The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-06-25
BOARD OF
ALDERMEN
A Change IN the Electric Light
ing Franchise to Fit the
Changed Conditions.
SEWER CONTRACTS AWARDED

| lal session on wednesday evening, Al
derman Owens being absent. A COM
munication was received from the
board of sewerage, reciting all that
had been done in the way Of receiving
bids and certifying that the lowest
bidders for the disposal plant were J.
B. u FL. K. Salmon; for the pipe sew
ering, Antonio Costa and for the sew
ers, George B. Raymond. They had all
presented bonds ia surety companies
and the board recommended that the
Mayor and the Town Clerk be author
lied to execute contracts with them
in the name of the town. On resolu-
tion by Alderman Mowery this was
ordered after approval by the sewerage
committee.
Another communication from the
same body enclosed a copy of the re-
cord of the board of freeholders in
reference to opening the county roads
and on motion a bond of $4,000 was
ordered executed in favor of the board
Of freeholders for the proper repair of
the roads after the sewers are laid.
Alderman Mowery stated that the
sewerage commission would meet on
the following night to approve the
contractors bond, etc, SO as to avoid
delay.
Alderman Twining presented COM
munication from Peter Y. Strykeh
stating that it had been considered
best for the lighting of the town to be
done by corporation rather than an
individual and asking permission to
assign his bid to the Morris & Somer
set Electric Co., which had been or
gained to take up the work, and Of
fering to execute a release from any
| possible claims against the town.
A communication from the M. & S.
Electric Co., stated it's willingness to
take up the bid of Mr.. Stryker and ac-
cept contract if awarded it, but ask
ing a few changes in the proposed con-
tract. Both the communications were
received and on motion the assignment
allowed.
The revised draft of contract was
then produced and the changes were
taken up and explained to the board.
One allowed the new company to ac-
quire conduits, ETC., as we'll as build,
and expressed a willingness to lay
more conduitS in shorter time than
was at first stated, but the mater
ials were changed, creosoted wood or
bitumenized fibre being permitted as
well as clay conduits and the depth
down was reduced to the same figure
as that specified in the United Elec-
| trio Co. franchise.
| A new test was substituted for that
in the original contract which was
found to be impractical and it was
added that no lamp should be farther
than five hundred feet from the last
one of it's kind.
Alderman Meslar asked if it reduced
the cost and Alderman Twining said
| it might somewhat, but the changes
were offset by the more rapid laying
of conduit. He introduced -resolu-
tion authorizing the Mayor and Town
Clerk to. execute the contract for five
years to date from December 81, 1907.
Alderman Day seconded the resolu-
tion.
Alderman Mowery objected to the
discrimination in poles, wanting the
octagonal ones in all streets. Alder
man Meslar wanted octagonal poles
on Phoenix avenue.
Alderman Rutan defended the work
of the committee in the pole matter.
Alderman Thompson said the round
chestnut is better pole, that while
the octagonal looks well for while,
in few years it chips off.
Mr.. Stryker announced his willing
ness to place the octagonal poles on
all streets and the contract was so
amended.
A. HI. Lynch addressed the board,
but Alderman Rutan objected on the
point of order that motion had been
made and seconded and was not open
for outside discussion. Mr.. Lynch
was allowed to proceed and said the
changes were along the line of the
changes the U. e. Co. wanted and if
a conference had been held as was
asked, they might have put in bid
as low, if not lower, than the one ac-
aepted.
| Alderman Day said it was poor pol
icy for Mr.. Lynch to come in at that
time. He had full opportunity to
have conference before The bids were
opened. ln the matter of the reduc-
tion of depth required, it has been
found necessary to 60 down as far as
seven feet in some instances to clear
distractions
Alderman Twining said there was
| no legal difficulty in the change Of
bidder, and parallel case was only
recently decided in the courts. He had
conversed with Mr.. Lynch before the
contract was let in fact had sought
him out. Neither he nor other officers
OF the company had offered any sug-
gestions. Mr.. Lynch had expressed
his general objections to subways in