Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-12-15
ACTION Of COUNCIL
): )! .tNDANGtRS SEWER
,>s.s ~ :; RONDS
m.
Much CrE> A on All Sides
at Open and Shut Method
Of Letting
Contract.
BELIEVES OTHER BIDS
SHOULD Be CONSIDERED
Well Known Property Owners Fear
People May Not Vote Favorably
Unless Assured of Square
Deal--Everyone Wants
Sewer System.

The city council by it's action last
evening, in refusing to reconsider its
| tentative agreement to award the
| American Light and Water company
of Kansas City, the contract to build
! the sewer system in this city for cost
| plus 10 per cent, conditional on q
bond issue oy vote of the people of
the city, has greatly endangered
chances of securing such a bond is
| sue at the special election January 1s.
At least this was the verdict of
many business men today. who COM
mented very unfavorably upon the
action taken by the city council at
last nights meeting.
1t hSo been the general under
standing and was so published sew
erai days ago in The Citizen, that
the council had not tied itself up in
any sort of a contract which might
be considered binding, and that IL
any other company or individual de-
sired to submit proposition to build
the sewer system. 1t would be given
prompt and due consideration. The
action of the council last evening,
however, is taken by the business
men and property owners to mean
tha- IL the American Light and
Water company, shows that 1t Is re-
sponsible and able to carry out its
contract 1t win get the job and no
other proposition will be considered.
While the average person, who
knows the personnel Of the city coun-
Gil. may give the aldermen credit for
,teing sincere in their protestations
that they desire only the good of the
community, there are citizens who
will insist that there is a joker some
where in the present deal and that
the haste with which the council has
tied itself up in the present instance
without investigating or leaving room
for other bidders, is a bit premature,
to say the least.
At the meeting last night, the city
council transacted considerable busi-
pess along the lines of settling the
sewerage question.
1t has decided first of all not to in
clude a storm sewer estimate of $685.
600 in the present plans, leaving the
bond issue on which the people are to
vote January 19, at s290,000.
The most important action taken
by the council, however, was its re-
fusal to reconsider it's action of last
week, in the matter of letting the
sewer contract to the Kansas City
company, in the event that said COM
pany proved itself reliable and able
to carry out its contract and also that
the people vote the bond issue. Two
members of the council, p. Hanley
and G.. w. Learnard, favored a re-
consideration of the previous action
In order that other bidders might en-
ter the field and they voted to that
end. The balance of the council,
however, opposed the reconsidera-
ton of the previous action, thereby
arousing the public criticism which
manifested itself in no uncertain
tones today.
The question came up when George
A. Rogers, representing the contract
ing firm of Rogers & Co., of Los An
geles, appeared before the council
and asked to be allowed 10 bid on
the sewer system, at the same time
saying that he had no objection to
the Kansas City firm being permit
ted to put in another bid If it so de-
sired. Mr.. Rogers stated that his
company could build the sewer sys-
tenn cheaper than the American
Water and Light company had pro-
posed to build 1t for. and that il the
council desired a bid along the same
lines as the Kansas City company. he
could furnish it in the same manner
on a percentage basis.
Alderman Hanley moved that the
council reconsider its action Of es-
tablishing a tentative agreement with
the Kansas City company, and took
the stand that other companies
should be given a chance to bid on
the sewer system.
Alderman Learnard also expressed
the opinion that IT would oe wise 10
reconsider the action of the council
in shutting the field to other bidders
and he supported Mr.. Hanley's mo-
ton to do so.
Mayor Lester went into the prop
Ssition at some length. He said that
he had positively no personal interest
in awarding the contract to the Am
erican Water and Light company and
that his only desire was to see that
the city got sewer system at the
least possible cost and in the shortest
time. possible, He reviewed the prop
osiuon submitted. by the American
Light and Water company at length
and pointed out the many benefits
and the minimum Of risk so far as