The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-22
Nearly Five Hours is Spent
Deliberating Over Propos-
ais From Three Different
Men.
ELEVEN MILE CREEK
BIDS NOT OPENED
Plans Are Made TO Meet
Santa Rosa Commission
ers Next Thursday at Fer
ry Pass Bridge Site.

The board of county commissioners.
in another long winded session yes
terday, brought the matter of en-
ploying an all time civil engineer for
the county to an end by signing con-
tract with Winston E. Wheat They
set a date for meeting the Santa Rosa
county commissioners at Ferry Pass
to make preliminary arrangements
together for the site of the new
bridge. the time being next THURSDAY.
The matter of an all-time health
officer for the county was not men
toned, having apparently gone into
what Grover Cleveland called "a state
of innocuous desuetude' in the hands
of the committee of which Commits
sioner Soderlind was designated chair
man.
Bids for the bridge over Eleven Mile
creek were to have been opened. but
on the statement of three bidders who
were present to the effect that their
bids would be found to be far in ex-
cess of the funds available for the
bridge. and that the bridge could not
I be built for the amount of the appro-
priations under the present specifica
tions. the board decided to return the
bids unopened to their makers and to
take the project under further advise
ment.
1t was apparently the thought Of
the bidders that the board would be
prevailed upon to make an additional
appropriation for the bridge, but the
commissioners seemed to be Of the
opinion that $1,000 was enough for
durable bridge. and that is contrac-
tors would not build it for that amount
~ text
dertake the construction.
Most of the five hours session was
devoted to the selection of the county
engineer. Three bids for the position
were read, one from A. r. Towse, one
from the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge
company, of Chicago, and one from
Winston z. Wheat The bid of Mr..
Towse involved an expense to rne
county Of approximately $1,000 more
than Mr.. Wheat's proposition GATED
for, while the Chicago bid was still
another thousand hit-Ier. There seem
ed to be little question in the minds
of the commissioners as to the guam
fications of all the bidders, and the
discussion indicated that every inter-
est of the county was safeguarded in
any event.
Commissioner Soderlind dissented
of the other commissioners, and in
sisted on being placed on record in
the minutes as regarding Mr.. Wheat
not fully qualified, the contract with
him incomplete in various details ana
the bond of $4,000 insufficient to pro-
tect the county. The contract, how
ever, was drawn by County Attorney
r. p. Reese, and the board acted on
advice Of the attorney throughout and
expressed themselves as fully satisfied
of the safety and wisdom OF their
action.
Wheat an Original Applicant.
Engineer Wheat and A. r. Towse
were the original applicants for the
place and made identical bids of $500
a month, and Mr.. Towse was chosen
on the ground of his longer expert
ence. 1t developed later that Mr..
Towse would not take the place unless
his engineering tools would be pur-
chased by the counsy and his trans
portation paid, as well as other sun
dries not mentioned at the time of the
original bid, but which Mr.. Towse and
Commissioner Soderlind contended
were understood all the time; while
Mr.. Wheat and the other commission
ers contended that the understanding
from the start had been that the sal
airy OF $500 was sufficient without ex-
tras.
Mr.. Wheat was asked yesterday how
he could afford to do the work so
much more reasonably than others,
and II he was sure where he would
come out on his bid; in reply he
exhibited scale OF compensation for
engineers endorsed by the state board,
indicating that 5000, without the ex-
tras, is a reasonable compensation for
the character OF work to be done. Mr..
Wheat further stated that practicaesx
all Of his seven years experience has
been in the federal service. for the