. Mr.. Deu.
ker stated that the city now found 1t.
self to be embarrassed owing to the
fact that the sewer system. which is o
be put In by the city under the terms
OF the agreement. could not be con-
| tracted for owing to the fact that con.
| tractors would not enter bids because
the state law provided that assessments
for the work could not be levied until
after the completion OF the job.
The InstaIIment Plan.
| Mr.. Deuker wanted to know IL the
city could not contract with some con-
tractor to build the sewer and be paid
for his work in installments while the
sewer was being constructed, these
payments to be made on estimates of
the city engineer. Mr.. Study stated
that this would be a good plan to adopt
if it were not violation OF the state
law. Mr.. Study stated that the city
did not have enough ready money In
the treasury to pay for this work on
installments, and he stated that the
city had no authority to borrow money
to meet these payments. II is esti-
mated that the sewer will cost $4,000.
and the city's share OF the cost will be
$4,000. Mr.. Study stated that the city
could pay to the contractor this
amount, but nothing more. The board
now contemplates dividing up the Job,
and Mr.. Study stated that he thought
by this plan contractors could be In
terested.
Mr.. Deuker said that the property
along the street where the trunk sewer
would be laid. is owned for the greater
part by the railroad company. and the
city. He suggested that the city and
the railroad company could pay out
their assessments for this work at once
SO there would be no difficulty In Sc
curing contractor to put in the trunk
sewer. Mr.. Deuker suggested that
contracts for placing the lateral sew
ers be let to other contractors.
New Bids, September IS.
Mr.. Merrill of the board. stated that
by dividing up the job in this manner,
contractors would be interested He
stated that the job is to be advertised
for a third time and bids for the work
would be opened September 25 Mr..
Merrill said that in the event no bids
we're received on this date. the work
would be divided. Everything possi-
BILE will be done to have the contract
for the job let.
Mr.. McMahan stated that he had
heard the board severely criticized be-
cause it only offered to float 5 per
cent bonds for the Improvement Mr..
McMahan said that the critics thought
contractors could be interested in the
work If per cent bonds were offered.
Mr.. Merrill replied that none Of the
who had contemplated plac-
ing bids for the contract, had objected
to 5 per cent bonds.