The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-29
Simply a Suggestion.

An 101u1lCIlOn suit IDS DCCE
filed against the city, to restrain
the councilman from granting
the electric light franchise to =.
d. Snoeberger which they had
set themselves on record as be-
:ng in favor OF doing.
This arises from the complex
ity of the bids receives, an1 the
arious :esults obtained ~ per-
IONS Corr airing them, the results
being generally more or less in
a~cord..'.ce with views trey had
previously taken on tic ques-
ron.
The Tribune is heartily lii ia
vor of awarding the cont act TO
the lowest bidder, regardless 81
personal grievances or preju-
dices.
1T seems, as the situation row
stands, that this will be im,,oS-
sible to do, without a long drawn
legal fight. In this fight enemies
will probably be made, and
friendships blasted. Therefor,
why not have the council reject
all bids now in its hands, and in
asking for new bids supply each
bidder with a blank bid form, in
which the wording is identical-
let the council prepare as many
propositions as it sees fit, leav-
ing blank spaces for the bidders
to supply numbers, figures, and
prices. In this way the council
would not have different propo-
sitions, different grammar, and
different figures to compare, but
having all propositions alike, will
have only to compare figures"
Well the Injunction suit was
fought out by the council as you
we'll know and Monday night the
council allowed the bill for court
costs, they having lost the case
MR.. TAXPAYER, YOU
PAID THE COURT COSTS,
THE COUNCILMEN DID
NOT.
AT this late date, the council
is following out a proposition
which would have saved the tax
payers money, had it not been
for the logged determination of
the council, or three members
thereof, TO deliver the contract to
said Snoeberger, at any cost.
Tactics Are Same.
To one who will take the pains
to investigate the present plans
and specifications, calling for
bids, it will be seen that the three
members of the council, remain
in the same frame of mind, rela-
tive to who shall have the con-
tract at any price. The present
specifications call for bids for a
five year contract for furnishing
electric Lighting.
WHO WILL CONSTRUCT
A PLANT AT THE COST OF
$4,000 FOR ONLY A FIVE
YEAR CONTRACT?
The three members of the city
council know very we'll that no
bidder. excepting the present
contractor, will bid on such a
proposition. No man will bid
on such a large investment, with
only five years to operate. What
will the result be? The result
will be that c. d. Snoeberger
will be the only bidder for the
next electric light contract, and
he will get the contract at his
own figures.
HOW DO YOU LIKE IT
BY THIS TIME, MR.. TAX
PAYER?
Mr.. VIM. Everly, one of the
bidders, who opposed Snoeberg-
er in the bidding last summer
and who. Judge Bernetha decid-
ed, had the lowest and best bid
said Tuesday when asked if he
would bid on the proposed speci-
fcations: "Of course | will not
bid on a five year contract" Nc
sane man would make an invest
ment of 100000, with only a five
year contract. He could not be-
gin to make back his invest
ment."
And Why Not?
And why could not new bid
der construct a plant, and rely
on securing a renewal of the con-
tract under the next council, five
years hence?
Why, indeed. Because if the
next council is honest at the ex-
piration of FIVE year contract
will readvertise for bids, and the
contractor will be forced to com
pete with these again, and might
lose his business. Furthermore
If at the end of five year con
tract, the next council decides to
give ten year contract, the then
operator of the electric light
plant, would be thrown against
stronger competition than be-
fore.
Two Councilmen Objected.
The two councilmen, II. E.