The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-07
SEWER MATTER IS
AGAIN DISCUSSED
Eleventh Street Project
Will BE Readvertised
for Bids
NEW COST ESTIMATE
Griggs and Newblock Fail to
Convince Each Other as
to Lowest Bid

Tho much advertised Eleventh
street sewor project was again be-
fore the mayor and city commits
sioncrs Tuesday morning. and was
the subject Of half hour Of inten-
sivo discussion. However most OF
the discussion pertalucd To- the pub
liclty that has bcen given this prof.
ect. II was brought before the COM
mission In tho form OF % new csti-
mate by the city engineer, and tho
city auditor was instructed tD re-
advortiee for bids
Both bids on tho project were re-
jcctod recently when the discussion
oamo up IA to whether Tihbotts
Pleasant or Il O.. tikc 4 co. was
tho lowest and best bidder. Includ-
ed with thc Eleventh stroet sewer
as II was presented by the city en-
ginoer yesterday wero several small
or storm sewers IN adjacent terri
tory, which enlarge the district.
City Engineer Grigrs declared
emphatically that Tibbetts n Pleas
ant was low bidder when the first
bids were opened on this project, and
advised that the figures OF E. @.
Fiko as quoted In "A letter in the
Tribune show Tiphotts q Pheasant
low by approximately $500.
"If Mr.. Fikc viii take tho trou-
BILE to compile the bids under his
own figures, Griggs said, 'he will
find this to be true" Those wise
birds down at the Tribune have
made a silly mess OF this whole af-
fair and II any properly owner In
sufficiently interested to come to
my office / will show him exactly
why Tlbbetta Il Pleasant was low.
''Tibbctts & Pleasant bid ti.A0 on
shale excavation and $3.50 on rock.
Fike bid f2.50 on shale and 10
cents on rock. investigation showed
there was no rock. SO we olaascd
rock as shale. making 1T all sha le
This made Tibbetts Il Pleasant
3l.l0 lower on shale excavation.
This difference. together with other
Items on which Tibbetts n Pleas
ant was tho low bidder, made a to-
tai difference in bids OF approNl-
mately $500. The commission was
justified in considering Tibbetts a
Pleasant the low bidder"
Whether the city should continue
the present plan OF asking bids on
specific Items, or II II should accept
bids for lump sum for the entire
project was also discussed but no
action was taken. The lump sum
plan Ia used In many cities. Griggs
advised.
Finance Commissioner II. T. New
block contended that Fike was low
bidder, and after spirited debate
with the engineer remained uncon-
vinced that his opinion was not
Justified. Newblock was the only
commissioner that opposed the re-
lection OF bids two weeks ago apd
thc decision to rcadvortlse the prof.
Get. In answer to question hy
Mayor T. ID. Evans yesterday. New
block stated he did not believe the
commissions recent action was
taken because OF any Interior mo-
tive. hut hec..sa the present pian
or bidding by item is 40 complicated
that tho bids are not clearly UNDER
stood. However, he did not aug,
gest an effective remedy for the
plan now used.
~ was revealed during the dis
cusSion that contract was recent
~ taken away from Tibbetts a
Pleasant when there was no doubt
that company was low bidder. This
fact was substantla.ed by Carl
Pleasant, active head OF the firm
OF contractors. According to Mayor
Evans and the city engineer. The
contract was awarded TO another
and slightly higher bidder be-
cause II was not believed hy city
officials that Tibbetts n Pleasant
with the enormous amount of work
already on hand. could execute the
contract as quickly as the other con-
tractor, and "a quickly as intersatod
property owners demanded