The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-12
SEWER CLAIM IS
"D|RT|EST FRAUD
Councilman ]. D. Murdoch De-
CIareS Himself Most ForCi-
bly, Before Council.

Characterizing the claim of $50, 1856 for
concrete repairs on the wooden stave out
let pipe as the "dirtiest fraud ever per
petrated upon this public Councilman
James u. Murdoch last night made the
most bitter attack that has yet been
heard upon the floor of the city council
in connection with the intercepting sewer
the most shameful of the list of finan-
cial disgraces on the record of the Amer
lean party.
Mayor John S Bransford has taken the
role of CHIEF advocate OF the payment OF
the Moran claim, as 1t was he who or
dered the repairs made and signed his
name to the report of special commit
tee that the claim be allowed.
In the attacks made upon the claim
last night it was brought out that the
records of the inspectors in the office OF
the board of public works are absolutely
worthless in the matter, that the COM
mittee had nothing upon which TO base
it's favorable report, but still approved
the BILL that the city engineers office
accepted almost without protest or inVes-
tigatiOn the records Of the contractor IN
the matter, and that to use the amount
of sand and cement charged by Moran
there would have to be concrete two feet
thick on every foot of that wooden stave
pipe.
AS a result Of the merciless attack of
Councilman Murdoch. the names of COun-
cilmen L. r. Hall, j. d. Murdoch and
q. II. Raybould are added 70 those OF
L. d. Martin, +. 5. FernstrOm and T.
H.
ago. These will meet at 10 o clock Thurs
day morning in the council chamber with
a representative of the city engineers Of
flee, Clerk Frank Christensen of the
board of works. members of the board of
works, p. J. Moran or representative,
Inspectors Williams and Thomas of the
board, who kept records on the work, and
Mayor John 5. BTansfOrd and such other
councilmen as care to attend.
Hall Starts Fight.
Councilman Hall started the fight upon
the work, after statement had been
made by George o. CLANCY, assistant city
engineer in regard to a checking he had
made several weeks ago Mr.. CLANCY said
he had scarcely any data TO so by in
the matter and had to take the reports
of the board of works, Inspector Thomas
and Frank Gowans, representative Of P
J. Moran
II have made an investigation of this
matter" said Councilman Murdoch, "and
I want to say nov that il is a disgrace
full condition Gentlemen II there is as
much cement and gravel in that job of
I 400 feet as Mr.. Moran claims, then there
is one cubic yard of concrete for every
linear foot of wooden staVe pipe repaired
The pipe wasn't weak; 1t only leaked
Our city engineer nor no other engineer
with any brains in his head at all would
have approved any such thing. / tell you
now there should be some excavating
done TO see how much concrete there IS
around that pipe. And there would have
been no trouble at all if the contractor
had followed the specifications drawn by
the city engineer. Three thousand feet
of the pipe ~ in good condition and
did not leak. And if the other l 400 feet
was not good. the slaves that were Leak
ing could have been taken out and new
ones put in to stop the leaks.
IF this claim is allowed I hope some
pubiic-spirited man Will file an action in
court and enjOin the city from paying
It. It is the dirtiest fraud ever perpetrat-
ed upon this public.