Collins Has The Sewer Contracts

The meeting of the couucil Wadnesday only lasted an hour, but a lot of business was done, sorne of which may last long in the memories of the people, long after the latral sewers are finished. A determined aunnal onslaught was made on the trees but it was warded off. Every member of thf board of public works was present and tlie active members of f the board, Messrs. Bullis and Clark, counseled and directed the aldermen in their lateral sewer legislation. This was needed, as mauy did not seem ko know what they were voting apon, as the extras were somewhat in ü upbnlnns condition They voted on faith. President Hisoock's button hole, as ! also City Attorney Kline's, was adom ed with a handsome rose. When the word water was mentioned the rnembers : of the street comniittee looked at each other signiflcantly, probably 'thinking of the little water they enjoyed on their recent junket. Every member ! was in his seat and it seemed as if ! every one was anned with a resolntion, ameadment or substituto. Petitions for the grading of Packard street to the city limits, a sidewalk on Catherine street from Thirteenth to Observatory street, and that Tony Schippacasse be allowed to viólate the flre limits ordinance, were read and referred to the respective committees. Aid. Oady, chairman of the sewer conirnittue, reported that the bid of Henry Collins or the building of the lateral sewers in the Hill and Huron street districts be aecepted, there being no valid reason why he should not be awarded the contract if he furnished a good bond. A motion on this report was not put for a time, the aldermen consulting with Mi-. Collins and the active members of the board of public works. Aid. Prettyman moved that the board of public works be authorized to conclude a contract for the sewers with Mr. Collins. President Clark of the board of public works was allowed to niake soine explauations. The idea of the board was when asking for bids to ask, prices for digging and back fllling, and for f urnishing and laying pipe. Mr. Collins when he made his bid was uuder a misappreheusion, he thought all was mcluded. Mr. Collins said that he had understood when reading the speciflcations that the bids aaked for extrae would include digging and back filling, and that he had bid au average price per foot. Aid. Snyder said he did not understand the matter. Aid. Prettyman said the question could be answered more fully. The engineer had said last year that there would not be niauy extras. He was assured by the engineer and board of public works there would lie few extras and they ent little iigure. The only sure way was to get bids on the ultras. Mr. Collius said the proposed chauge did not increase or decrease the price of the work. The board reserved the right of having the digging done and the question was what was the cost of laying the pipe. Aid. Maynard said he did not nnderstand the qusetiou and he supposed he would not. He understood that the men had bid on laying the pipe and diggiug the ditch. Mr. Bullis, of the board of public now took a hand at the kuotty question. He said Mr. Collins had included the digging and back filling in his bid. Others had simply bid on laying the pipe. Some of the parties had asked the information about the ditch from the engineer. It would make no difference except if they wanted to lay more pipe, then Mr. Collins would receive so much more and if less it would be deducted from Mr. Collins pro rata. Mr. Collins misunderstood the speeifications. The chauge was perfectly fair and legitímate in every way. City Attorney Kline proposed that Mr. Collins change his bid in writing. Aid. Allmendiuger asked if the filling and digging did not go with the other work. They would not lay the pipe on top of the grourd. Aid. Butterfield then gave a whack at the question. The board aclvertised for bids for the lateral sewers in the twtf districts. In addition they asked for bids for digging and laying pipe per lineal foot. This was done so that if desired the digging could be let to one man and the laying of the pipe to another. Mr. Collins now proposed to correct thisitetn. It was n; t important uuless there were extras. President Clark said this correction referred entirely to the laying of the pipe. Mr. Collins bid was for a lunip sum for the entire job. If a less uumber of feet were laid that uot l-.iid would be charged back to Mm at this price. Aid. Snyder said he understood that Mr. Collins would give Ann Arbor laborers preference at going wages. This was assented to by Mr. Collius. Aid. Prettyman changed his resolution to read that the contract be eutered into with Mr. Collins by the board of public works on his corrected bid. This passed unanimously. The corrected bid for laying pipe was to be as follows: 15 inch pipe, 35 cents a foot; 12 inch, 22 cents; 10 inch, 17 cents; 8 inch, 12 cents; 6 inch, 9 cents; 4 inch, 7 cents. Aid. Brown, of the finance cornmitee, reported back without recommendation the claim of Jacob Polhemus for the killiug of a horse by slipping on a crossing. The report was accepted. Aid. Taylor, of the street committee, made a verbal report that the committee had had a pleasant trip and were glad to get home again. When a report from the water committee was called for there was an audible smile in the council chamber. On motion of Aid. Maynard, of the pólice committee, the use of the city look up was abandoued and in future the county jail will be used. Aid. Taylor talked ou the present status of the closing of State street over the Michigan Central railroad tracks. This he changed to a motion that the resolntion directing the board of public works to replank the bridge on Boakes and Bro ulway over the track be teled r i Fon ili !' Collins Has the Sewer Contracts. Continued from First Page. considered. This passed and it was laid on the tab Ie. Aid. Brown moved that the board of public works notify all persons before whose property dead trees stand to remove the same. Aid. Prettyman thougnt the city better remove the trees. It was a dangerons thing to do as some people would use it as a pretext to cut down trees they wished to remove. The general mpression in the city was that the trees before a mans' house belonged to him md it was a great mistake. City Attorney Kline called attention to litigation in Jackson caused by the city cutting down trees. Aid. Snyder asked if the board of rablie works had the right to remove rees standing in the sidewalks. Mr. Bullis, of the board, said the joard had power to remove trees staudng in the sidewalk, but it was rather i delicate question. Aid. Coon thought there should be a ;ree committee appointed to notify the )oard of public works. Aid. Maynard thought the board of public works was now a tree committee. A!d. Allmendinger moved to amend hat all trees standing in the sidewalk iving or dead be removed. Th'e mendment was supported by Aid. nvder. Aid. Brown thought it was safe to say some trees shoulrl be removed from the sidewalk but some trees like the oak tree before Judge Kinne's place should be left. Such frees could not be grown in a 1,000 years. He was opposed to the amendruent. Aid. Prettyman said he was sorry the matter carne up. He defended the ;rees ou Washtenaw avenue. The walks ïad been built around them and their ormer enemies now defended them. If che trees were taken out of Ann Arbor half the population wonld be eady to move out. Every mannor, of means should be taken to save vhe trees. Aid. Aüinendinger said thitt iu all ther l.öOO miles of travel not a man of ihe eomrmttee liad see a ties in the sidewalk. They were all in beauttful rows. Aid. Prettyinan said that all the members of the oommittee had beeu so extremely sober that they could walk arcuud the trees. The vote being taken there were only two aves, Ala. Allmendinger and Snyrier, the latter ohariging his vote to no, beforp the question was decided. Aid. Prettyman moved to amend so that ihe trees should be removed by the board of public works notiiying the owners. Aid. Butterfield asked that the resoJution be read again President Hiscock said it had been. read several times to which Aid. Butterfield replied that he thought the resolution had not been read intelligently. Aid. Maynard thought ten days notice should be given property owners. Aid. Brown said that his resolution had been changed so much that he did not recognize it. Aid. Butterfield then offeied a substitute that the board of public works notify property owners to remove dead trees within twenty days and that in default thereof to report the same to the council. This was carried unanimously. Aid. Snyder moved that the large oak tree in the center of the sidewalk on the east side of Gott street near Miller avenue be removed. Aid. Taylor thonght that a tree of such size should not be cut down without investigation and the resolution was referred to the sidewalk committee. ffi On niotion of Aid. Koch supported by Aid. AJlmendinger the city attorney was directed to report the rights the Anu Arbor aud Locli plank road compauy bas within the city limits. Aid. Koch claimed that the oompaay were not kceping the road in repair iu the city limits and still were charging the citizt-iis for toll.