Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-08-15
BRIDGE GRAFTERs
Bridge Builders Alleged to be
Holding up Houston County.
(From Caledonia Journall ]

It looks as tho the bridge building
grafters will have pretty slim picking
in Houston county hereafter if one of
our county commissioners has his
way about lit. They tried to hold up
the county for ridiculously large
sum in their bids which they submitt-
ed recently for constructing a bridge
in the northwest part of the county.
One Of the commissioners. who was on
the committee to look over the bids,
made motion to reject the bids and
it was carried. Those who were
present when the bids were opened
then went their way. The commits
sioner, who moved that the bids be
rejected. later received call over the
phone, while at the hotel, asking him
to meet certain party who wished to
speak to him. He had no more than
left the hotel and was walking up the
street when he was approached by a
Lacrosse party who voluntarily agreed
to cut his bid down from $1,000 or
whereabouts. to $3.50.
The commissioner continued on his
way when he was accosted by a st.
Paul party and he desired to change
his bid from $1,000 to $1,000. Things
became mighty interesting about this
time and said commissioner expressed
his opinion of the dishonesty of the
whole affair. He made it plainly
known that he did not approve of such
proceedings, and that the right figures
should have been submitted in the
first place. Finally one of the repre-
sentatives of a bridge company offered
said commissioner $10O on the side
if he would give him the job at the
reduced figures. The CRATER soon
found out that he had made big mis-
take as the commissioner he offered
the graft to has a conscience that
nothing but what is absolutely right
and fair can penetrate and a MIND
that can express itself in a most
active and forcjble manner.
The commissioner we have been re-
ferring to became thoroly 1isgusted
with the whole affair by this time and
he therefore ordered the county auditor
to communicate with the state high
way commission and secure the adj
dress Of firms that could furnish the
superstructure for the iron bridge
which the bridge building concerns
had submitted their bids for. A
letter was received from a st. Paul
firm who agreed to furnish the super
structure for the iron bridge for $500
and as the substructure could be put
in for less money than the upper por-
tion of the bridge, it is estimated that
the bridge could be built for about
5000. Some difference from the
figures which the bridge building
grafters submitted.
There is considerable complaint
being made in every county in the
state pertaining to the combination
formed by the bridge builders. 1t
seems that they have divided up the
territory and arrange their bids sc
that each firm secures work only in
certain counties designated by the
combination.
Our county commissioner. who pro-
poses to sit on the combination when
| it comes to doing the work for Hous.
ton county, suggested that the county
commissioners thruout the state form
an organization and devise some plar
or make arrangements with firm OF
firms to furnish the superstructure fol
iron bridges at a certain agreed price,
according to different sizes. We are
told that the plan would be a hare
matter to carry out as NOT all county
commissioners thruout the state are as
conscientious and public spirited a:
one of our county commissioners has
proved to be on more than one oc.
casion.