The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1912-12-21

james Mchercher, labor on
above road 80. ........ 18 90
James McKercher, labor on
above road. $50. -. ..... 80 90
Lars Lookkana, labor .. so 90
Oliver Bruno. .......... 10 90
John Smith, labor ....... IL 90
Oliver Bruno, labor. ..... IL 90
1854 90
Meeting of Feb. %, 1912. bill allowed
of $435.25, of which McKercher received
$255.00, balance less than one-half GO
to eight men and team.
From the foregoing, you can plainly
see that in almost every instance the
commissioners have drawn either all or
the greater part of the claims.
l find your commissioners have violat-
ed Section 10, as follows:
At meeting of June 10th. 1902, pres
ent only Denomine and McKercher.
Bids for road work as per advertise
ment, were opened and on motion re-
jected.
At meeting of June 18th, 1903, bids
with proper bonds were presented for
work on Baraga and Houghton road,
and these were rejected.
In neither of these cases were any
reasons for rejection entered on the
record nor were plars and specifications
and reasons in writing for rejecting
said bids filed with the county clerk as
required by law. From the garbled
condition of commissioners record, it is
impossible to tell what this work did
cost when done under their supervision,
Further in violation of Section 10, |
find that Commissioner. McKercher on
June 18th. 1909 personally let a contract
to John Smith in the sum of $500. 90 for
1928 feet of L'Anse and Spur road a
again IN April II, 1910 to the same par
ty for same road, contract of $405. 90
for 1920 feet.
These bids should have been publicly
advertised. Mr.. McKercher's method
kills competition, and leaves the way
open for collision with the contractor.
In numerous instances, your commits
sioners have also violated this section
of the law, in not publicly advertising
for bids when ansoaHts5ssopeenrdd,eedd +, were
in excess of $4,000. l cite but few
of these cases and you will note that
invariably your commissioners have
been largely benefited.
At meeting of May /, 1909, bills were
presented and allowed work done on
the L'Anse and Baraga road from No
vember to May amounting to $1sO6. as.
of this amount commissioners Denomie
and Mcmillan and the Mission Store re-
ceived 1886. SO, $3l5.84 was expended
for hauling rock, $233I32 expended prin-
cipally for team work, the balance
$1,000 went for labor and supplies.
page 81
Of 1884. 70 expended in the month of
May and June 1909 on the L 'Anse and
Barsga road, commissioners Denomine
and Mcmillan and the Mission Store re-
ceived $298.75.
During the month oil July and August
and to Sept. 10Th your commissioners
expended on the L'Anse and Skanee
road $685. so, of which Denomine and
Mcmillan and the Mission Store received
$340. 60.
At meeting of Jan. %, 1911 covering
a period of three and one half months,
there were expended on the l. 'Anse and
Baraga road, sl624. rs, of which amount
commissioners Denomine and Mcmillan
and the Mission Store received $528. SO.
At the meeting of Jan. Is, 1910 bills
were allowed amounting to $2143.02,
in building the new L'Anse
and Huron Bay road. This should have
been let by contract in view of the
large sum involved.
At meeting of Sept. 26. 1911 McKer-
cher drew 1897 81 out of total STA. 40,
all charged to L'Anse and Spur road.
Of the balance SS9.73 was for culverts
and $346. 90 went to six men.
From May to Sept. of 1911, $676.67
was spent on the L'Anse and Huron
Bay road, practically all of which was
for Slate River bridge. There is no
record of any bids having been called
for for this work, and I am told that
the bridge was entirely washed out in
The spring of 1912 owing to the poor
work that was done on it.
could continue with many more in
stances of the same kind but these
hould be sufficient to show the manner
n which your county road fund is being
handled.
find your commissioners made no