Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-01
SOUTH OMAHA ALSO PINCHED
Magic City Feels the Pressure of
CreOsote Paving Combine.
BIG PRICE FOR THE GRADING
w. J. Cakes, Representative of Ket-
tie River Company, Calls at
south Omaha to Get Money
on Deposit.

That South Omaha still feels the hand
of the Kettle River company was evil
denced by the recent visit Of w. j. Cakes,
an engineer of the General Contracting
company, who came to demand that the
city put on deposit the 10 per cent re-
serve fund held as security for the main
tainanee Of the work done by the oom-
pany.
1t is understood that the reserve should
have been placed on deposit over a year
ago, but owing to a depletion OF the Inn
provement fund OF paving district 81,
there was need Of 1880 to cover the In
creased cost OF the paving.
When the emissary OF the General Con-
tracing company called on the council
about two weeks ago he was given as
surances that the money would be placed
on deposit without delay. Immediately
after receiving the assurances Cakes
took his departure. 1t now remains for
the city to gather the money either by
new sale Of bonds or some other means.
Same Odd story.
The story of the General Contracting
company In South Omaha is in accord
with its movements at other points.
The company appeared ON the local
horizon about a year ago for the purpose
Of bidding on the Improvement of that
portion Of Hector boulevard running from
the city limits in the north to the west
line Of Twenty-nrst street.
At the time the property In that section
was owned or controlled by Thomas
Hector, a real estate dealer OF the city.
A petition to pave was presented to the
council ana the material to be used was
designated as creosote block. The price
was In accord with the agreement al
ready pubiished-sz.6O. The total cost OF
the work was estimated by the city en-
gineer at $4,000.
The council at that time, It is under
Stood opposed granting the contract to
the General Contrasting company. Bids
were made on sarco and brick block at
$3.50 and 50 per yard, respectively. The
council was, however, compelled to award
the contract TO the General Contracting
company, because OF the law that makes
a demand Of the majority of the prop
erty owners mandatory in the designation
of material. The majority in this case
was Thomas Hector, who specified creo-
sote block.
Needs Extra Grading.
After letting the contract however, It
developed that the subcontractor 10
whom the grading was let found extra
grading 10 be done amounting to 5000
yards. The cost OF the grading work was
90 cents per yard as against 80 cent or s.
cents, the ordinary cost 1t was further
found that the extra cost OF the work
was due to the fact that there was not
sufficient dirt to make the respective fins
on tho street. The dirt had to be pur-
chased from Abutting property owners,
and the result amounted to an Increase
in the total cost OF the work OF S2,Oss IS
more than the original estimate OF the
city engineer. When the time OF making
the IL per cent deposit came the city
found that its original bond issue OF
Zoo was shy by sl.sOo. Il was for the
residue owed by the General Construction
company that Engineer Cakes recently
called. How the council viii provide for
the extra expenditure remains to be seen.