The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-16
KENNEDY PLACES
BLAME FOR SEWER
BREAK ON OTHERS
Declares That Supporting
Arch Had Been Broken
in Making Connection
WOULD REPAIR JOB
FOR 81, 900, HE SAYS
Maintains Construction
Proper, Material Good,
Before City Board

That the break in the trunk sewer
on First avenue north, between Broad
way and Fifth street north, was a re-
suit Of the breaking Of a supporting
arch in making a connection, the
bricks being driven into the sewer
with hammer or sledge in the op-
Grafton; that the material in the sewer
was of the best; that. the construction
work was without a fault; that If the
work of repair had been started in
the proper manner, the cost would not
exceed $500, instead Of $4,000 as eS-
timated, and that he would even now,
after street car tracks and street had
been torn up, take the contract at
$1,000, were statements made by James
Kennedy, Fargo contractor, who built
the sewer, before the city commission
at it's regular session this morning.
TT has been announced through the
newspapers" said Mr.. Kennedy, that
the construction of the sewer was
faulty; that the brick and cement
were of poor grade and that the walls
were crumbIng and covered with
scale. While my name was not men
toned as the builder, there isn't a
person who has lived in Fargo since
1909 and 1910, the years in which the
sewer was laid, who does not know
who built 1t.
ssI did not know the exact state OF
AFFAIRS nrftfL my retrtrn from the west
Sunday morning. and decided to make
an investigation OF the. sewer myself
With my local superintendent w. +.
Fortune and G. e. Bowers, of Bowers
Bros, who was my foreman on the
job, made a thorough inspection of
the sewer from the Red river to the
corner of Roberts street. and the only
irregular things found about it were
the connections made since the sewer
was completed, and accepted by the
city after examination by the present
city engineer, f. i. Anders.
Two Faulty Connections.
There isn't a doubt in my mind
that the break, which has been given
all this publicity, was q result OF the
making of a connection over one OF
the supporting tracks, weakening the
roof of the sewer. I found two such
connections between Fourth and
Fifth streets, and another between
Broadway and Roberts street. In
stead fitting out the bricks, the
workmen in each case had driven them
through the wall of the sewer, damag-
ing and weakening the adjacent ma
sonry.
GAS far as the material used in the
sewer and workmanship are con-
cerned, am perfectly willing to have
it examined by any competent engineer
In the country.
sThe public has been deceived in
being lead to believe that it will cost
Sc, 900 to repair the break. If the work
had been gone about in the proper
way, it would not have cost more than
$500. Even now, with the street car
tracks taken up, the pavement taken
up and half of the street dug up, I
would willingly take a contract to re-
pair the break, and do Ii for 1000.
Has Stood the Test.
II am going to tell you gentlemen
right now, that every piece of work
that the James Kennedy Construction
Co. has done for the city of Fargo has
stood the test. The company has in
every instance more than lived up to
its contract.
''My own reputation is at stake, and
/ am going to see that q competent
and thorough investigation of this
matter is made, and the blame placed
where it belongs"
No action was taken on the report
by the commission.