Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-17
Misinterpretation Of Bid For
Sewer Supplies Leads to
Mayors Veto
COMMITTEE IS BEL'TTLED"
Says Councilman Herman, Who Does
Not Like Idea of Seeming Misunder-
standing of Black and White by
Sewer ommittee-ResoIution I'm
signed by Mayor.

tie into the adjourned meeting of the
city council Monday night. and stirred
up about the only interesting phase OF
the session The council was con-
fronted by a letter from the A. IL.
Shorthill Company, calling its atten-
ton to an error that had been made In
accepting a higher bid for sewer sup
plies than one the company filed at the
last meeting. A lengthy argument fol-
lowed as to what was what" when 1t
is in black and white.
At the last meeting the. council op-
ened bids for sewer pipe, brick, ce-
ment, manhole castings, etc, supplies
to be used by the sewer department In
constructing the First ward sewer. The
committee canvassed the bids and re-
ported John Englert to be the lowest
bidder at $1,241.5S on everything but
the castings, which We're awarded to
the Lennox Machine Company at $50.
Claims He Bid On All.
The bid of the Shorthill company
was $3.50, "as per your list and spec
ifications,'. blanket bid on everything.
according to Mr. Speers. A separate
bid, however, was filed, on the cast
ings, thinking that some one might bid
lower on the other supplies and still
leave the castings open. This bid OF
the Shorthill Company was $110. In a
letter to the council Mr.. Speers called
attention to his bid at $3.50, and to
the fact that the figures accepted by
the council entailed an expenditure OF
about $3.50 above his bid
"BeIitties the COMMITTEES"
AS the committee had construed the
$3.50 bid to be everything but the
castings, and the $40 bid to be in adj
dition, total of $3.50, the committee
recommended the awarding of the
contract to Mr.. Englert at $1,241.5S,
and to the Iennox Machine Company
for $50, or total of $1,331.5s. 1t now
develops, however, that Mr.. Englert
did not bid on the sewer brick, which
is in itself big item.
Councilman Herman declared that
in reconsdering the bids the commit
tee was belittled. He said that Mr.
Speers' bid was film -fam" bid, and
that Speers reminded him of dog
which swan river with a sausage in
his mouth. When he neared the bank
he saw the shadow of the sausage and
made a grab for it, and lost every
thing.
Councilman Deyine was inclined to
side with the committee, thinking that
Mr.. Speers' bid was too indefinite. He
was not sure but that he would have
l irtn 70 the
| two bids as being two separate ones.
| If the bids were to be reconsldered,
tho, the Second ward member believed
that Reimbursement had better be
made, in order to be fair to all bid
ders.
Motion to Reconsider Loses.
It rested with Councilman Herman
to kill the motion to reconsider the
bids, made by Mcdonald. Psenfcka
! and Good were absent and to recon-
slider q hree-fourths vote was need
| ed. Herman alone voted nay, and the
full eight votes were necessary
Mayor Then Announces Veto.
Mayor Ingledue who had argued that
4 Mr.. Speers' bid was plain and meant
/ exactly what it said, a bid "as per your
| list and specifications" which meant
everything for s1,250, returned the, res
olution of week ago unsigned. The
ground for his action was because the
Englert bill was exorbitant and exces-
sive in view of the lower bid.
Will Advertise Again.
Devine then moved that the mayor
be instructed to advertise for bids, to
be opened at the next meeting of the
council. Gregory amended by calling
for the bidders to bid on each item
separately, and return the list with
the bid. Devine accepted the amend
ment, and on it's adoption Clark, Nc
Donald and McMains voted nay.
| The council adjourned to meet next
| Monday night, September 20, when the
new bids will be opened. There is some
question as to whether or not the delay
caused in getting the sewer supplies
1 will not cause a postponement of the
important work to another season.