The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-07-30
G. O N TIN u E D
r o
P A G E O N E
CLAIMED THE BRICK

ilege. Hereafter, one man said,
when making bids he will take sec
ond quality brick into cOnsidera-
ton, and therefore make his bids
that much lower
The Hill company didn't want to
get this quality of brick. That is
very easy to discover by looking
into the circumstances surrounding
their negotiations for the brick to
be used on their job. but, by a de-
sire to obtain brick at less than the
standard price, they were forced
into position which scarcely
leaves them a loophole.
When the contract was let.
couple of months ago, the price was
$4,000. and was $4,000 below the
estimate, although they would not
offer to put in about 100000 worth
of sewers etc, which the next low
est bidder was willing to include
in his figures The competition for
the plum was keen in the extreme
and some people resented the Chi
cago company butting into local
territory.
But they landed the contract, and
Immediately negotiated for the
quantity of brick that they would
require for the gutter and the
pavement. Figures were received
from the Denny-Renton Clay Co.
and were about to be accepted. and
the brick ordered. when Charles
Oudin of the American Fire Brick
Co. Of Spokane offered to furnish
the bricks at a lower price. Nego-
tiations with the Denny concern,
which has headquarters in Seattle
were called off and the million and
half brick ordered from Oudin.
The first week in July the Hill
people We're informed that they
couldn't get the required brick
from Oudin. as his plant was in
number in the specified time. So
the wires were STARTED buzzing
between Spokane and Seattle and
the Hill company was Informed
that II would be impossible to get
any of the first quality brick be-
fore October l. This would be too
late to complete the job on speci-
fled time and some alternative was
sought. The Denny-Renton COM
pany finally offered to give some
brick which wasn't so much in de-
mand, and which is is claimed by
contractors is what is known as
second quality brick.
MCARTNEY'S STATEMENT.
The Hill people asked City En-
gineer Mccartney If ne would pass
the brick. Friday might, July 9,
with Commissioners Armstrong,
secretary of the<, board of public
works. he went I'd Seattle and in
spected the bricF. His decision
was that it wqnd do, and accord
ingly the brick was ordered, and
what isn't sFeady in Spokane is
on stfe~~lA<fy In speaking of the
reason for allowing the use of this
Brick City Engineer Mccartney
said this morning:
"I'll stake my reputation as an
engineer on the brick being good
enough for the purpose-for l am
allowing il to be used only for the
gutter. In fact, il is really bet
ter brick for the purpose than first
quality brick, as ii is harder, being
brick which was nearer the fire.
II, therefore, will not absorb water,
and although | will admit that 1t is
not as good looking brick, it is
Just as servlceable. and though
warped. as long as it isn't used for
paving il will be quite good enough.
II knew that there there would
be a boiler about this brick as
soon as ! allowed 1t to be used, but
] am watching that Brownies addi-
ton Job very closely, visiting 1t
practically every day, and you can
take It from me that no brick will
70 In there that isn't good enough.
didn't want to hold up the job
till next year.
saThere are twto or three blocks
where this brick cannot be used, on
account OF the grade. and here
there will have to be more regular
bricks put In. These can be OBJ
tanned from Oudin, as Inspected
some bricks which he had ready
at his place yesterday. and about
Cd. 900 will be hard enough for the
purpose" -. eh.
bricks. as far as he knew and had
heon informed. were not any cheap
- than the first quality bricks.
IA admitted, however. that from
To standpoint Of the Denny peo-
plo the bricks sold to the Hin PEG.