Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-19
GARBAGE BIDS ARE
DEEMED IRREGULAR
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS IS
DISAPPOINTED
Sam C. Hanna and Charles A. Alex
ander Are Only Regular Bidders.
Durbin Doesn't Follow
Specifications

The board of public works was dis
appointed grievously yesterday morn
ing when bids were opened for the col
lection and disposal Of garbage. only
two regular bids were submitted and
it may develop that one of these is ir-
regular, owing to a discrepancy in tg-
ures. If the second bid does prove to
be irregular, the board probably will
reject all bids and readvertise. But
before doing so it is probable the board
will again suggest to the council that
either the five-mile restriction in the
hog feeding provision be entirely re-
moved or the limit reduced.
Sam c. Hanna and Charles A. Alex
ander were the only two regular BID
ders. Hanna proposed to collect and
dispose of the city's garbage by in
cineration, reduction and feeding TO
animals for a period of five years for
$3.50, 945 at the rate OF $72, ,069 year and
by the same processes for a ten year
period at the rate of $S1,6 a year. The
longer term bid is made larger be-
cause of the future growth Of the city.
Charles A. Alexander proposed to col
lect and feed the garbage to animals
outside the five mile limit for five
years at the rate of $4S,000 year or
$240, 900 for the five year period and at
=
or $300,0 900 for the ten years.
Lowest Bid Irregular
It is the last portion of Alexander )
bid that makes it appear irregular.
While he asks $50, 900 a year for the ten
year contract, he fixes the amount for
the ten years at $300,000 1t is probable
that he intended that the rate of
900 should apply only to the last
five of the ten years, but his bid does
not so read.
He is the lower bidder of the two
and the board of public works would
feel justified in accepting his proposal
if it is regular. The price at which
he offers to collect and dispose of garb-
age for the next five years Is about
the same price the city paid Sam Nc
Clure under the old contract for col
lecting garbage, plus the cost of in
cineration.
p. ]. Durbin, who represents the
Vernon Live Stock association, offered
to collect and dispose of garbage for d
period of ten years for S4SO,OOO, payable
in monthly installments of $4,000 each.
This bid was irregular because it did
not comply with the specifications,
Mr.. Durbin demanding the privilege of
disposing of the garbage anywhere out
side the corporate limits of the city,
with the object Of feeding 1t to hogs
in Vernon, where all the garbage has
been going for the last few weeks.
This price at which Mr.. Durbin offers
to collect and dispose of the garbage
is much cheaper even than the bid OF
c. A. Alexander but, in order to be
able to adopt it, the specifications
would have to be changed. He is will
ing to comply with all the specifications
except that portion that requires the
garbage to be removed five miles from
the city if 1t is to be fed to animals.
Hanna Favors Incineration
If the contract was awarded to Han
ma he would dispose of most Of 1t by
reduction. He is believed to be sup
ported by Joseph Mesmer, as Mr.. Mes
mer was one of the sureties of his
bond. Hanna submitted communica-
ton to the board in which he declared
that, If the provision for the collecting
Of garbage from the back yards was
eliminated and the old methods of set
ting garbage on the front sidewalks
restorted to, he would rebate the city
$4,000 on the contract price for the
first five years and $4,000 on the ter
year contract.
The bids were taken under advise
ment by the board of public works anc
no effort will be made to let the con-
tract until it is determined whether
or not the bid of c. A. Alexander Is
regular,