Semi-weekly herald., 1909-09-09
Mayor Goodman
And Storm Sewer

In carrying out his assertion that The
Herald Of Sept. was misleading.
First--Mr Goodman admits the con-
tract was no; signed and then goes
on to give lengthy reasons why 1t was
not. The explanations do not change
the fact that the contract was not
signed as charged In The Herald until
large part of the work was done.
Therefore, the charge of The Herald
was correct--not misleading. Whether
Mr.. Goodman advanced good logic for
the contract not being signed is a
matter for the public to judge--wheth-
er 1t would be policy for contracts of
this character to follow the same rule.
In the second place we quote Mr.
Goodman as follows:
'.you say no provision has been made
for taking care Of the water on Filth
avenue between Eighth and Ninth
streets. The grade on Fifth avenue
falls north along the avenue to Ninth
street where inlets have been placed
to take care of the water from Eighth
street to Ninth street and the north
side of Eighth street. There is an
inlet on the south side Of Eighth
street which is to take the water from
Seventh street north along Fifth ave
nue. and from the north side of Sew
enth street and south side OF Eighth
street"
We give the above from Mr.. Good
man In full The Herald said no pro-
vision had been made so far as could
be seen, Further, Mr.. Goodman says
IN The above paragraph that there Is
an inlet on the south side of Eighth
street which is to take the water from
Seventh street north along Fifth ave-
nue. and from the north side of Sew
enth street and the south side of
Eighth street Now we will overlook
Mr.. Goodman's misstatemept In this
connection because he made 1t upon
information furnished by the engineer,
not of his own knwledge. The inlet
referred to is placed at the highest
corner on tho street and the street
inch Of water to enter this inlet.
Thirdly--Mayor Goodman entirely
ignores the matter of the city being
compelled 10 excavate and make con
nection with the sewer at the north
side of Eighth street or the Cobb
corner where the natural depression
exists and where the flood waters
come down Eighth street from the foot
hills. 1t was this that caused The
Herald to call the work bungling and
costing the city extra money. Now
City Engineer Wigglesworth. In long
review OF The work. admits 1t was a
mistake not to have placed an inlet
at the Cobb corner at the time of
construction.
Fourth-Further down the street to
which no reference was made at the
time. the city put in another inlet
after completion Of the sewer. We
did not know this at the time of writ
ing last week--two inlets where ex-
cayations had to be made, the pipe
chiaeled ont and cement connections
made. and this witilin three weeks
after the completion OF the storm
sewer by the contractor.
Fifth-Mayor Goodman says The
Herald was wrong regarding the dispo.
sitiqn of the powders, that the con-
tract specifically stated that the con-
tractor was forbidden to place the
howlders in the trench. This may
be. but win Mr.. Goodman undertake
to say that powders larger than one
cubic foot were not placed in the
trench when being rellled. We would
like TO make wager on this PROPOSE
tion. AT the same time we cannot
See where any great harm comes In
by the rock being put back after the
pipe had been covered sufficiently for
protection, providing dirt covered the
surface. And still Mr.. Goodman's con.
tention are not good. VIII he pretend
To an Intelligent public that the sur.
face of a storm sewer facing on one
oil the principal streets OF the city
should be covered with rock from 3
cubic inches to IL cubic inches? Sc
far as the mayor and aldermen are
concerned we win say that the con,
tract does not specify whether the
surface shall be covered with rock
OF not. simply says that all powders
larger than one cubic foot must be
removed by the contractor. Now un,
der the contract the contractor In
some blocks covered the surface OF
the trench with rock all sizes up to
one cubic foot and we measured some
rock yesterday running fifteen inches
long. win the city officials say that
II VIII not be necessary to remove
these rocks later on--or that they
VIII be an ornament to the street and
a pleasure for men to drive rigs over?
There are not ten men In the city
outside OF partisan politics who will
say the rock should be left there and
1t Will remain for future administra-
tions to remove al city expense. This
is what The Herald and taxpayers are
kicking about. Engineer Wigglesworth