The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-08-08
City Council Declines To Grant
Paving Contract to Former
Employees Of McGovern
SEWER CONTRACTS ARE LET
Work of Building New Sewer on West
Main Street To Be Started Today
in Order Not To Delay the
Paving Work

With memories still fresh Of the
famous McGovern sewer contract, the
members of the Common Council at
fused to award a contract to Todd
and Boyle, both former employees of
M. Fl. McGovern, who had sought the
contract for the paving of Rowland
avenue and Newell street and not
withstanding the fact that the two
men presented the lowest bid the
Council voted to reject their bid and
award the contract to John @. Jones,
| the next lowest bidder. The members
of the Council in rejecting the bid did
not go into details so far as the re-
cord was con cerued, but the record
shows that the bid was rejected on
the grounds that Todd and Boyle
were objectional bidders. Nearly
every man in the Council expressed
himself on the matter and there were
none who we're in favor of the en-
| ployment of any one who had any
thing to do with the McGovern deal
City Attorney Slater stated that he
|
Todd and Boyle and it was good
bond in every way but the Council
was not looking for loop holes and
even this statement on the partsof the
city attorney did not aidsthe contract
ors. One of the aldermen declared
that he would rather keep on adver-
Using for the next two years irather
than give the contract to McGovern
or any of his men and other aldermen
declared that they would sresign from
Office rather than get thes city into.
another ''McGovern deal". Many of
the property owners directly inter-
ested in the paving had urged the
aldermen not to givessthe:contract to
the Chicago men. Under the law the
city had the right to reject any or all
bids and while the bid rejected was
$500 lower than the one accepted it is
pretty certain that thelwork will be
done for the contract price and that
there will be no long wrangle over a
bill for extras. Neither Todd:nor Boyle
were present at the meeting and no
one appeared TO defend their interests.
Most of the aldermen stated that they
were convinced that McGovern was
behind the bid presented by the firm
and this fact largely influenced their
action. It is probable that the work
of paving the two streets will be COM
pleted this year as the city.kclerk and
the mayor will at once enter into
contract with John 0. Jones for the
work. The contracts for the sewers
to be built onsWest Main street, York
street, Grand avenue, Riceaavenue,
Linden, Caledonia, Ridge and Jenne
streets was let to A. Thompson.
The work on West Main street will
be started today aina order that the
work of putting in the,:pavement may
not be delayed. 1t will take a,month
to complete this sewer, and by that
time the City Council will beiready to
go ahead with the paving sof the
street.
The contract for thes repair of the
outlet ofsthe sewer Ion:sPark Row was
let to Joseph Bendt, while the con-
tract for the curbing of South street
was let to John Priddis.
The street assessment committee
was directed to advertise for bids for
the paving Of Wisconsin street from
Main street to MaidenlLane, and for
the paving of the alley in block 43,
between Park and Wisconsin street.
Mayor German named &. L. Grant,
/ z. @. Simmons and. ames Cavanagh
as commissioners of the Gilbert M
Simmons library for term of three
years, and their appointment was ap-
proved by the Council bya unani-
nous vote.
The Council. appropriated 1912. 10 as
the first payment for the tax'deed on
the Orphan Asylum lot which is to be
used for park purposes, and the other
money will be appropriated as fast as
it becomes due. The piece of ground
will cost the city 5000.
Without further business the Coun-
Gil adjourned.
| NOTTCE