Semi-weekly herald., 1909-09-06
STATEMENT FROM
MAYOR GEO. GOODMAN
Durango, Colo, Aug 4, 1909.

| he dTliCit appearing lH your issue
OF August I'd, concerning the rifih
avenue storm sewer. Is so misleading
and so far from the truth. that In jus.
tice to the city council. and for the In
formation OF the public. feel called
upon to correct the wrong impression
| conveyed by the charges as to in
competency on the part of the city
officials, as set forth In said article
AS to the contract for the Fifth
| avenue sewer not being signed before
work was started that Is true. After
| awarding the contract to Mr. Lotus
the city attorney drew up the papers
but on account of a number of changes
agreed to by both Mr. Lotus and
he city. new contract was drawn
up, but before completed Mr. LOTUS
was called out of the city and his
Ieady to start the work and to avoid
amy delay, he was authorized to go
ahead, as the terms were fully under.
stood and agreed upon Upon the
iftui u VI WI luf 'buildtA
bond were signed by him and are In
the writer's possession. and your state
ment that you did not know whether
they We're signed or not simply goes
to show you did not care to know
You say no provision has been made
for taking care of the water on Fifth
avenue between Eighth and Ninth
streets The grade on Fifth avenue
street whore 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
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
The opening of cutters and grading
OF streets was not a part OF Mr.. LOTUS
contract, which you could have known
by calling at the city hall
ibu say ihi' lif diulE
Fifth avenue between Seventh and
fEffhth stfeeta shou1d fldva Been piat,'
ed In the trench first # you will
take the trouble TO read the speclhca
tions on this work you win find that
the contractor was forbidden to put
these bowlders into the trench. You
say that powders as large as a bushel
basket have been left along the trench
cficatiOns require the contractor TO re.
move from the street all powders over
one cubic foot in size and this has
been complied with.
1t should be borne in mind that
the contract with Mr.. Lotus does not
call for anything but the storm sewer
located on Fifth avenue only The
matter of taking care OF the flood wa.
ters draining from Third and Fourth
avenues and Eighth, Ninth and Tenth
streets. Is not part of the storm sewer
contract, and that work VIII be done
by the city as fast as weather and
financial conditions will permit
Concerning the pipe taken out OF
the old ditch and no care being taken
In handling same, resulting in the
breakage of considerable number
Of lengths, If you had informed your.
self as to the terms of the contract
you would have found that whatever
pipes were broken. were to be re-
placed by Mr. LOTUS or an amount
equal to the cost of same was to be
deducted from the contract price due
him, so IFS none OF the city's concern
how many are broken by him Az to
those being broken by children play
ing in the streets-and thus far only
three are reported so broken-I pre-
sumo the city win have to lose. and
your suggestion that this pipe should
be removed, that VIII be done when
the committee Is instructed just what
streets should be drained first. When
that Is determined upon the pipes will
be removed to such places
Your statement that these pipes cost
a. least $3.50 per length Is also untrue
The present quotation received by the
city is 81 per length + o. b. Durango
As to the present condition Of Fifth
avenue storm sewer. wish to say that
the recent rains have demonstrated
that 1t is perfect In construction and
doing the work II was built for. and
as soon as completed by contractor VIII
be taken over by the city and connec
tons made to drain the adjacent ter.
ritory.
The writer. and may add the entire
council as well, are willing and expect
to receive public criticisms OF their
acts. but certainly do ask and demand
that those SO criticlzing first inform
themselves ms to the facts and conflne
their statements to the truth and not
to Misrepresentation
GEO. GOODMAN. Mayor.
The above communication was
brought to The Herald shortly after q
o'clock this afternoon and Mr.. Good