Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-08-24
BIDDERS RESENT
COUNCIL s ACT IN
HOLDING CHECKS
Agents Representing Bonding
Firms Criticise East Or
ange Officials.

Their ire aroused by the refusal of
the East Orange City Council to re-
turn certified checks that accom-
panied bids offered by the firms they
represented for a bond issue of $125,-
900, a number of statesmen for New
York bonding houses last night criti-
oised the officials. The council did not
give back the checks, because the
finance committee was not prepared
to award the contract for the issue,
which is to pay for enlarging street
mains in the city.
Lined against the railing outside
where the councilmen sit, the sales
men protested against the council ad-
journing without returning the
checks. Their Indignation was wax
Ing warm, when Councilman Frank
Bliss Cotton told Acting Chairman
Joseph NJ. Brown that the men were
interrupting the proceedings, and the
latter silenced the statesmen. The
council completed its business, and
the statesmen said they would pay no
more visits to East Orange
Why the award was not made was
not explained by Councilman 4. Nc
Cnrdy Marsh, chairman of the finance
committee. He declared there was
no provision in the specifications that
compelled the council Il return the
checks last night. Two weeks ago
bids were received for the issue, but
they were thrown out after it was re-
vealed that one of the statesmen had
been wrongly informed regarding
how long the bonds were TO run.
Decrease in Offer.
The highest bid last night, which
was from r. N. Grant was about
$1,000 less than the bid that offered
the most for the issue two weeks
ago. A number of the bidding firms
joined in submitting estimates The
statesmen said the reason was that
the bonding firms are not anxious to
take large sums, due to the state of
affairs in Wall street over the situa
ton occasioned by the sinking of the
Arabic.
The highest bidder offered to take
the bonds for S125, 5,535, while the high
est estimate two weeks ago was $780,
53S. 1t is probable the finance COM
mittee felt that a larger bid will be
made after the market quiets down,
and for that reason held up the
award. One of the statesmen declared
his bid would not hold overnight, but
Acting City Counsel Arthur Wander
bilt said it would.
Depriving laborers of the street and
sewer departments of East Orange
of an increase in pay of two cents
an hour, the City Council sustained
Mayor Worrall f. Mountains veto
of a resolution passed two weeks ago,
which provided for the advance. The
laborers lost the raise by one vote.
six in Favor of Raise.
Seven votes, or a two-thirds ma
jority, was necessary to override the
executives veto, and only six of the
councilmen favored the raise. Coun-
Gilman Robert NJ Dixon did not vote,
as he is acting mayor in the absence
of the regular executive. but his vote
would not have altered the count, as
he was known to be against allowing
the workmen the small raise.
Mayor Mountains reason for veto
Ing the resolution was that the city
could not afford the slight advance,
which would have meant an eXpendi-
ture of $4,000 year
Adjourning a meeting they were
holding members OF the Norwood I'M
provement Association went to the
council meeting and succeeded in
having the officials repeal an or
dinance which changed the name of
Norwood street 10 Amherst street.
The delegation explained their or
ganization was formed principally to
keep the thoroughfare named Nor
wood street, and they applauded for
several seconds after the eouncilmen
repealed the ordinance.
Names Cause Confusion.
Councilman James G. Barradale did
not want the ordinance rescinded. Of
fering the reason that there was con-
fusion by having one part of the
street named Norwood street and the
other Amherst street The delega-
ton was headed by George Els
worth Post, who was spokesman, and
Edwin Ames, chairman of the or
ganization's protest committee.
Told that a majority of property
owners in the street We're against the
Improvement the council withdrew a
resolution providing for curbing and
guttering Brentwood avenue. Regret
over the death of Frederick Saxelby.
formerly chairman of the council. was
expressed in n set of resolutions
presented by Councilman George A.
Grover, who also is a representative
of the ward Mr.. SaXelby represented
in the council for number of years.