The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-07-26
TAXPAYERS oRoANEo AS PIPES
GOT IN HIS WORK.

49, ~ wv WYNN
Here ara some facts OF recent his
tory that should not be los; sight Of
when the scandal OF the bond issue
In mentioned: LIP April. 1917. the
county commissioners undertook to
sell bonds TO the amount OF $4,000
for the construction OF two Lemhi
county highways according to the
plans and specifications OF the state
highway engineer" There were two
qualified bidders on that occasion.
one OF them offering 10 take the
bonds for per cent interest and pay
''s3.050 premium. with accrued inter,
est" The other bidder made the
same offer as To the par value and
interest rate and agreed to pay
81 5000 premium. including accru.
ed interest" This bidder was also to
pay not In cash but in certificates Of
deposit.
The first bid came from 4 banking
house al Spokane through the Cit
xens national bank OF Salmon and
the other from Keeler Bros. of Den.
yer through the Pioneer bank OF Sal.
Won
There was no question In the hon.
eat mind OF anybody as to the differ
ence between the two bids. the first
being far and away the better bid OF
the two. The one was To pay prem
ium of $1,000 besides interest accru.
ed 10 the time of the actual sale and
the other only s1.660.60. without
cent OF interest accrued at the same
time.
A. w. Pipes, the head OF the Pio-
neer bank. was present To urge that
his bid was the better Of the two and
only yielded that II was not better
when the joker about the interest ac
crued was pointed out. 10 his shame
and confusion. Then he said II was
alp OF the pen in the wording and
not intended 90 defraud or fool any
body
but the commissioners. with their
chairman a. master OF tho situation.
hcmmed and hawcd and sail that II
was the better Of the two. But there
was hesitation In making the award
to Pipes, until finally they determin.
ed to reject all the bids and adYer-
tise the sale again, Accordingly that
WA what was ordered
The second sale came off on May
Is of hast year. when Pipes had the
field 10 himacif so far "a any other
valid bid was offered. IL was the
manifest Intention ut the thine OF the
fsrst Offer. of the bonds that he should
have II all 10 himself. On May Is he
proposed To take the bonds TO bear
6is per cent interest with no prem.
ium at all. There was silence In the
board room when they made the
award and thus voted away $4,000
~ the difference between s per cent
bonds and bis per cent bonds. be-
sides the premium of ss.o5o. amount
ing altogether to more than $4,000.
q dead loss to all of Us. reckoning
interest.
II was n solemn occasion for every
taxpayer In the county except Mr..
ripes. who was. however. glcetui
that day.
A little while after this occurrence
another competitive bidding contest
was invited for the construction OF
the so-cailed Lemht valley highway. !
when one bid only was received
The general public already saw the
drift OF things In the commissioners
Office In respect to this sort Of
thing. The general public would not
sit In the zane the commissioners
were playing. The general public
staid out. The bid received was too
high 10 be- entertained. the commits.
sioners said. SO they proceeded 10