The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-20
MORAN BID IS
ABOVE ESTIMATE
Paving Bids Held Up for Further
Consideration of Halo
rams Protest.
PAT LAUGHS AT NEW LAW
OFFERS TO GO AHEAD WITH
CITY WORK.

Another contract tangle was devel-
oped at the meeting of the board of
public works last night Recently the
board advertised for bids for the paw
ing of West Temple street from
Fourth to Fifth South streets, and
Brigham street from Thirteenth East
street to the military reservation. The
bids were opened Thursday. p. j. Mo-
ran was the lowest bidder. Last night,
when the question of awarding the
contract to Mr.. Moran came up, it was
discovered that his bid was Is per cent
higher than the engineers estimate,
upon which the assessment had been
levied. The total excess Appropriated
$4,000. This, however, was explained
by the fact that the engineers estimate
was made in April, 1906, when the price
of material was considerably lower
than it is now.
The board was about to let the con-
tract when w. J. Halloran protested.
He said that another assessment could
not be made, and that if it were let
and approved by the council the city
might lose the S10,0 900 excess, as the
abutting property owners could not be
made to pay the difference after the
assessment has been made.
Another Meeting Today.
Mr. Moran said that the council
should pass upon the matter, but the
board thought otherwise, and after a
long discussion it was decided to ask
the city engineer, the mayor. the city
attorney and the street and finance
committees of the council to meet with
it this afternoon to consider further the
problem presented by Mr.. Halloran.
1t also developed that the contract
includes two distinct pieces of work.
Under the new law it is specified that
contracts can only be let for only one
continuous operation. The city attOr-
ney will be asked to decide this point.
Mr. Moran expressed desire to go
on with the work without paying any
attention to the new law. His position
is that if he does work for the city he
is entitled to his pay, and no law can
prevent his securing it. In speaking
to the board, he said:
Moran Knows What He's Doing.
IF you award me this contract l will
sign it and go ahead with the work re-
gardless of the opinion of the city at
tOrney or anyone else. l am not guess
ing on this matter, otherwise 1 would
not have bid. 1 know what l am
doing.
Upon being questioned he acknowl-
edged that he had consulted counsel
and had been informed that the new
law is not as drastic as some of the
American" party leaders would have
the public believe
Chairman Leonard of the board said
that it was his opinion that this could
be made a test case. This matter will
be taken up at the meeting to be held
today.
Bids on the work, as compared with
the engineers estimates. are: p. J.
Moran. amount, sS1, 1896; estimate,
I2.047.14; Barber Asphalt company,
amount, sS7,451.
Mr. Moran explained that the en-
engineers figures We're based on 1906
prices, and stated that since that time
cement had gone up SO per cent, asphalt
30 per cent and the cost of grading 30
per cent.
Removal of Poles.
Another matter taken up by the
board was the question of compelling
the Bell Telephone company and the
Utah Light and Railway company to
remove their poles from the center of
Second South street. which has been
recently paved. Representatives of the
companies appeared and stated that
nothing could be done at this time
without great expense to them. 1t was
finally decided to postpone considera-
ton for two weeks, in the hope that an
adjustment can be reached.
The telephone company claims that ii
has about eight miles of poles and lines
on paved streets which can be removed
as soon as the police and fire depart
meut wires are taken down by the city.
The chief of the fire department was
instructed to see that this work is done
as soon as possible.
The clerk was instructed TO send an
other nOtifica ton to the Western Union
and Postal Telegraph companies to re-
move their wires.