BUFFALO t ^ Trunk Sewer. SPECI FICATIONS FOR FURNISHING SEWER BRICK, AMERICAN HYDRAULIC CEMENT, PORTLAND CEMENT AND IRON castings. ISSUED FOR THE GUIDANCE OF BIDDERS,’AND AS A BASIS OF CON'l'RACT, THE BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS. Buffalo, N. Y., January 24, 1883. BUFFALO: THE COURIER COMPANY, PRINTERS, IQ7 Main Street. 1883. t \ H uttci The foUowing specifications, etc., are issued as the official an¬ nouncement of the Board of Sewer Commissioners of the City of Buffalo of the terms and conditions on which material for the Trunk Sewer will be contracted for. For the Board of Sewer Commissioners, D. C. BEARD, President. Buffalo, N. Y., January 24, 1883. BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. General cofiditions attaching to all specifications for the supply of mate- rial for^ and for the execution of work upon^ the construction of the Trunk Sewer and its appurtenances., or any part thereof. 1. Wherever the words “the Engineer” appear in the specifica¬ tions, they shall be taken to mean, in all cases, the Consulting Engi¬ neer of the work, or any subordinate engineer in charge of the part of the work or supply referred to. In case of dispute or doubt be¬ tween the contractor and the subordinate engineer, reference may be made by either party to the Consulting Engineer, whose decision shall be, in all cases, final. 2. Wherever the words “ as indicated ” appear in the specifica¬ tions, they shall be taken to mean, in the manner described in the ^ specifications, or shown in the drawings; or in accordance with the general tenor or intent of either or both of them, or with proper and reasonable deductions therefrom; or according to the decision thereon of “the Engineer,” as explained in the foregoing paragraph (i). I \ ' 7 ^./^ ■• 7 '''’ -\ *, . I 1 f.? - 41, f ^ J - ^ . .7 r - iff - ■ - ■'• '. '• • -‘ ‘^.>7 . '■® r-"7 - .. : \xU ^ « * i - ’ *■ • J tCr - • • * •' '• . < «jfi. ■p ^ - 5 BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. To Bidders. Conditions of proposals for furnishing not more than : 20,000,000 Sewer Brick. 50,000 barrels of American Hydraulic Cement. 10,000 barrels of Portland Cement. 100,000 pounds of Iron Castings. Estimates for furnishing this material will be received by the Board of Sewer Commissioners of the City of Buffalo, at the rooms of the Park Commissioners in the City Hall, Buffalo, N. Y., until 12 o’clock, M., on Wednesday, the fourteenth day of February, 1883, at which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read. The award of contract, if awarded, will be made as soon as practi¬ cable after the opening of the bids. Any person making an estimate for the supply shall furnish the same in a sealed envelope to said Board, at said office, on or before the day and hour above named, which envelope shall be indorsed with the name or names of the person or persons presenting the same, the date of its presentation and a statement of the material to which it relates. The bidder to whom the award is made shall give security for the faithful performance of the contract, in the manner prescribed and required herein, in a sum equal per cent. of the total amount of his bid. The following are the provisions of the act of legislature under which the Trunk Sewer is to be constructed so far as they relate to this subject. It is entitled An Act to create a Board of Commissioners of Sewers of the City of Buffalo, to define their powers and duties, and to provide means for the construction and maintenance of certain sewers in the City of Buffalo. Passed June 8, 1882. “ Said Commissioners shall advertise for proposals for construct¬ ing said sewers and tunnel, and furnishing material for the same, under one entire contract, or in parts or sections under several con- 6 tracts, as they shall deem for the best interests of the city, for a period of not less than ten days, in the official paper and in at least one newspaper printed in Boston, New York, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis. The said Commissioners shall require a bond of each person who shall submit proposals, in such amount and with such sureties as they shall determine, to be submitted with such pro¬ posals, conditioned that the persons or person making such proposals shall enter into a contract for furnishing the labor and materials for and constructing such sewers and tunnel, or the portion thereof for which such proposals are asked and submitted, according to the plans and specifications, at his proposal or bid, and that he will fur¬ nish such security as said Board shall require to be furnished for the faithful performance of his or their contract. “And said Commissioners shall require any person or persons with whom they shall contract for doing said work or furnishing said ma¬ terials, or any part thereof, to give sufficient security, to be approved by them, for the faithful performance of such contract or contracts. Said Commissioners may reject any and all proposals and bids which may be made to them, and may contract with other than the lowest bidder for such materials and work, or any part thereof, and may re-advertise for the same. Said Commissioners are hereby author¬ ized to expend a sufficient amount of money to perform all the duties imposed upon them by this act." The whole amount of the different materials to be furnished must conform, in every respect, to the specifications therefor which are attached hereto. The form, provisions and requirements to be complied with by the contractor are set forth in the blank form of contract for the supply of material. Bidders will state in their proposals the price for each thousand of brick, or barrel of cement, or pound of iron castings to be fur¬ nished in conformity with the specifications. By this price the bids Avill be tested. This price is to cover all expenses of every kind involved in or incidental to the delivery, including any claim that may arise through delay, from any cause, in the receiving of the material by the Board of Sewer Commissioners. Bidders will distinctly write out, both in figures and in words, the amounts of their proposals for furnishing this material. Should the accepted bidder or bidders neglect or refuse to accept the contract within forty-eight (48) hours after written notice that the 7 same has been awarded to his or their bid or estimate, or if, after acceptance, he or they should refuse or neglect to execute the con¬ tract and give the proper security for forty-eight (48) hours after notice that the contract is ready for execution, he or they will be considered as having abandoned it, and as in default to the City of Buffalo, and the contract may be let to another bidder. Bidders are required to state in their proposals their names and places of residence ; the names of all persons interested with them therein; and if no other person be so interested, the proposal shall distinctly state that fact; also that the proposal is made without any connection with any other person making a proposal for the same material, and that it is, in all respects, fair and without collusion or fraud; and also that no member of the Common Council, head of a department, chief of a bureau, deputy thereof, or clerk therein, or other officer of the corporation, or officer of the Board of Sewer Commissioners is directly or indirectly interested therein, or in the supplies to which it relates, or in any portion of the profits thereof; which proposal must be verified by the oath, in writing, of the party making the proposal, that the several matters stated therein are in all respects true. Where more than one person is interested, it is requisite that the verification be made and subscribed by all the parties interested. Each bid shall be accompanied by the consent, in writing, of two householders or freeholders of the State of New York, v/ith their respective places of business or residence, to the effect that if the contract be awarded to the person or persons making the bid, they will, upon its being so awarded, become bound as his or their sure¬ ties for its faithful performance; and that, if the said person or persons shall omit or refuse to execute the contract, they will pay to the City of Buffalo any difference between the sum to which he or they would be entitled on its completion and that which the City of Buffalo may be obliged to pay to any bidder to whom this contract may be awarded at any subsequent letting. 'I'he consent above mentioned shall be accompanied by the oath or affirmation, in writ¬ ing, of the persons signing the same that each is a householder or freeholder of the State of New York, and is worth the amount of the security required for the above work over and above all his debts of every nature, and over and above his liabilities as bail., surety or other¬ wise ; and that he has offered himself as surety in good faith and with the intention to execute the bond required by law. 8 The adequacy and sufficiency of the security offered is to be de¬ termined by the Board of Sewer Commissioners after the award is made and prior to the signing of the contract. Bidders are informed that no deviation from the specifications will be allowed unless under the written instructions of the Engineer. No bid will be accepted from or contract awarded to any person who is in arrears to the City of Buffalo, upon debt or contract, or who is a defaulter as surety or otherwise, upon any obligation due the said city. The right is reserved to decline all bids, and to award the contract to other than the lowest bidder. Only so much material of any kind will be taken as shall be needed for the work. A copy of the specifications, including the terms and manner of payment, is annexed. Bidders are requested, in making their bids or estimates, to use the blank prepared for that purpose by the Board of Sewer Commission¬ ers, a copy of which, together with the form of the agreement, and the specifications showing the manner of payment for the material, can be obtained upon application therefor at the office of the Park Commissioners. D. C. BEARD, JACOB SCHEU, MICHAEL NELLANY, ' GEO. B. MATHEWS, GEO. GORHAM, Dated January 24, 1883. Commissioners. 9 BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. Specifications for Brick. All bricks^ furnished to be of the best quality of sewer brick, true and uniform in shape, burned hard entirely through, and having a clear ring when struck. They must be of the reg.ilar size and proportions of sewer bricks, not less than 7^ inches long, 3^ inches wide, and inches thick. The Contractor must furnish the necessary facilities for inspection, in the City of Buffalo, and must furnish convenient storage, in an inclosure to be used for no other purpose, for the storage of all brick inspected not needed for immediate delivery on the work. The final acceptance of brick furnished will be by inspection when delivered on the work, and the fact that bricks have passed an inspection at the yard shall not be taken as a reason for their acceptance, if not satisfactory to the Inspector in charge of the work. No bricks, however, which have been rejected at the first inspection shall, at any time or under any pretext, be sent to the work. All storage and all handling and rehandling for inspection and for storage, and all transportation as well as all breakage up to the time of final delivery and acceptance, shall be at the sole cost and charge of the Contractor. No bats or broken bricks delivered on the work will be counted as accepted. The bids must state the price per thousand for the amount bid for, made and inspected as above, delivered in good condition as indicated, at such times, in such quantities and at such points on the work as the Engineer shall direct, at any time between April 15, 1883, or such later day as may be fixed by notification as hereinafter provided, and the time of the completion of the Trunk Sewer and its appurtenances. The bids must state the quantity that each bidder will agree to furnish, not exceeding 20,000,000 bricks. Payments will be made monthly by warrants on the City Treasury (Trunk Sewer Fund), on the receipts of the contractor as a gauge of quantity, and the acceptance of the Engineer or Inspector on the work indorsed thereon as a certificate of quality. The quantities to be furnished by different bidders will be allotted in such a manner as to exhaust first the full amount of the lowest bid lO accepted; then the next lowest; and so on, until the whole amount required is allotted. The lowest accepted bidder will be required to furnish the full amount of his contract first, in order of time, then the next lowest, and so on. Each bidder after the first will receive sixty (6o) days notification of the time when he will be required to begin his supply. Twenty per cent. (20%) of the total amount due on each estimate will be held back until the total amount so retained shall amount to ten per cent. (10%) of the whole amount to be paid to the Contractor on all the bricks he shall have agreed to furnish under the allotment on his bid. The money so retained will be paid when the full quantity agreed to be furnished (or the full quantity required if the whole amount agreed for is not required) has been delivered, and accepted by the Engineer. BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. Specifications for American Hydraulic Cement. All cement of this class must be of the best quality of Rosendale, or other of equal quality, fine ground, quick setting, capable, when made into testing blocks, of withstanding a tension of fifty pounds per square inch of section when mixed pure and exposed thirty minutes in air and twenty-four hours in water. All cement furnished by the Contractor will be subject to inspection and test before it is accepted, and if found of improper quality must be immediately removed from the work. The Contractor will be required to furnish the Engineer or Inspector full facilities for examining and testing all cement, in the City of Buffalo. Should cement have to be stored, or not immediately used after acceptance, or at any time, it must be protected from the weather and kept dry, and must never be placed upon the ground without blocking under the barrels. It may be subjected to a second test at any time before its delivery to the Contractor, if the Engineer so direct. No cement furnished, which may be defective or deficient in any of the requirements of these specifications, is to be considered as accepted in consequence of any negligence of any Engineer or other authorized person to point out such defect or deficiency during the execution of this contract, and the contractor will be required to replace any inferior cement whenever discovered. The bids must state the price per barrel for the amount bid for, delivered dry and in good condition as tested, and in sound, tight barrels, at such times, in such quantities, and at such points on the work as the Engineer shall direct, at any time between April 15, 1883, or such later day as may be fixed by notification as hereinafter provided, and the time of the completion of the Trunk Sewer and its appurtenances. The bids must state the quantity that each bidder will agree to furnish, not exceeding 50,000 barrels. The quantities to be furnished by different bidders will be allotted in such a manner as to exhaust first the full amount of the lowest bid accepted; then the next lowest, and so on, until the whole amount is allotted. The lowest accepted bidder will be required to furnish the full amount of his contract first, in order of time, then the next lowest. I 2 and so on. Each bidder after the first will receive sixty (6o) days notification of the time when he will be required to begin his supply. Payments will be made by warrants on the City Treasury (Trunk Sewer Fund), on the receipts of the Contractor as a gauge of quantity, and the acceptance of the Engineer or Inspector on the work, indorsed thereon, as a certificate of quality. Twenty per cent. (20%) of the total amount due on each estimate will be held back until the total amount so retained shall amount to ten per cent. (10%) of the whole amount to be paid to the contractor on all American Hydraulic Cement he shall have agreed to furnish under the allotment on his bid. The money so retained will be paid when the full quantity agreed to be furnished (or the full quantity required if the whole amount agreed for is not required) has been delivered, and accepted by the Engineer. <1 BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. Specification for Portland Cement. All cement of this class must be of the best quality and must be ground so fine that at least ninety (90) per centum of it will pass through a wire sieve containing 2,500 meshes to the square inch. The cement when made into a stiff paste, without sand, must set within half an hour from the time of adding the water, and be capable of sustaining without rupture a tensile strain of at least 250 pounds per square inch, seven days after being moulded. The cement when mixed with sand in the proportion, by volume, of one of cement to two of sand, and made into a stiff mortar, must be capable of sustaining without rupture a tensile strain of at least 90 pounds per square inch, seven days after being moulded. The test blocks will, in all cases, be removed from the moulds as soon as the setting begins and the material will bear it; but they will not be put into fresh water before the expiration of twenty- four hours from the time the cement was mixed. After seven days have elapsed from the time the blocks were moulded, they will be taken out of the water and broken by a proper apparatus. The sand used in testing the cement will be sharp, siliceous sand, free from loam, dust, mica or other foreign matter, and will be gauged between two sieves, of 400 and 900 meshes to the square inch. Cakes of the paste will also be made, about one-half inch in thickness, and after immersion in fresh water for one week, their surfaces must show no sign of crack or softness. Each barrel of cement must weigh not less than 375 pounds gross weight, and on the whole quantity to be delivered, must average not less than 400 pounds gross weight to the barrel, and under this contract, 400 pounds gross weight will be considered and estimated as one barrel. The cement must also weigh not less than 100 pounds, nor more than 125 pounds, per United States struck bushel, when filled from a hopper placed at a height of three feet above the mouth of the measure. Each barrel must be properly lined so as to effectually seal the cement from dampness. The Contractor shall furnish to the Engineer such information as he shall desire as to the ingredients, proportions of ingredients, and 14 process of manufacture used in making the cement to be furnished under this contract, in order to enable him to determine whether the cement is really a “ Portland ” cement or not. 1 he quantities to be paid for shall be weighed and inspected by the Engineer, or by the person or persons designated for the purpose by him, in accordance with these specifications. All cement delivered under these specifications shall be subject to the inspection and rejection of the Engineer, or of the agents authorized to act under him, at any time before its final acceptance. No cement furnished which may be defective or deficient in any of the requirements of these specifications is to be considered as accepted, in consequence of any neglect of any Engineer or other authorized person to point out such defect or deficiency during the execution of this contract, and the Contractor will be required to replace any inferior cement when discovered. The Contractor will be required to furnish the Engineer or Inspector every facility for the examination and testing of the cement, in the City of Buffalo. Should cement have to be stored, or not immediatelv used after acceptance, or at any time, it must be protected from the weather and kept dry, and must never be placed upon the ground without block¬ ing under the barrels. It may be subjected to a second test at any time before its delivery to the Contractor, if the Engineer so direct. The bids must state the price pe 7 ' barrel^ for the amount bid for, delivered dry and in good condition, as tested, and in sound, properly lined, tight barrels, at such times, in such quantities and at such points on the work as the Engineer shall direct at any time, between May i, 1883, or such later day as may be fixed by notifica¬ tion as hereinafter provided, and the time of the completion of the Trunk Sewer and its appurtenances. The bids must state the quan¬ tity that each bidder will agree to furnish, not exceeding ten thousand (10,000) barrels. The quantities to be furnished by different bidders will be allotted in such a manner as to exhaust first the full amount of the lowest bid accepted; then the next lowest, and so on, until the whole amount is allotted. The lowest accepted bidder will be required to furnish the full amount of his contract first, in order of time, then the next lowest, and so on. Each bidder, after the first, will receive sixty (60) days 15 notification of the time when he will be required to begin his supply. Payments will be made by warrants on the City Treasury (Trunk Sewer Fund), on the receipts of the Contractor, as a gauge of quantity, and the acceptance of the Engineer or Inspector on the work, indorsed thereon, as a certificate of quality. Payments will be made according to the gross weight of the cement delivered, 400 pounds gross being paid for as one barrel, under this contract. Twenty per cent (20 %) of the total amount due on each estimate will be held back until the total amount so retained shall amount to ten per cent. (10 %) of the total amount to be paid to the Contractor on all Portland cement he shall have agreed to furnish under the allotment on his bid. The money so retained will be paid when the full quantity agreed to be furnished (or the full quantity required if the whole amount agreed for is not required) has been delivered, and accepted by the Engineer. 1 / BUFFALO TRUNK SEWER. Specifications for Iron Castings. All iron must be of the best quality, and the castings must be free from all defects in workmanship, and from all impurities. All the castings must be sound, true, clean, and out of wind. The quality of the iron must be tough and strong. Such a mixture of iron must be used as will secure this result. The castings must be sound throughout, free from air-bubbles, cold shuts, strains of cracks. Patterns must be made by the Contractor, without charge therefor, from the drawings furnished, and it will be understood that the patterns become the property of the City of Buffalo. All cast iron pieces must be of not less than the minimum weight specified. They will be paid for on the specified minimum weight only. All cast iron pieces shall be subject to such tests for weight, size and quality as the Engineer may consider proper, and facilities will be furnished by the Contractor, for making such tests in the City of Buffalo. All imperfect cast iron pieces shall be broken up on the spot, at the cost of the Contractor, when condemned by the Engineer. Upon all pieces of cast iron there shall be cast such letters and figures as may be shown by the drawings, without extra charge therefor. All castings to be delivered on the work where wanted, and as ordered by the Engineer, or at any time between June i, 1883, or such later day as may be fixed by notification as hereinafter pro¬ vided, and the time of the completion of the Trunk Sewer and its appurtenances. The bids must state the price per pound for each item of the following list: * 1. Manhole heads.minimum weight, 450 lbs. 2. Manhole covers. “ “ 150 “ 3. Two-foot pipe slants, in two sections. “ “ 2,500 “ 'rhe bids must state the quantity that each bidder will agree to furnish, not exceeding the following schedule: I. Manhole heads.not exceeding 45,000 lbs. 2. Manhole covers. “ “ 15,000 “ 3. Two-foot pipe slants, in two sections. “ “ 40,000 “ The quantities to be furnished by different bidders will be allotted in such a manner as to exhaust first the full amount of the lowest bid accepted; then the next lowest; and so on until the whole amount is allotted. The lowest accepted bidder will be required to furnish the full amount of his contract first, in order of time, then the next lowest, and so on. Each bidder, after the first, will receive sixty (60) days’ notification of the time when he will be required to begin his supply. Payments will be made by warrants on the City Treasury (Trunk Sewer Fund), on the receipts of the Contractor, as a gauge of quantity, and the acceptance of the Engineer or Inspe< 5 tor on the work, indorsed thereon, as a certificate of quality. Twenty per cent. (20 %) of the total amount due on each estimate will be held back until the total amount so retained shall amount to t ten per cent. (10%) of the whole amount to be paid to the Con¬ tractor, on all iron castings, he shall have agreed to furnish under the allotment on his bid. The money so retained will be paid when the full quantity agreed to be furnished (or the full quantity required if the whole amount agreed for is not required) has been delivered, and accepted by the Engineer.