The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-13
COUNCIL IS Scene
Of A LIVELY TILT
Stewart and FernstrOm Are
Principals in a Red-HOt
TalkfeSt.
TROUBLE BREAKS LOOSE
IN DISCUSSION OF BILL
Does Not Prevent Transaction
of Large Amount of
Business.

FcrnStrom Il skunk, was one of the fea =
lures of the meeting of the city council
last night, which helped TO make it one
of the liveliest sessions held for some
time past.
The trouble arose during the discussion
of the question Of reconsidering the ac-
ton Of the council on last Thursday
night, in approving Contractor p, j, Mo-
rams hill OF $40, ,d5S 81 for repairing the
woodeD-stsve pipe line from the sewer
pumping station TO the gravity outlet
sewer. The matter finally resulted IN the
action being reconsidered after Mr..
Black. who was elected president. on ac-
count of the absence OF President Davis,
had ruled that the motion for reconsider
alton was lost, because il was not sup
ported by lneJority OF inc entire coun-
ell. tlis decision was appealed from and
tho appeal was sustained.
Before any argument WAS heard on the
proposition Ferry moved that II be laid
over for one week ana that the board of
public works be urgently requested to re-
port 10 the council the actual amount of
labor and material necessary for the re-
pair work. as shown by the daily reports
of its inspectors This motion was car
ricd and IL the board complies with the
request there will be something more said
concerning the matter next Monday
night,
Mr.. Murdoch, who, on last Thursday
night. gave notice OF reconsideration.
made his motion for reconsideration and
in support thereof presented detailed
estimate of what the work should have
supreme court which held that the coun.
ell could not usurp the prerogatives of
the board of public works in the matter
OF ordering work done without the regular
contract. and argued that the action of
the council in ordering the repairing OF
The pipe line was Illegal Hc declared
That the council and the mayor had no
right 10 let the work ny day labor and
hence any taxpayer could go into court
and prevent the payment Of the bill
Figures Presented.
In presenting his figures ne stated that
Mr.. Moran had repaired about l150 feet
Of the pipe line. while the other 5000 feet
right and was In use all the time. The
original contract price FOR excayating and
laying the pipe was 81 per foot he said.
while the price paid Mr.. Moran for re-
pairing about one-third Of il was at the
rate Of =l1.$S per foot. He declared that
$i@36 was liberal hsure for snc work
done by Mr.. Moran and that If lie were
paid the amount OF mis- bill he would be
receiving a profit OF more than Sl2, 600 He
pointed out how Mr.. Moran had offered
duct OF concrete for $40 per foot and that
was about eight and half feet in dl-
ameter. while In this Instance he was
rhaETG np TXes inches sor in erF aeter
and then. too did not have any excaVat-
Ing 80 do. He made a plea for square
deal 10 the citizens and taxpayers and for
ihc reasons presented asked that the ac-
ton OF the council be reconsideTed.
Mr.. Fernstrom called Mr.. Murooch's
10 number OF matters OF cN-
Ircs. whcrcupon Mr. Murdoch charged |
Njr. Fernstrom with working In Mr., Mo-
]ans behalf ever since he had been in the
council and opposing other contractors,
board Of public works.
Mr.. Stewart was in favor of reconsid-
was ii serious legal question involved be-
cause OF the fact that the work was not |
let ny the board Of public works and the
estimate was not approved by it. as re-
luired by law, lie also declared that the |
.-all for the special meeting of last Thurs |
DAY night did not say anything about an
estimate for the repair work. but did
mention an estimate for paving on Main
street ana hence that was another legal
objection to the action OF the council. He
did not believe that any court In the
"f $50 600, as the council had tried TO do.
He stated that Mr.. Fernstrom had made
the remark that he did not think the city
was large enough for more than two con-
tractors, and he was glad Mr. Murdoch
lad squeiched Mr.. Femstroul.
Trouble Breaks Loose.
This statcment brought Mr.. Fernstrom
10 his feet In a hurry with the reply that !
lie did not know that he had been
doch or Mr.. stewart elthcr one can
sauelch me- said the member from the /
Third. because they can't either one OF
them be fair" He said that the board OF
public works did give the job 10 Mr.. /
Moran, and had its inspectors there every |
day. keeping track OF all labor and ma I
tcrials used, and If there was anything
wrong In the estimate tho board is 10
blame.
''As fas as Mr.. Stewart saying that ] |
said there was NOT room for more than
= SO contractors I'm the city" he con-
tinued, II say 1t is lie and a malicious
.ne, made up right here by him on the /
floor OF the council. am not married TO
NoraE, plt nave supported hlIn because
ne does his work right. and l am not |
afraid to say So The board of public |
works should have sent in a report on that
work, but they have spite against Mr. |
VIC going TO do about III"
Mr.. Martin told the council how long !
The matter had been up for consideration |
before anything was done TO relieve the |
Of the people in the southwestern |
part of the city and said that the coun- |
eli inally got desperate and decided to
sewer Improvement a any cost and with /
out further delay. Hence they authorized |
The mayor. city engineer and chairman OF
The board OF public works TO have II done !
without any further red tape, He said |
mat the board authorized the work done
under force account as an emergency
Job. and had it's inspectors keep track |
nf II all the time II was In progress. He !
had checked over the account and de- !
clared there was not one item on IL /
which was excessive, and he favored the .
payment OF the estimate
Stewart Gets Busy
At this point Mr.. Stewart ndertook to
reply to Mr.. Fernstrom. and said that he |
was trying to think of a story about the |
man VINO mixed up with a skunk but |
could not do So hence he would Just con-
slider the source and let the matter 20.
Mr.. Hall said that he had seen the re-
ports OF the Inspector OF the board of pub |
lie works for labor and material and he |
thought il was the duty of the board to |
approve the estimate. unless there was |
something wrong with It. He did not !
think IL right for the trouble between the |
board and the ayor and city engineer TO |
cause the contractor To he kept ont Of |
his money. which he had spent on Job |
which had been authorized by the board |
OF public works and the council, although |
he was In favor OF reconsldering the mat !
ter for the purpose OF making a further |
investigation, but would vote for the esti- |
mate in the end.
Mr.. Murdoch closed the argument after !
several other councilmen had expressed !
their views in the matter, He declared |
that the call for the meeting of last |
Thursday night was a fraud. because |
when he signed il there was nothing in |
IL about the estimate the pipe line at !
all. For that reason he considered the (
action Of the. council entirely Illegal He |