The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-22
CITY ENGINEER
ON THE CARPET
counCiImen Hold Official Re-
SponSible for 0versights
Costing Considerable.
ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONS
BLUNDERS MAY BE TO DISAD-
VANTAGE OF MUNICIPALITY.

Many, many, many years ago-man s
memory runneth not TO the cOnrary-a
certain engineer declared that the aver
age cost of laying sewers in Salt Lake
was 20 cents the foot.
The engineer who made this calcula-
ton must have been a modern Archi-
medes, for no one has disputed his state
ment from that day to this. Last year
the council ordered a sewer extension on
the north bench. Engineer Kelly, refer
ring to the ancient tables of cost, figured
that this extension would cost 40 cents
the foot The assessment was made on
that basis.
When the engineers assistants came to
diagram the extension il was discovered
that the estimate was all wrong Moth
ing was said, however, although the first
estimates submitted TO contractors
called for an average ten foot trench
when the actual conditions showed con-
clusively that an average depth of fif-
teen feet was necessary and that in some
places the sewer would be nineteen feet
deep.
City Must Pay.
Now. the contractor, J. P. Kennedy,
has submitted a bill for 81, 1867 above
the assessment levied on the property
owners and last evening the council com
mittee on engineering decided that the
city would have to pay the difference
When questioned regarding the mat
ter Chairman Black showed great reluc-
tance I'm answering.
Did the engineer show good judgment
cost in levying the assessment on this
particular DISTRICT"
well. it of course was a little care
less" answered the chairman.
why was 1t dOne?
wen, you know all previous esti-
mates have been made in the same man
ner and the city never lost before"
WAS this any justification for the en-
gineer assuming that the same conditions
would apply in a flat and level country
as in the district on the north bench?
We'll | don't know that it would be,
but the engineer was only following pre-
Cedent."
Would it not have been better for the
engineer TO discard precedent for time
and have thoroughly examined the dis
trict before and not after the assessment
was levied?'
No Chance to Avert Trouble.
We'll. l guess it would have been a
good idea. but nevertheless no one could
have aVerted the present trouble
The administration has also created
more trouble for itself in the attempt 10
lay the intersections only Of new water
mains on First and Second avenue, which
p ]. Moran is matchmaking. 1t appears
that the grade of the street has been cut
down at least two feet and as a result
the old water mains between the new in
tersectiOns are in many cases hardly a
foot above the ground.
1t also appears that the new curb is be-
ing built directly over these water mains
and that if the city ever wishes to take
them up it must first destroy the curb
and cutters.
The laying of new pipe on this street
was preached to the council three months
ago and because of the cost 1t was finally
decided to lay only the intersections, the
claim being advanced that the other new
pipe could be laid inside the curbing at
future date. The fact that the curbing
lays directly over the old pipe still re
naming between the intersections, and
that il will surely freeze this coming win
ter. because of the cut of two feet made
in the grade was shown TO the council
Naterworks committee
Charges City Engineer.
Il think it is the fault of the city engi-
neer and that he should be CenSured for
this work, said Councilman Mulvey.
1T is certainly the fault of the engi-
neer," said Councilman Tuddenham, land
he should be held responsible.
You are right. As matter of fact, the
city has thrown away 5000 In construct
ing these intersections. We might as well
have taken the money and tossed it out
the window, responded Councilman
AIulvey TO the assertion made by his
Democratic colleague.
The matter was finally submitted to the
city engineer for a decision, and IL is
probable that the city Will have to spend
$4,000 to lay all the mains on these
streets although Councilman Mulvey said
during the discussion:
THE city absolutely has not got the
money for this extra work"