The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-09

Of the streets and sidewalks co1aYnit- tee can say that the board ot alder men had no intention of interfering with your. boards or taking away any of your powers when the Warrenite contracts were arranged.
 We simply followed the procedure of a year ago when Connecticut ave- nqe and Fairfield avenue were paved. We are following the city attorney s advice in coming to you to ask you to save the cTty from a. legal battle in the courts which is likely to continue no one knows how long. It may last one year and 1t may last ten years. The contracts have been signed. The city attorney says they are Illegal To save the city from a legal battle this conmittee asks you as citizens who have the interest of the city at heart that you investigate the contracts and re-execute them. The board of alder men does not care who shall supervise the work. If you can see your way clear to re-execute these contracts you will find it will bring out boards closer Estogether.,'
 Alderman Mercy said:
 don't think you can go, behind these contracts and say the city will not get full return for its money War renite has never been laid cheaper anywhere. The work done here lsbefore has given satisfaction If it can. be shown this work can be done better or cheaper I will Support any movement sto have it done some other tracts are Illegal but not to nullffy. them. think his advice is good and I ask you to support him.
 Alderman Moran however took a decidedly opposite view from that of 1 his colleaeues and in brief but force 1 full language he declared against com tinuirg the contracts in force or re- l executing them. He said:
 T am strictly opposed to the con. l tracts as they have been made and I will not be a. party to tfleTn- want Ito support the city =attorney when he says that the contracts are Illegal T went to the special meeting of the council. one week ago prepared to- put IaIp a light to have the contracts res ended. But the city attorney appear ed there and advised conference to which I agreed and that is why am here. But I also want to say that I did not come here to ask you gentle men to re-execute these contracts I I am unalteraibly opposed to thera.'g' Connissdoner Atwaters thought the connmission ought not to consider the matter further He said in part
 ssThe aldermen ought not to appear before this coEamission, they ought to settle this matter themselves. We were not consulted in the matter and if the aIderm en have gotten them I'seIves in a. tangles they should get out I themselves. The charter states that l the board of aldermen shall degignate the streets to be paved. and that our 1 commission shall see that the work is | done We are very glad to have this lcommittee here. but as for shoulder Ling work or contracts made in an inn proper manner and in violation of law T for one cannot see why this com mission should be asked to do SOL I Mayor Wilson said the conference a of I torney CoInIey and he asked the com omission to hear the latter. The city fattorney said in his opinion the only solution of the problem was concur the board of aldermen, the commission l to re execute the contracts, If were member of this board I would l consider only two things" he said. l tfWilI the common councn place this | matter entirely in our hands and, are the contracts fair to the city I think I your city engineer. who is a fair man, 1 will tell VOL they are. Would it not I be better for all concerned under the circumstamces for syour board to take up the contracts and carry them out 2 I Contnissfoner Atwater: q agree I heartily with the suggestion of the sl city attorney. If the council will place I the matter in our hands we will take I such action as we deem proper under I the charter
 [ | can be placed in your hands more | thoroug ghly. It remains for the com
 mission to save the city from possible Litigation
 Comrnissioller William H. Brown; | +sI would like to ask if this committee has authority to turn this matter over
 to the paving and sewer cOnn1i ission.
 I don't think it has such authority. I There was no formal vote to that eff
 feet at the councG meeting and this before this commission with the re- quest that we come in and sanction
 what the aldermen has done so that
 they may go ahead with the War
 rerite contracts
 President Rogers then for the first
 time took a hand in procedure. MT
 Rogers first said the committee honor ed the commission by appearing there
 and he thanked them then he said: $
 stsAs I understand it this committee
 is not in a position to turn this matter
 over to us If it is we are willing te
 take the contracts but we will make
 contracts as we always have, by com
 petitive bids We have no fight with
 the Warren brothers and we will give
 them every opportunity to come in
 and submit .bi1s. We will do as we
 have always done, give the property
 owners a chance to be heard as tc
 what kind ofepaving they desire.
 eff on the other hand this commit II tee S1InpIy wants us to take the con- -1 tracts over as they have been made
 and to go ahead with the work, with due respect to our city attorney, I fo1
 one will not do it. litigation or noiliti-
 gation. If the council wants to pro- ceed with the work I for one will not
 interfere in any way and do not
 think any other member of the com , 1 mission will interfere. 'fAs for taking over these contracts
 will have nothing to do with it.Why . should the commission enter this mat