Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-12-07
(From Wednesdays Record. }

Emery j. Smith OF the firm OF
Smith, Emery & Company-inspect
ing, testing and chemical engineers
and chemists-was in Ashland the
past week looking over the mineral
springs project of which they have
been in charge as consulting en-
gineers.
Besides meeting with many of our
citizens a mass meeting was held at
the Commercial Club rooms Tuesday
evening at which Mr.. Smith spoke to
the people and recited the remarks
he had made at the mass meeting in
the Armory several months ago and
declared that the firm had not
changed its plans very materially
from that time After an informal
talk questions were asked and an
swered.
Mr.. Smith said the Mineral Springs
commission so far had insisted that
the firm give $4,000 bond that
the mineral waters be delivered at
the park and depot in practically the
same condition as at the springs and
that percentage of the contract
price be withheld until the project
nuo SOhlplClOu anu III COulllOH par
lance 1.-The goods had been delivered. !"
The inquiries hung around the is
sue of having definite plans and
specifications that would allow for
several bids from competitive con-
tracing firms. Mr.. Smith replied
that If it was an ordinary piece of
contracting work his firm would not
undertake It, as the firm does not do
contracting work, being an engineer
ing firm, but they considered this a
piece of technical work from start to
finish and if regarded in any other
! light it could not be made a success.
Since the commission will require
extraordinarily heavy bonds and
conditions we could not take any
chances on making an unsuccessful
installation. We have given the COM
mission every possible opportunity
and invited the citizens to investigate
the reputation of our firm. We do
not believe that any credible or re-
sponsible firm would undertake to
carry out the project unless it had
absolute control and sufficient lee-
way to meet every contingency aris-
ing promptly and in the best manner
possible.
This is not a simple proposition
like bridge or culvert You cannot
figure the cost of every detail until
you are actually in it as it will re-
quire good deal of changing. A
good many elements enter that can
not be figured in an ordinary con
tracing way at all. We are dealing
with elements in which the results
cannot be always definitely calculat.
ed on. No one can foretell what
changes might be necessary to over.
come possible results from these
changes in matter of precipitations
No general contractor could provide
against unknown quantities and a
the same time make the lowest posi-
lble bid in all detailed specifications
The firm would asl; as a protection
against public criticism that the
Springs Commission appoint a quail
fled inspector to view the installa
tion from their standpoint Smith
Emery & Company are not cheaT
people but they do 1t well. We hav,
no controversies with anybody in tn,
community and are glad to talk will
anybody and receive suggestions
from all points of view, and hav,
received valuable suggestions.
The matter of bringing the gas II
a separate pipe from the mineral wa
ters was considered. The plans pro
vide for an abundance of gas for car
bombing to be employed in severa
ways including the filtering and car
bombing of city water at severa
points as well as in the sulphur wa
ter-also for making such addltiona
carbonization as may be desirable Il
such mineral waters as are brought