The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-25
FELON SIGNATURE
IS SUBJECTED TO
WASHINGTON STUDY
Pa|en's Opinion Is That Official
Does Not Have Right to
Sign Contracts
PROJECTS MAY Be HELD UP
Federal Engineers Concur Low
Bidders Entitled to Handle
Projects

Officials at Washington will rule
on the right Of Frank voeel to sigr
contracts for federal highway work
IN North Dakota.
This was made clear Monday after
"A. E. Palen, st. Paul, engineer In
charge Of the federal bureau Of pub
lie works in the northwest, had re-
turned home following q conference
with Vogel here In which the latter
was told Palen did not believe he had
authority to sign contracts.
The challenge to vogel was based
bn his recent conviction on q charge
Of conspiracy against the government.
along with William LANCER and three
other defendants. Palen took the
stand that Vogel is ineligible to hold
public office as q result Of his con-
Niction on Z felony charge.
Despite Palen's stand, however,
Nogel went ahead and awarded con-
tracts to Is bidders on highway jobs
and the government men indicated
they would make no effort to hold
up the work, since the government
desires to give employment to as
many men IS possible as quickly as
possible.
Federal Bureau % Review
What will happen, 1t was indicated,
Is that as soon as the first document
on the new lettings is received by
Palen at st. Paul, he viii forward It
- - 81 Va,ik1 $nk ~
the situation In North Dakota. There
It viii be reviewed by the federal bu-
reau of public roads and possibly by
the Federal Public Roads Board, Of
which Interior Secretary Harold Ickes
IS chairman.
In the event either Of those bodies
hold that Vogel is not qualified to act
rs an agent for the government in
signing the contracts, the money for
the projects may be held up.
Neither Palen nor II. ]. Taylor,
North Dakota engineer for the bureau
pf public roads, took this drastic step
Saturday because the only question
raised was that Of Vogel's eligibility
and they felt this could be repaired
later by having his successor in office,
Expected by them to be named with
In q week, sign the contracts over
again. It will be week or more be-
tore contractors awarded work can
get their bonds and get on the jobs
and they expect the situation to be
cleared up by then by vogel's re-
moval.
Because all Of the money being
spent on road construction Is furnish
I'd by the government, vogel acts Is
, government agent in signing the
contracts and the government re-
berves the right to hold up any ac-
lion, either through the district engi-
beer here, the regional engineer at
BIT. Paul or the bureau Of public roads
b Washington.
Palen concurred In the idea that
contractors awarded work were en-
Titled to the jobs on the basis Of their
bids and that the prices were satis-
factory. For this reason, there was
40 disposition on the part Of the fed
sral men to penalize the contractors.
The Is contracts awarded by Vogel
tall for the expenditure Of 4568, 4oO.47.
The successful bidders and contracts
awarded were:
Grading
Emmons couhty-o.32o miles, Brad
Jock south and Kintyre south, Dowd
Brothers, Clark, 8. D., $22,25223;
structural, Joe Simons, Mandan, s.
$3.50.
Emmons- west Of strasburg,
powd Brothers, $l7,767.65.
Eddy-15.322, on s. r. Is. New Rock
ford east, Win Conan, Goodrich,
t4l, 702.32; structural, Jordan and
Eyolfson, Hensel, $2,65So0.
Towner-Ramsey-7.4l1, Maxa east,
Win Conan. $20,17277.
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