The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-09-23
ALSO HANDS A JOLT TO
CONTRACT SYNDICATE
Nevertheless, Favored Bidder
Claims to Have Come Home
with The Bacon
L---s -~ ..s-a-

Insurgents, developed through an
attempt in the city council to elimin-
ate competitive bidding in public
work, last night administered sew
ere shock to the sewer syndicate and
to the mayor, who, at the eleventh
hour yielded to the opportunities OF
the ostensible bidder and signed a
contract OF doubtful authority In
addition to highly sailed debates, the
East Side sewer job brought about
the next thing to fist fight and OPP
ened the way for uncoyering of scan
dal In the sewer work Of the past few
years. Council repudiated the ma
yor's signature by vote of five to
three
The advocates of competition may
have, however, achieved only moral
victory, and W. f. Power may get the
big East Side sewer job according to
program. The situation Is this. Pow
er, the second lowest bidder, was ia.
vored by committee of council, and
the committees report for him was
adolLed last week; late yesterday
Mayor Farquharson weakened aud
signed q contract between the city
and Power; the ground of attack on
the contract Is that council did not,
by the customary resolution, author
jze the mayor and city clerk to enter
into such q contract; Power claims
that such o resolution Is not votal.
The matter Is, therefore. In abeyance,
with a contract to Power rejected by
the council, aud with no way TO sub
stitute the low bidder for the fayorite.
Power claims he has come home with
the bacon; in other words, the rival
firm is wearing the can.
punham on the War Path.
When the contract was reported
last night Councilman Durham, en-.
erged in the eentor Of the warpath.
lie moved that Smith 4 White be SUD
stit,lted for W. f Power The mayor
refused to entertain such notion
The debate broke loose on general
principles and for fifteen minutes
there were doings in plenty
Mayor Farquharson told the sad
story of how he was pushed In He
said that Power presented the con
tract for signature, and that he re-
fused to sign Il in the absence OF a
written opinion by the city attorney.
Power then secured an opinion from
d. NJ. Tibbctts. acting city attorney,
to the effect that the adoption of the
resolution designating Power as the
successful bidder committed council
to the contract. that the formal resolu
tion authorizing the mayor and clerk
to make contract did not seem TO be
essential, no specific law on that point
having been found On the strength
of this report the mayor signed the
Power contract
Having abandoned the principe of
open competition In city improve
ments, the mayor found himself, lined
up with Morrison, Beamer, ct al. with
whom be has frequently quarreled or
late, and fully under the power of the
so-called contract combine. at the
same time. he found himself deserted
by his supporters, Spurlock, DunAani'
and Meyer, who stand for competi
tion.
Morrison and Beamer Draw Cards.
Morrison and Beamer attempted 20
admonish their. fellow members from
the West Side To the effect that the
combine had pushed the resolution Of
adoption through at last meeting and
Beamer tearfuliy explained the law t.
Dunhan. Dunham. however, insisted
that principle was Involved. He said
il was TO be regretted that the city
sets out the fact that 1t recognizes
only one bidder on public work. Iis
thought tho fact that Power had built
sewers that had been accepted was
no excuse for subversion of the prin
ciple OF fair treatment and open COM
petition. Council, ror the mayor he
maintained, had had the right TO LEI
the contract TO any but the loves
bidder.
Councilman Trapnell got into &C
tion. He taid Nike White had aske'
& him about the chances for gettinl
some of the sewer work and that HI
told White 10 look over the Fast Sid
and put Id q bid and that he wpult
get due consideration Now, however
when White has put in d bid for S.
9s2 and Power has put in one for 81
68 more, council wants TO back down
He said Billings put up straw bid.
TrapncIi Rsps City Engineer.
Then Traprnell III into CITY Engir
eer Hooker. who was reported to hav
said that he wanted Power 10 hav
: the crrfraet becauee thev tad Bro
able to get along on other jobs. Tral
neil repeated two Of the rumors !
4. "a