The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-01-19
City Seeks to Regain $685.
900 on MOOted Sewer
Contract.
ACCEPT new BRIDGE
After Lively WrangIe Council
Votes to Accept Main Street
Bridge and Pays Contractor.

the COUNCIL dC us regular HSSI1HS Was
called upon to discuss the suit which
the city has brought against Albert
F. Prange, large contractor of Grand
Rapids, for alleged failure to carry out
contract for the erection of large
trunk sewer on the west side of the
city in 1915, which contract was but
recently completed after a reletting at
an increase over the original contract
for $3.50 The city on December
10Th filed suit for the recovery Of this
amount and on Monday evening Con-
tractor Prange and his attorney, E. A.
Ewing, of Grand Rapids, appeared be-
fore the council in an effort to come to
an agreement outside of the courts.
After lengthy and heated discus
sion, Contractor Prange offered to pay
the city $6,737.45, which he later rails
ed to an even $1,000. The council
agreed to sleep over the offer and to
meet the Prange delegation again to-
day at four o'clock in the afternoon
at an adjourned meeting.
Tells the Whole Story.
The story of the suit is an interest
ing one. In 1915, Albert F. Prange
was awarded the contract for the erec-
ton of the sewer at a bid of $107, 900.
He started the work and he met with
many difficulties, according to his at
torneys, and finally after sinking $751;
900 in the project assigned his con-
tract to J. F. Kennedy, another con-
tractor, who was then employed in
other work in Kenosha. After a while
Kennedy also Jagged in the work
and it was finally decided to relet
the, contract.
Accordingly the new contract was
let to Edward H. Prange, brother of
the original contractor and the FRANCES
returned to Kenosha to finish the work
Again after difficulties, the contract
was assigned, this time to Peter Frand-
sen, who finally completed it last year.
Their second journey to Kenosha cost
the FRANCES $4,000, according to their
attorney, who declared that they
had lost all ready more than 10000
on the contract.
CFers to Split Loss.
Attornev Ewing also reminded the
city that Contractor Prange had been
awarded paving contract in Kenosha
which contract had later been cancelled
involving for him speculative loss of
$4,000. Taking all of these things in
consideration and admitting that his
IL - - IL
courts, he offered to split the loss
with the city and to pay $6,737.45 in
full settlement.
He declared that investigation re-
vealed that because of the soaring
prices of labor and materials brought
by the war, the three contractors in
volved in the erection of this sewer
had lost a total of 100000 and that
the city had profted thereby.
After a long discussion, Mayor
Joachim opened the way for further
negotiations. "Can't you raise that
ante a little?" the mayor suggested
you're playing pretty tight hand
$4,000 is almost too low figure
to talk about"
Raised 1t to $1,000.
"I'm not very good in raising antes
with another mans money" said the
attorney. 81 am willing to make it
an even ST 600"
Keep on talking, Mr.. Ewing; that's
music in our ears" said the. mayor.
1t was then agreed to give both par
ties little time to think over the
settlement and an adjourned meeting
was arranged for to bes held at four
o'clock this afternoon.
The discussion had its effect on the
council as shown by the fact that they
hesitated to let the Allendale subdi-
vision sewer to the lowest contrac-
tor until full report has been re-
ceived on the financial condition of
this new contractor.
Accept Main Street Bridge.
The next display of oratorical fire.
works came when the final report of
the engineers on the new Main street
bridge were presented together with
the final bill of some $4,000, including
all extras, for payment
Alderman Wachs and Thommesse6
wanted to wait until "the frost had
tested the bridge" and a lively debate
with the engineers followed. It was
explained that the bill for extras came
largely for the placing Of the south
butment of the bridge several feet
deeper than the contract stipulated in
order to get it on more solid foun-
dation. The work had been ordered
by the street assessment committee,
Mayor Praises Bridge.
When the council hesitated Mayor
Joachim called to mind that a tour of
inspection had been called on last
Friday for the council. 81 went on
that tour" said the mayor, "and l
want to tell you that what saw amaz-
ed me. The only thing I see lacking is
that there should be an elevator there
so that the people of Kenosha could
go down into the bridge and see what
a real piece of work it is"
The total cost of the bridge is
$471, 900, including extras. 1t was
finally voted by 10 to 8, Aldermen
Wachs, Thommessen and Donahue dis
senting, to accept the bridge and make
final payment as soon as the contrac-
tors had filed bond to safeguard the
ip3arac4c IF tho cifxy