Show I OF fiR RAFT AFT AFTIN IN CITY COUNCIL Councilman Fernstrom De Declares Declares clares Attempt Was Made to Bribe Him HimAN AN SOON ORDERED Mayor Bransford rans or Accused o of Col Collusion Collusion o lusion With at Contractor in in Chang Changing Changing an ing g Contract After It Was Passed by y Council ounce CHARGES C BARGES HARGES of graft stealing and attempted bribery in connection with the tire contract of the Campbell Building company for the construction of the wooden stave sewer outlet were made on the floor of the city council last night by Councilman F P S Fernstrom The specific charges which are to be investigated by a special committee o the council are three in number Councilman Inan Fernstrom charges first that Mayor J J S Bransford Branford in col collusion collusion collusion lusion with Archibald Campbell president of the Campbell Building company changed a contract after it had been een authorized by y the city council The second charge harge is that the bill ill of the Campbell Camp company as as authorized by y the board of public works calls for payment of work done between April 6 and April 20 of last year and that no work was done on these days The third charge is that Councilman F S Fernstrom was approached with an offer of a bribe in connection with the Campbell contract I These are the specific charges made mada and reiterated by Councilman Fern Ferl Fernstrom Fernstrom strom which will be investigated by bythe bythe bythe the special specIa committee to be ap d this week by W Mont Ilont Ferry president of the council following a resolution passed by b the council last night nightA A Graft and a Steal In addition to the specific charges Councilman Fernstrom said the Camu bell beU contract had been nothing but a graft and a steal from start to and the board of works had been ui u uder der the domination of Mr Campbell Campbel all of the time Mr Ir Fernstrom In re reply reply reply ply to a question said he bad had not re received received received any an of the graft but he could have received It The session of the tile council was Teas a special special special cial meeting called for the purpose of considering the final bill of ot the Camp Campbell Campbell Campbell bell company which called for approximately approxImately approximately 1100 for extra work and tin tine e allowance in addition to the appropriated by the city council as the thelast thelast thelast last and final estimate last December The story of the now famous 1407 pipe which required worth of o repairs before it could coul be used WaS tens threshed out In all Its details and Frank Christensen clerk of the board of pub public public lic works presented an analysis of the tLe work from start to finish Accidentally it developed that tt thA ta board of public works has not enforced a single contract calling for foreit ure for delay In completing work against any contractor In the last four years ears In this instance the board of works was In favor of allowing the e Campbell company to escape with no penalty when according to the cor tract the company should have paid f fr for r days at 10 a day The city council coun council council cil however was In favor of charging for only 79 days and settlement nt on this t ls basis basl deducting only from the bill bIH was vas about to be made by the council when the Fernstrom charges were made This stopped all aU proceedings s sand and the members of the council re refused refused refused fused to take any action on the matter until the charges charSes of graft stealing attempted bribery and collusion had been heen cleared Council Counell Orders Order Probe The motion for the appointment of an investigating committee was made by M I E Mulvey and he was backed by b J W McKinney and on a vote by b the Ule whole council Several opportunities opportunities t were given ghen Mr Fernstrom to withdraw his charges charles and care ws 9 taken to get the charges in definite j to e form before the resolution solution r for was passed H II G McMillan chairman of the tho board of public works was questioned regarding the contract and ami he said the Campbell company had done tie the nework work absolutely according to specifications specifications In every particular This placed pla ed edthe the blame for the failure of the wooden stave pipe on the city engineer and the statements of the councilmen were to the effect that their Investigation had proved that the specifications sp were at fault rather than the work of ot the contractor The charge of collusion on the part of ot Mayor Bransford was made by Mr Ur Fernstrom In connection with the sup supplementary supplementary supplementary contract entered into by the city and the Campbell company Mr Ir Fernstrom said that at the request of the company the council had made this Continued on OB Page Ten TeD p CHARGES OF GRAF IN CIT CITY COUNCil Continued From Page Pace One On contract to the effect that the pumps be started stated in order to test the sewer He said that the council counci specifically Insisted that the 10 0 a day forfeiture clause claue should be effective during this test test and the contract was so approved by bj the council counci He H said that after it left lef the council counci Mr r Campbell went to the mayor and induced him to Insert a clause saying that the forfeiture should not apply during the test test Mr 11 Fernstrom said he then went to the city cl attorney and asked If he sneaked that clause cause Into the contract Further details were cut short by the suggestion suggestion tion ton that all al such testimony would be heard before the committee Not Named Mr Ir Campbell president of the build building building ing company com pan who was wa present at the session session suggested that Mr I Fernstrom tell tel the council who had offered him the bribe but this brought no information information mation maton W Mont Mont Perry Ferry Ferr president of the council counci said that he lie would appoint the members of the committee before Mon Monday ton day and the members of the council would be informed of his action by the city recorder |