The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-07
TURBINE BID
OF $143,708
Is ACCEPTED
Board of Works Ends Months
of Heated Debate by Ac-
cepting Bid Of Westinghouse
Company. -.
LYONS TO SUPERVISE

Months of investigation and heated
debate ended Tuesday morning when
the board of works, in special session.
accepted the bid of $143,70S of the
Westinghouse Electrical company for
5000 k. m. turbine to be installed in
the Municipal Light, Heat and Power
company plant.
The Westinghouse bid was on
5000 k m. steam turbine, accessories
and electrical apparatus; surface con-
densor including double pumps
throughout; and a switchboard with
complete generator panel and neces
sary apparatus for controlling a new
IS X. W. EXETER.
The contract price calls for delivery
and erection in the city plant on foun-
dations built by the city or other con-
tractor. Delivery will be made in from
six to eight months. The action of
the board Of works in allowing the
bid for the turbine and condenser sep-
arate from the foundation work, is in
accord with the recommendation of
the city council made at it's meeting
Monday night.
Lyons Makes Estimate.
The foundation, piping and wiring
will cost between s25. 900 and $50 con,
according to j. D. Lyon, consulting
engineer of the city, who advised the
board of works on the various bids
submitted.
An appropriation of s175,0Oo has
been made by the council to take care
of the purchase of the unit and the
construction will come within this
amount.
The Sheldon Engineering company
and the General Electric company
We're the only ones to bid on the en-
tire installation of the plant, founda-
tions, wiring, turbine and condenser.
The Westinghouse bid was s13 692 less
than the Sheldon bid on the same
equipment. The Allis- Chalmers bid
was also higher by $S,407 on the same
equipment.
Detailed Investigation.
A detailed investigation of the local
plant and the various bids submitted
has been made by Mr.. Lyons and his
assistants.
According to Mr.. Keller city at
torney, one of the things that has
great bearing on the final awarding of
sibility. When a bid is let to one firm
for a condenser and another for tIr-
bine, if the two do not work we'll to-
gether, the turbine people blame the
condenser and the condenser the tur-
bine, Mr.. Keller declared
Ten per cent of the contract price
for the new electrical apparatus will
be held up by the city until the COM
pany has complied with all the terms
of the agreement.
Advertise First of Year.
Bids for the erection of the founda-
ton will not be advertised until after
the first of the year. The specifica-
tions for piping, wiring and foundation
will be drawn up by Mr.. Lyons and his
assistant Mr. Coughlin.
Installation of all the new machin-
cry for the plant will be under the
supervision of Mr.. Lyons and his as
sistants.
The board of works, mayor, city at
torney, superintendent of the city
light plant, and consulting engineer
met in the board of works room at
IS a. M, Tuesday morning in secret
session to consider the bids. All bids
were gone over in detail and the
various advantages of each were
pointed out After considerable de-
bate the representatives from the
firms were called in and the announce
ment made that the Westinghouse
people had been granted the job.
Ends Long Debate.
The Westinghouse bid calls for
5000 k. ". turbine, accessories and
electrical apparatus for $4,000.
surface condenser, including double
pumps throughout. $46,124 Switch
and necessary apparatus for CONTROL
ing new Is k. w. EXETER, $2,5S4. Total
s143,70S
The action Of the city board of
works ends a debate which has been
carried on by officials of the city for
the past five months with consider
able heat. Debates over appropria-
tions occupied the greater part Of the
ummer sessions. After the making
of the $175,090 appropriation bids
were advertised for and opened Tues
day. Mondays session of the works
board, in which the city council.
citizens participated. was the scene Of
considerable confusion when charges
of coliusion were advanced by repre-
sentatives, of one of the companies
bidding on the proposed work.
This was finally ended by the man
making the charges leaving the city.
it is said, and the city council urged
the board of works TO accept one of
the bids il they met the estimates and
specifications