The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-29

The board of public works yesterday
let contracts for paving sidewalk and
sewer extensions as indicated above.
The total cost of the work planned will
be $22O. G7O.44 of which the city's pOr-
ton will be S7O.354.7S.
The meeting of the board was not
devoid of features, and combination
between contractors TO divide the
sewer work is charged. The bids for
the work were received a week ago anu
submitted TO the engineer for tabula-
ton. When the matter of awarding
sewer extension No. 10. on Capitol
hill, came up the firm of Davis & Heu-
ser. the lowest bidders, asked the priv
ilege of withdrawing their bid. In
doing so they asked that Strange &
Mcclure, the next lowest bidders, be
given the work. and that they be re
turned the certified check for 500 de-
posted when the bid was turned in.
Mr. Strange was called upon, but re-
fused to do the work at the price bid
by Davis & Heuser, and thereupOn the
board awarded the contract to the lat
ter firm, refusing To return the check.
1t is understood that Strange & Nc
CURE will compensate them for the
outlay and ask for the contract
Strange Bios presented.
The strange part of it is that while
Strange & Mcclure bid the lowest on
extension No. 132, with Davis & Heu-
ser next, the position wOs reversed in
regard to No. 10, and it is the opinion
of the board members that an attempt
at combination was made by the two
firms.
The notice to bidders provides that
10 Il obi 1c
for supposing that any bidder is inter-
ested in more than one proposal il will
ser next, the position was reversed in
which he is supposed to be interested.
In view of this condition il is thought
that when the application of Davis &
Heuser TO withdraw comes up at the
next meeting for final action that both
these contracts will be cancelled and
the next lowest bidder given the jobs.
1t is also provided in all notices to
bidders that if any alteration are
made in the contract as provided it
viii not be considered. In their bid
on No 1872 Strange a Mcguire said that
their price depended on the securing
Of both jobs. AS this is in violation of
the rule, il will be another ground for
the refusal of the board to finally ac-
cept their bid, although such action
was taken in a tentative manner yes
terday.
Another provision is that contractors
shall present evidence that they are
regularly engaged in the business and
have the proper backing to carry on
the work. The board never inquiries
into that matter. and as a result con-
siderable difficulty has been expe-
rienced Of late. On one sewer extern
sion. which will not cost more than
$4,000, the engineering and inspection
expenses borne by the city have ex-
ceeded those on the new water supply
mains laid by Moran at a cost of $275,-
600. and the work will cost more than
If il had been let to the highest bid
der. 1t is also probable that this ex-
tension will take longer to complete
than the new mains. as work on il has
been going on since Aug. ! last 1t is
claimed that the board is penny wise
and pound foolish" in these matters. as
all other cities are exceedingly careful
in examining into the ability of the
bidders TO do the. work quickly and
well. The first cost is more usually,
but it pays in the long run.
The principal interest centered about
the First South street paving contract.
Moran was the only bidder, and after