Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-04

CONTINUED from rage OneD
SQUARE deal and their bids on the plumb
Ing. heating and lighting should be con-
sidered
Mr.. Gould. Junior member OF the firm
Of Gould q Son, was asked II he would
like to change his bid TO cover every
thing, but he simply said that he had
made a bid and would stand on that bid.
Later the senior member Of the firm
came in and. discovering the conditions
that existed and the evident intention OF
the board to give the contract to the
Kearney firm. withdrew his bid in dis
gust.
The smaller bidders. who stood around
wondering where they came in, began TO
Thin out, and then caviness made mo-
lion that the Crosby bid be adopted by
lhe board, Notwithstanding II was several
thousand dollars higher than any other
bid made.
Gettys Finds He's Out.
Gettys moved that the Crosby bid be
not accepted and then the board pro"
ceeded 70 cit down on the University
Place men President Morris ruled that
Gettys was not a member Of the board.
gettys flashed his commission issued by
the governor showing that he was ap-
pointed 20 sct until September 1, 1915. In
explanation. he said that he did not wish
to cucumber the board with HIS presence
n he had no right TO sit.
There Is a question Of law involved"
said he, (which the board cannot afford
TO ignore. whether have a right to vote
on the letting Of this contract or whether
An haIla4fa Nhia
board ought not to take action until this
ls settled."
Treasurer Hall then moved that the
board take a recess so that the matter
could be looked into, and the attorney
general consulted. Majors and Caviness
opposed taking any time to look the mat
ter up They wanted the contract let
right then. A vote was taken and the
motion was voted down. viele. Vaviness,
Majors and Morris voting against II and
Thomas and Hall for. Relsche not voting.
CommissiOn DOesn't Count.
President Morris then ruled that Gettys
had no right to a seat on the board, Civ
ing as his reason that the term OF for
mer members expired June "a and that
AZ Gettys was appointed to fiji an unex-
pired term his commission would expire
June 2S and not September !. a. the COM
mission issued by the governor stated.
Then In that case. why not take a
recess and allow me TO look the matter
up In the office Of the governor" said
Mr.. 0ettys. There IL a question in
volved of the right OF myself to sit on
this board which can be determined by
a short visit TO the office OF the gov
ernor II a mistake was made IN my
commission I will hand my resignation
10 the governor dating II back a day.
and that win make the present action OF
the hoard legal and give Mr.. Reische un-
disputed right to sit on the board"
Asked About verbaI Change.
However, the majority did not propose
70 do anything that would look like
yielding. and proceeded to 80 ahead and
let the contract to Crosby for S7.se7 with
out considering whether his bid was
good The question, however. was
raised W1ny q bidder could make a
verbal change In his bid after all bids
had been opened. but the pins were set
that way and no little minority OF two
coGld knock them over.
viele. Morris, Majors. caviness and
Relsche voted 70 give the bid TO tho
highest bidder. while Hall and Thomas
refused to vote.
Nothing has occurred at the state house
in many months that has cous0d such
universal condemnation as the arbitrary
work Of the majority OF the normal
board.