The daily sentinel., 1907-02-28
THE CON-
TRACT IS
ACCEPTED
After Much Discussion the
City Council in Regular
Session Ratifies Nit
chell Contract.
NOW UP TO THE MAYOR
OTHER BUSINESS DONE
THE WATER CONTRACT


Mayor Bunting said he believed that
as a citizen and a member of that
body that it was incumbent upon him
to point out what to him seemed most
serious objections to the contract, as
presented. In part he said as fol-
lows:
Il feel that to vacate all the
principal things which the council
contended for when making the con-
tract on the sixteenth of February
and permitting the contractor to die
tate all the terms OF the agreement
was taking position which the coun-
ell would regret In the building of
this water system A number of sec
tions of the contract were diametric-
ally opposite to the safeguards which
the council thought they had thrown
around the granting of the contract
In their resolution OF February 10th
"Mr. Mitchell stated to council that
the Mitchell Engineering G Build
ing company, was n co-partnership
In which he and another person not
named, and for whom he carried a
power of attorney. were the part
ners. He now states that he is the
only person concerned and that he
constitutes the Mitchell Engineering
& Building company. Under the cir
cumstances we are at loss to know
the responsibility OF this contract
ing firm nor have We been particular
ly enlightened by Mr.. Mitchell him
self.
I'VE have bitter.y opposed approp-
Rating any money for material in the
estimate of the engineers for work
done, now in the present contract If
passed, Mr.. Mitchell can receive be-
side the so per cent for work done
up to $4,000 in any one month. We
have contended that the city itself
and not any trusteeship should be
the distributing agents of the money
paid the contractors. If the bonding
concern can trust trusteeship 1t
certainly ought to have confidence in
the integrity of the council and in the
capacity of the city of Grand juno
tion to distribute all monies.
"If the bonds are in the hands of
the banking institution in Denver and
we are to receive per cent upon any
balances for the sale of the bonds you
can feel assured that there will be
no balances there upon which inter-
est can be paid only at the time of the
need of money for the city.
Il am pointing to these objections
because l believe 1t is my duty to do
so. The council for themselves as in
dividuals and for the council as n
whole are answerable to the people
for what they do, equally / am re-
sponsible to the whole people for what
/ do. There fore l want to do right
myself and see that the council maxi
es no mistakes.
81 have perfect confidence in every
member of the council in their abso-
lutte desire to do what is right. No
body of men has ever worked harder
to do what is right for the public.
Gentlemen. the contract is now
before you for your final acceptance
or rejection. what is the pleasure of
the council?
When city council opened in reg
ular session last night Mayor Bunt-
ing. City Clerk Conley and all the al
dermen were present.
A petition was presented asking
the council to condemn and order
remove the old frame Miller build
ing on Main street, occupied for a
number of years by the Valley Feed
Company. It was referred to the fire
and police board.
A petition, asking council to order
that certain public barns and corrals
in the city be no longer used as breed
ing barns or corrals was referred to
the fire and police committee. The
council recommended that the com
mIttee issue such an order as the COM
plants are numerous.
Robert Best asked permission to
nut a plate glass front In the build
ing on Main street west of the Nc
Culloch Feed store. Referred to the
fire and police committee.
The petition presented by the
property owners in the Grand View
subdivision. asking the council to
open certain streets through that sec
ton of the city, as announced in de-
tail some days ago by the Sentinel,
was filed with the street and alley
committee. The city engineer was
instructed to investigate and ascer-
tain the cost of making such street