The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-09

the city. They will not re-execute the contracts nor will they have any thing whatever to do with them. This is the stand taken by thes ommission at the meeting last night with the committee from the common council who came asking that the commission save the faces of Mayor Wilson and Director of Public Works Courtade by agreeing to sanction the attempt to grab S16O,0O0 of the recent bond Issue for Warrenite pavement. You made the contracts, we were not consulted. You have attempted to usurp our duties and to spend money which the people intended the com- mission to spend. You have made Illegal contracts and Involved the city in probable costly litigation Having gotten yourselves and the city into a muddle you ask us to get you out. We do not propose to be a party to any thing which the city attorney says is illegals You have gotten your selves into a nuddle: get outss alone. wash our hands of this matter; you cannot take refuge behind us.
 eff the aldermen want the paving and sewer commission to handle the $20O,Oo paving bond issue we will be glad to do so and we will let con- tracts as we nave in the past by com petitiye bids after AtIle property own CTS at public hearings have had a chance to say what kind. Of paving they want laid. 2
 This iss:in substance the attitude of the paving and sewer commission re- garding the Warrenite contracts. The meeting with tlaeeaId derInanic cornnait- cham Der. Mayor Wilson presided and from the start tried to run things. He succeeded pretty well until the mem- bers Of the commission sat on him good and hard and then adjourned the meeting.
 Two members of the ,aIdeFana.nic com committee came befeEesthe commission in an apoI6gefic way, adInt ting that the action sof Mayor wilson and Ddrec- tor CouEtade as sanctioned by the board had brought about a. state of affairs which was liable to involve the city invcostly litigation. They asked the commissions to avoid this by re- executing the Warrenite contracts. AL derIn an Moran, however. vigorously opposed this and declared that he was unalterably opposed to having the con- tracts carried out. or having them re-executed.
 City Attorney Comley told the com mission that while the contracts were Illegal he thought the commission ought to re-execute thefn and thus avoid any possible chance of suits be- ling brought by Warren Bros. Then
 
 Ethe. commission take up and rernake the contracts.
 Finding that the commission would have nothing to do with the matter 1 the mayor produced a lengthy letter from Albert Schwarz. chief counsel for Warren Eros which told what a won derfylI pavement yvaTrenfte is and erld- ed by saying that he considered the contracts made with the city Iegsl and that the w arren Brothers would expect the city to carry them out or stand a lawsuit Members of the of this document and several times tried to have it stopped, but the may or insisted and Secretary Heating read fthe document through.
 It made no impression on the com mission however. and in a last effort to save his face the mayor triede . have an opinion from Judge Robert E. DeForest read, in which Judge De- Forest declared the Warrenite con- tracts were legal and must be lived up to by the city. Members of the com mission took the stand, however, that they had no Interest in this opinion and they did not care to hear it. The mayor insisted that it be read and spared every minute to carry j his point until the commission voted not to hear it and voted the meeting ad- l journed over his head Judge De ! T by. the Warren Brothers,
 ] sMr. Clerk, you may read,'' said the \ mayor referring to Judge DeForest' $ I opinion.
 T move.'' said Commissioner At water. that the request be not grant ed.
 1T will second that motion. said Commissions Rogers and several oth- CTS of the commission.
 t1 think the opinion is germane te this question. Mir Clerk, you may read.''
 I President Rogers of the comn1iszior insisted that the mayor. put the ques- tion on the motion The mayor shedg- I ed and then protested, but on a risine vote all members of the commission except Commissioner CIampett, voted I in favor of the motion and aeains- lhearing the opinion of Judge DeFores- or a statement. from representatives o- Il the Warren Brothers, Ralph. F. War. ren or Attorney Head, who were pres l ent.
 l Mayor wilson and President Roger. sat side by side at the reporters abl, in the common council chamber, wher, the mediation conference's was held Grouped about them were members O. I the paving and sewer commission. Al dermen MacFayden, Mercy and Moran the mediation committee" of the com mon council, City Attorney Comlev and City Engineer Terry. In the spec
 tators' gallery were Judge DeForest Supt. Chapman of the Connecticut Co. a. number of representatives of .pavfng contractors and prominent citizens. I The mayor said he would preside d
 the meeting and President Roger promptly moved that the comrnitte, I from the aldermen be heard at once Commissioner Atwater seconded thi
 motion. Alderman MacFayden spok
 first. He said:
 ger am here tonight to try if possibl
 to straighten out a bit of tangl which believe has been created mostly by the newspapers, I believ