The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-26
May CALL OFF
WORK ON ALL
PAVING JOBS
City Commissioners Are
Dissatisfied With Pres
ent Progress
PLAN TO CANCEL
SOUTH SIDE JOB
Ask City Attorney to Ad-
wise Them of Method
Of Procedure

An order to discontinue work on
all paving contracts may be the re-
suit of a discussion of the what,
when and how OF the present paving
situation which occupied practically
all of the time at the regular meet
ing Of the city commission this
morning with but one conclusion be-
ing reached.
Commissioner r. B. Blakemore
introduced a motion, which was sec
Onded and unanimously prevailed on
call Of the roll, to instruct the city
attorney to advise the commission
how to cancel the big paving con-
tract in the Third and Fourth wards
on the south side, held by James
Kennedy, on which, it was said, lit
tie or no work had been done.
Members on the commission ex-
pressed themselves as being highly
dissatisfied with the progress of
paving work at this time, and declar-
ed that in the best interests of the
city and the taxpayers it would be
inadvisable to allow work on any
other paving contracts than those on
which work was being done, and that
it was highly improbable that any
of the contracts could be finished
this fall.
City Engineer F.. L. Anders
declared that he would not accept
paving which had been laid after
frost had come, even if the commits
sion decided to allow work to con-
tinue, which is not likely.
Several of the members of the
commission expressed themselves as
being in favor of calling a halt on
all work which cannot be finished
within a short time, and to order the
contractors to put the streets in
passable condition for winter.
The course Of action to be follow
ed will be determined at an adjourn
ed meeting this afternoon.
Hancock Makes Protest.
George Hancock, of Hancock Bros,
architects, appeared before the COM
mission to protest against allowing
continuation of paving work on the
north side, and particularly against
the excavation work being done on
Seventh street north by James Ken
nedy.
There isn't a chance, said Mr..
Hancock, that the work on Seventh
street north can be completed this
fall, if it is to be done the way 1t
should be done.
The laying of concrete, four to six
inches thick, on newly disturbed dirt
is absolutely absurd. Exposed as 1t
would be, it would be ruined by the
first frost.
Il come to protest against this
work in the interests of the innocent
taxpayers who would be called upon
to foot the blu. J
Mr. Hancock alsa asked that some
thing be done to relieve the condi-
ton of the street in front Of his home
at 71S Broadway. Here, Mr.. Han
cock said, the base has crumbled,
allowing the concrete blocks to set
tie. forming pot holes for the water.
That is an example of allowing
concrete to be laid in freezing wea-
Their" said Mr.. Hancock. Il remem-
Der that when that paving was laid,
Mr.. Kennedy, the contractor, put
straw and manure over it at night,
but you see how much good it did'is
The matter was placed in the
hands Of o. NJ. Strate, commissioners
Of streets.
Open Paving Bid.
The bid of the S. Birch & Sons
Construction Co. to pave one block
between Tenth and Eleventh streets
on Third avenue north, which was
not included in the big west end
contract, was opened by the commits
sion, and turned over to the city
engineer to check. The estimated
cost of the work is $1,000.
The commission probably will not
let the contract for completion this
fall.
Other business included allowing
an estimate of $19.02 in favor of the
Red Wind Filter Sand Co, represent
ing per cent deducted from a
previous estimate in favor of the
company, but not due the city.