Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1907 — COUNCIL REJECTS ENGINEER’S REPORT [ARTICLE]

COUNCIL REJECTS ENGINEER’S REPORT

Bit it • Meeting Wednesday Offers Means of Settlement That Will Probably Be Accepted. The city councjl Monday sight by a unanimous vote rejected the report of City Engineer Gamble,v which stated that Division and Main streets had been improved according to specifications. The contractors admitted that the work did not comply with the specifications and stated that the change in the method of construe tion was made at the instance of the engineer after it was discovered that compliance with the specifications would leave a 3 inch gutter 12 feet wide in the center of the street, and that the change was made to make the street symmet rical and with no intention to deI fraud the property owners, and that they placed the yardage on lon the street that the specifications called tor but put it 9n in a differlent way. I The contractors now offer [propositions and suggest their position if these plans are refused. [They will allow a rebate to the prop lerty owners effected, the amount Ito be decided upon by disinterested [parties, and leave the street as it ■now is, or they will spike up the street and conform literally to the specifications, which will put the stone on in such fashion as to leave Ihe 3 itch drop, 12 feet wide in the street center. Of course, there is some doubt about their construe lion of the township roadway on fthat street, and a possibility that Ihe commissioners may decide, as Ihe remons*rators contend, that ■here should be 3 inches more stone Bn the center of the street, in which Base the center of the street would Bventnaily be brought' up to the Height of the city contract on either Bide. The contractors also suggest ■hat they will carry the case to the Hjfirts if one of these propositions Ib not accepted.

9 At the special meeting of the 9ity connoil Wednesday night a Lotion by councilman C. G. Spitler Las adopted that it is thought will Result in the amicable adjustment If the differences heretofore existing letween the Main andDi vision street Iroperty owners and contractors for li« improvment. The motion was Bpported by all members of the Bmncil but Williams, and sets forth ■plan of superstrnction, that will reBuire the contractors to place about Bree inches more binder stone flovered with screening to taper to Bard the center from a point 7 Bet from either curb, and binds the Bmncil to accept the completed Bork as according to contract Bhen completed. B Property owners will assent to Be plan and the contractors, it is Skid, will proceed on this basis. Bbout_4oo more yards of rock flill|be required to complete it, and ■ncius Strong will be superintendlit at a salary of $3 a day. ■ The council also took favorable Btion on a petition from Wm. Baniels and others to extend elec He lights to the northeast section Bthe city. ■ Special discounts on that elegant Be of cloaks at the G. E. Murray