The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-02-07

The foregoing statement was
made by prominent contractor
who wanted to bid on the NisquaI-
ly power plant for the city yester-
day. He does not want his name
used until he knows whether or
not there is a chance to have the
job re-advertised.
Commissioner Lawson says he
does not like the looks of the sit
uation.
Yesterday, when 1t came time to
open bids there we're IA bidders,
but only one on the complete job.
The others were on machinery.
The Savage-Nichols company,
which had indicated all along 1t
would bid, did not do 80. But
Hans Peterson of Seattle did. He
got Just below the engineer es-
innate. The estimate, was in
round numbers, $1,079,000.
The bid was $1,074,000.
Six sets of specifications with
plans had been taken out by
prominent contractors. Engineers
say the plans and specifications
are ideal and easy to figure.
There were no complications
andand the job Is a good. clean
one. The profit looks certain.
Warrant Sale.
One hitch in the matter was on
the sale of the warrants. The con-
tractor had to take these. Savage
Nichols have been figuring on
them, as they already have
bunch of over half million. They
have repeatedly asserted that they
could be marketed in a lump.
They took out plans and were ex-
pected to bid. They, in fact, have
insisted that to make their pres
ent holding of warrants good they
must see that the plant Is COM
pleted.
But they did not bid.
Hans Peterson did bid and cut
just under the estimate and all
others kept out.
ut don't look just right. It
may not be crooked and then
again 1t may" says Commissioner
Lawson.
When Pederson's bid was put In
his check had not been properly
signed. He was allowed to open
his bid and fix 1t before the other
bids were opened.
He did not in his bid take the
obligation making oath that there
had been no collusion. Later he
fixed this up in Lawson's office.
He did not fill in the blanks guar
teeing efficiency in the water
wheels and generators. This opens
the way for the introduction Of
any old junk machinery. whether
efficient or not.
There are lot of these irreg-
ularities in the bid.
The question now Is will the
city stand for the deal. Lawson
says 1t will be five or six days be-
fore they get all the bids tabulat-
ed and ready to place before the
council. He was closeted with
Peterson after the bids went In
last night and had him fix some
things on the papers.
How much of this cIoeed-door
business has there been In connec-
tion with this deal, anyway
One contractor says that he be-
lieves the whole Job was adver-
tised by Lawson. giving only 80
days time for bids to come in
with view to shutting out every
body but the combination. How
much is there In this?
The people are interested in
this deal. They are going to pay
million or more for the Job and
they want it on the square.
Did Lawson go into a deal to
frame the advertisement for bids
so only one bid could como in and
did he allow Peterson to fix up
his bid to try to make it regular
after it was opened, for the same
purpose?
Or was there collusion outside
among the contractors?
The people are beginning to ask
these questions.
The thing does not look just ex-
actly right.