Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-23
ALL STREET PAVING BIDS ARE
REJECTED BY The CITY COUNCIL
Alderman Mather Believes There is Some
thing Wrong AS Only Three Bids Were
Received When Fifteen Contractors Were
in City.

Fifteen contractors were In own
today and here we have only three
bids. I that we reject all bids"
said Alderman Mather after one of
the contractors asked that action on
the bids be taken at the council meet
ing last night.
"The bids are all out of common
sense" said Mr.. Mather, land are all
too high"
Yes" spoke up Alderman Brem-
horst, "Oskaloosa is paving for less
than 81 a square yard
The difference, in prices of the
three bids ranged from $2.Os a square
yard by William Horrabin of Iowa
City to 1929 by the Independent Con
struction Co., of Ottumwa and 1926 by
the Christie Construction Co. of Des
Moines. For the laying of the COM
bined curb and gutter the prices rang
ed from 40 to SO cents a lineal foot
while the grading was listed at from
40 to As cents a cubic yard.
Will R~eadvertise.
Immediately following the council
meeting after the bids had been unan-
imously rejected the council met as a
committee of the whole and discussed
the proposition. 1t was finally de-
termined to ~readvertise for bids, right
away.
Alderman Mather. chairman of the
street committee, who opened the bids
at first moved that the bids be re-
ferred to the engineer and the street
committee. Shortly afterward Mr..
Horrabin asked that the council take
some action on his bid as he had
$2,40O tied up in the certified checks
and further that 1T was necessary to
act on the bids at once as was stated
in the statutes but which did not APP
pear in the specifications. Alderman
Mather thereupon moved to reject the
bids and the council c%oncurred unan-
imously.
Explains Guarantee.
The specifications contained a seven
year guarantee. This Mr.. Horrabin
explained was the of the APP
parently high price of the bids. you
have to pay for the guarantee which
is not necessary said ne. The prop.
er thing is to have your specifications
up to the proper mark and leave 1t to
your engineer to see that they are car
ried out. There are a very few cities
demanding a guarantee. In that case
we have to pay for bonds for seven
years and In addition to furnish the
bonding companies collateral. This is
no small item and the property owners
pay for it."
1t is possible that the next set Of
specifications will provide only fol
a year guarantee.
NJ Yo~~o hs, r-oo oe1ra1 ~hof die
ference the cutting out of the guar
bidder said he, "I would not like
to state that. i will assure you never
theless, that it will be considerable
Ten days following two publications
Of notice in a local paper the council
will meet in special session and &C
cept bids for the paving of the streets
and alleys as follows:
South Court street between the
, southwest line of Main street and the
4 northeast line of the right of way o
the K. & D. M. R. r.. G. R. 1. & P. R
I r. Co., lessee.
t Cara street from the southeast line
7 of Market street to the east line o
Green street.
: Fifth street and North Fifth street
!. between the northwest line of Wapellt
street and the north line of Yves
Maple avenue.
Green street, between the northeas
line of Second street and the south
west line of Fourth street and between
the northeast line of Fourth street ant
the, southwest line of Fifth street.
Union street between the southwes
line of Main street mad the northeas
line of Samantha street.
Claims Allowed.
John Crawley observation-disclosures As
Jake Zener 80
Ottumwa Journal ........... 20.7
Ottumwa Review ............ 1872
Ottumwa Review ............ lilo
a c., R. & P. r. R. ........... us