Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-30
Iona Newspapers
BENTON COUNTY BRIDGE DEAL.

BENTON COUNTY BRIDGE DEAL.
! lDes Moines Register and Leader.l
| We commend the following. letter
written by Bernard Murphy of the
/ Vinton Eagle. to the careful consider
alton of every member Of the legisla-
| ture who has supported the Johnston
road bill and to every taxpayer Of the
state who has been led to believe that
the state highway commission has done
nothing worth while.
The story of this Benton county
bridge letting could be verified from
the columns of the Belle PLANE Union
and other newspapers. But it does not
need verifying. In every county enough
has happened to convince the reader
| that it is all true, and that probably
| the whole truth has not been divulged.
! For when board Of supervisors per-
| mits a favored bidder to offer a side
bid there is always something more in
volved than appears on the surface.
| Here is Mr.. Murphys letter:
To the Editor: l read with pleasure
the latter of Senator J. H. Darrah in
| the Register and Leader and especially
! this paragraph:
! If the board of supervisors are hon.
est, and if they live up to the provis-
ions of the present law, the highway
| commission will in no way interfere
| with them, except to assist them in ev-
/ cry way; if they are not honest, if they
do not live up to the law, as has been
| evidenced in large number of coun-
| ties in this state, it is the duty of the
7 highway commission to compel them to
! do SO. And back of this movement
4 $r~ M @o1 ~
entire state, stand the disgruntled
members Of boards Of supervisors, and
the bridge companies, who have been
shorn OF the privilege of making the
taxpayers Of this state their legitimate
prey"
This so fits recent case in Benton
county that / herewith send the record:
The following are the proceedings OF
the board for Feb. Is and 81:
,vinton, Iowa, Feb. Is, 1915.
Board met pursuant to order Of adj
journment to receive bids on bridges.
All members present. II being after
| the hour Of IL O'clock (noon). The fol-
! lowing being all the bids filed, were
opened and considered:
Iowa Bridge Company.
Missouri Construction & Ballast Com
pany.
Boone Construction Company.
Federal Bridge Company
Waterloo Construction Company.
James Park Company.
Pickers Engineering & Construction
! Company.
Continental Abraham Construction
Company.
John Anderson & Son.
Atkins Cement & Tile Company.
Peter Kahler
| keystone Electric light & Cement
plant.
Thirteen seated envelopes in all. The
| Iowa county board being present the
| board adjourned to meet with them to
consider the joint drainage ditch be-
tween Iowa and Benton counties. Ben
ton county board to meet again Feb.
81. 1915.
Feb. p. 1915.
| Board met pursuant to order of adj
! journment, all members present. Mo-
| ton was made and seconded that all
sealed bids received by the board on
Feb. rs, 1915, for the construction of
bridges and culverts be rejected. The
vote being called for. the members
voted as follows:
| Henry Grovert, yes.
George ScnnOOr, yes.
| George Rinderknetch, yes.
E. w. McCulley. no.
! George Buch, no.
Motion carried.
| Motion was made and seconded that
the chairman be instructed to contract
with the Missouri Ballast & Construc-
ton Company for the erection Of the
! eighteen bridges as advertised in the
/ 30 30 or
| sum Of s11,410, the same being lower
than the lowest bid received. The vote
being called, the members voted as fol-
lows:
| Henry Grovert, yes.
| George Schnoor, yes.
| George Rinderknetch, yes.
E. W. McCulley, no.
| George Buch, no.
| Motion carried.
| On motion the board adjourned to
meet again Wednesday, March 3, 1915.
at o'clock a. m.
| The bids Of the leading bidders were
as follows:
| Federal Bridge Co. ........... 81. 424
| Waterloo Construction Co. $3.50. 1880
| Missouri Construction Co. 800. 1880
John Anderson &, Son ....,.... 12,lS1
Iowa Bridge Co. .....,........ 12,40O
Pickus Engineering Co. ....... 1920
Boone Construction Co. ........ 1885
Continental Bridge Co.a...-..... 1880
| Fair Abrahamson Co. .......... 1850
Now for the sequel: When the con-
tract as ordered by the board was
! drawn and signed it was sent to the
highway commission for approval to-
gether with all the proceedings in
! gliding the several bids, and the to!-
4 lowing letter was received from the
highway commission:
/ Iowa State Highway Commission,
Ames. Iowa, March Is. 1915-Board OF
Supervisors, vinton, Iowa, Attention
| Mr.. Henry Grovert, Jr, Chairman
! Gentlemen: we are returning contract
Of Feb. ~ between Benton county and
1.-The Missouri Construction 4 Ballast
Company without approval. From the
information we have on this contract
the Missouri Construction & Ballast
/ Company were not the low bidders
L II. y M