Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-25


and all the commissioners being
present
The committee appointed to con
slider whether or not it was for the
best interest of the city u do The
grading of Waterville and Homer
streets by the day or let it to MI
Blakeslee of New Haven, submitted
report, as follows:
Honorable Board of Commissioners
of Public Works:
Gentlemen: In accordance with
your directions the undersigned, d
committee appointed to consider the
ACCESSIBILITY of having the grading OF
Waterville and Homer streets, on
which work bids were received on
March II, done by the street depart
ment, would respectfully report that
we have attended to the duty as
signed us. We have examined into
the character of the work and find
that it consists of earth and rock ex-
cavation along the hillside immedi-
ately adjoining the line of the High
land division of the N. Y, n. H. and
II. r. r. Co. We find that the earth
work is hardpan, full of boulders,
and cannot be excavated by hand
tools at any reasonable expense. To
do this work without the expenditure
of disproportionate amount of
money involves the employment of
a mechanical equipment not now IN
the possession of the city, the pur-
! a ronfa1 Of which xunr,ld
quire the expenditure Of large
amount of money. Moreover the
utilization of such machinery would
compel the employment OF experts
at high wages to care for and oper-
ate it.
The rock excavation lies within
fifty feet of the main line of the
Highland division and for that rea-
son involves special risks in blasting
and handling material with safety to
adjoining property and pubic travel.
| 1t also appears that almost all of
the material will have to be ,auled
an average distance of 1000 feet.
The contractor who submitted the
low bid for the work proposes to
make use of a powerful steam shovel
and other heavy railroad grading
equipments by means of which OILY
| he considers that the work can be
done at reasonable cost.
The element of risk of injury to
| the workmen and of accidents to
public travel, likely to result in suits
for damages against the city, is esle-
cially prominent in the work under
consideration.
1t appears to your committee, from
the information it has obtained, that
the proposition of the lowest bidder
is so much lower than the work can
be done for by day work under en-
listing circumstances that it will be
advantageous to the city to have it
| done by contract and to use the ten
or fifteen thousand dollars SO saved
to give employment to city labor at
other points where the conditions
are more favorable. Such a point,
for instance, is the grading of Clark
street extension in the center of the
Brooklyn district. Here Is a large
amount of earth excavation free from
rock work and with a short haul, so
that practically all of the cost will
go directly to the payroll instead of
having to be largely devoted to the
purchase of machinery, tools, team
hire, coal, oil, etc. There are other
similar opportunities for giving work
to residents of Waterbury Temporal
rily debarred from their customary
employment.
(Signed)
THOMAS B. WALKER,
f. q. KILDUFF.
r. A. CAIRNS, C. E.,
Committee on Streets.
The report was placed on file.
Commissioner Seully, who was a
member of the committee said he
thought II only fair to himself and
the subject to state why lie had re-
fused to sign the report 1T is not
true" said Mr. Scully, that the
cost OF rental of the necessary equip
ment for that job would be expen-
sive, nor that IL would necessitate
the employment of expensive men
TO handle the mechanical appliances.
Mr. McManus offered to superintend
the work, furnish apparatus, put I'D
surety bond 10 save the city harm
less from any damage that might oc-
cur on the job. and also assured the
committee that there Is an album
dance of such labor as Is needed
right here in Waterbury and that IL
can be had at a reasonable price.
This would not have cost the city
more than s2.500. don't think
McManus could make money at that
offer, but inasmuch as the city had
his bond the public could not lose
anything and the unemployed OF
Waterbury would get all the labor
there is in IL. Besides. was not
able to see the houses mentioned i'm
the report. Most Of the rock is in
a pasture lot and the only house
nearby is one small structure, and
that is seventy-f1ve or a hundred
feet distant from the line Of the
street"
At this juncture a difference arose
between Commissioners Walker and
Scully regarding what Mr. IcManus
had offered to do the work for which |
was finally disposed Of by McManus
himself. who admitted that he made
very favorable offer to the com
mittee and was not sorry that they 1
didn't take him up.
How is this thing. anyway
ehimed in Commissioner Hook. The
out Of town men knew Shere they
could get the filing. but the local /
contractors were all at sea on that
point. As far back as three months
ago somebody got an option on the
dirt for this EFroas arA - -