The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-11
MAY BE ELECTED.
Contractor StantOn's Paving
Bid Under a Cloud.
Failed to Send Certified Check
to City Engineer.
WAS DRUNK ALL DAY.
Could Not Fill Out Check While
Intoxicated.
His Partner Pleads for Him Be-
fore Mayor Green.

1t is probable that the bill of ]. H.
stanton of Leavenworth will be
thrown from the list at the meeting
OF the city council tonight and the
contract given to the next highest bid
der. The committee on public utilities
is convening this afternoon discussing
the matter and from their general
sentiment at three o'clock thew were
of the opinion that the bid should not
be given to this Leavenworth firm.
1t seems that while looking over the
bids more carefully this morning it
was found that Stanton neglected to
insert a certified check as a security.
instead he sent in very unstea dy
personal check which carried very lit
tie weight with the city council. An
investigation was started at once.
Makes a Plea.
1t was revealed that Mcclure, the
man who made the lowest bid on roll
ing was a partner of Stanton and thew
They made their bids under separate
heads. When MCGUIRE heard of the
predicament of his partner this morn
ing he sought admittance to the COM
mfttee room in the city hall where the
councilmen, city engineer and mayor
were holding an executive session and
asked that he be allowed to talk a
minute on the mistake. He then ad-
IIlILleQ DeIOT0 the cOunc1Imen thdt his
partner had been drinking all day yes
terday and he was under the influence
of liquor in such a manner that he did
not know just what he was doing
therefore he sent wandering person
al check which was worthless. Mr..
Mcclure went on to say that this
would not affect the laying of the
pavement, however, and the firm
would do just as good work as they
promised.
After MoCx,ira bad Y,oda biS ,,oanxy
apologies he offered the city a regular
certified firm check and asked that he
be allowed to present it at that time.
Mayor Green took up several other
Leavenworth, and then gave him to
understand that the whole matter
would be reconsidered. Councilman
Horn, one of the members of the COM
mittee caused a little uneasiness on
the part of the contractor when he
said:
Il may not be acquainted with the
general effect of liquor and booze but
who INDUCES in some intoxicants is not
very competent to do any kind of work.
1t looks rather bad for a contractor
who expects to land a city paving con-
tract to come to the city in such con-
dition. But If this does not make any
difference as to his ability and the city
can afford it I guess that it will be
all right with me if the committee de-
cideS thus"
"As have said before, Mr.. Stanton
was a little off yesterday replied Nc
Guire, "as far as his work is con-
cerned, 1 can say that after being con-
nected with the head of the firm for
20 years 1 know positively that there is
nothing better in the west. We can save
your city few thousand dollars by
giving us the contract and 1 do not
think that this little matter should
change the value of the bid.''
I he INxy
Mayor Green and the committee took
the matter up for discussion. 1t was
the general opinion among the MEM
bers of the committee and the city Of
fcials that on account of the small diff
ference in price between the bid made
by Stanton and that of the next lowest
bidder it would not be a very good
proposition for the city to take the risk
of making any troublesome contracts.
But on account of the big amount of
other work on hand the committee post
poned the matter until this afternoon.
At a late hour nothing had been done
definitely.
A Queer Incident.
A queer little incident occurred be-
tween the time that Mcguire came to
the office and about a half hour before
when he was in the Office of the city
engineer down stairs. While in the Of
fee Mcclure had declared before a
number of the city officials that brick
quoted by Stanton in his bid and he
was rather "putout'' about the low
price made by his partner. The city Of
ficials thought from this talk that they
were hearing a howl after the lost
battle and they figured that it was the
wall of lost contractor. Mcclure left
the city engineers Office with his same
loud declarations.
But half hour later he was up be-
fore the city councilmen trying his best
to land the some contract that he had
fought but a few minutes before. 1t
was thought among the committeeman
around the corridor and had reduced
the price of brick. 1t was clearly
case of change of heart.
This is the only flaw that has been
found in the bids. But according to
law it is possible for the city commit
tee on the opening of bids and public
utilities to overlook this matter and
grant the bid nevertheless. 1t is abso-
iuteIy necessary that the bids be served
in due form before they are brought be-
fore the city council but if the mayor
and committee wishes they can allow
the matter to pass after the right alter
ations.
However. since the other bids have
been scrutinized it has been found that
there is very little difference between
this bid of Stanton's and the one next
higher 1t is true that this bid from
the Leavenworth firm is the lowest
ever received by the city but probably
If is as Mr. MCGUIRE said in the Office
of the city engineer, too low for any
worth
asnsHRR Pnn nPHERnHnAF