The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-09-30
E. T. McGAWS
FIGHT FOR
THE PEOPLE
About $I,700 Saved to County
Taxpayers Through His
Demand for an Inspection of
Work on Punxs'y Bridge.
VIEWERS REPORT RETURNED

Que Of the most notable fights ever
made in Jefferson county TO protect the
taxpayers from 'smanagement or mis-
take will be brought TO close at the
coming session Of the county court with
N victory for the county commissioners
which saves to the citizens OF the coun-
ty approx imately 81, 7000 90. The story
Of the mistaken calculation, OF It's detec-
tion and final adjustme Mt through the
determined stand OF one OF the three
commissioners is Of absorbing interest
to every taxpayer In the county.
About July lst, 1908, the county com
missioners let the contract for abut-
ments for a bridge TO span Mahoning
creek at South Penn street In Punxsu-
tawney TO Frank Cowser. The con-
tractor gave bond In the sum OF So, $50,
the estimated cost OF the bridge abut-
ments, to complete the plans according
to the specifications, agreeing not to
make any changes unless authorized to
do so Ia writing by at least two OF the
commissioners. The work progressed,
but during the construction, Commits
sioner Il. T. McGaw, who was following
the work. informed the other commits
sioners Of his doubts about the contrac-
tor having built the abutments accord
Ing to specifications. When Contractor
Clowser's bill came 10, 1t was for S25t
cubic yards, whereas his first estimate
had been but 450 cubic yards. Commits
sioner McGaw Immediately disputed
the correctness OF the measurements
and prevailed on the board TO employ
Civil Engineer VanRensellaer, OF Punx-
sutawney, TO make new measurements.
The work was done and VanRensellaer
found but 577 cubic yards, making
difference Of almost 81 1886. 90 In the cost.
Stormy sessions between the contractor,
commissioners and engineers ensued.
Clowser was obdurate, alleging the
work had been done under blue prints
furnished by the county's surveyor and
contained 825 cubic yards. VanRensel-
laer, they claimed, had only gone down
TO the cement bottoms and therefore
failed to measure that part OF the foot
ing course, which amounted to nearly
24S cubic yards. AS the abutments had
been constructed on rock bottom IL was
not quite clear why it was necessary to
excavate 248 cubic yards OF rock and
fill 1t with cement.
When the viewers appointed by the
court, Messrs. A. y. Howard, OF Ring
gold, Fred "a. Lane, of Lanes Mills, and
Jerry Allen, Of Aliens Mills, appeared
with the commissioners TO inspect the
abutments, they hired crew OF men to
dig down beside the abutments, making
five excavations around the north side
and four on the south side. They struck
rock bottom at depth OF 3.5 feet on
the south side and 5S feet on the north
side, instead OF 8 feet, as given by the
county % surveyor, and OF cement filling
found no trace. By the inspectors es-
innate, therefore the abutments contain
only 595.29 cubic yards instead OF the
1926 claimed by the contractor. The
viewers will so file their statement, and
while the contractor still insists upon
the correctness OF his original~hilh.,,
there can be ne -3es5ts -3eess5ss u the courts
final action.
But for the determined stand Of Com
missioner McGaw, the bill would prob
ably have been paid in full without an
investigation. Through his vigorous
insistence the taxpayers of the county
have been saved 81, ,711.20.