The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-10


EDIToR ADvooATE-Dear Sir
l find in the EM Democrat of Aug,
9th, the following article:
The "Honest' Republicans. IF anything
was needed to show the straits to which
the Radical party is reduced in this county,
1t sufficiently appears in the desperate
means to which their organ resorts to gull
the people. A glaring instance is exhibit
ed in its attack. upon the county commits
sioners concerning 'earth excavation "
in its issue of the 9th ult. it prepounded
to the commissioners two questions
Chow many cubic feet make q cubic
yard" "and "What is fair price for
earth excavation?" In its last issue it as
serts substantially that 50. 40 per yard is to
be paid for earth excavation. Now, this
earth excavation must relate to the con-
tract for the sut-structure. OF the new
bridge across the Clarion. There is moth
ing else to which it can relate, so far as
we know, and we have heard the same
talk gossiped about the streets. We have
carefully real the entire contract made
by the county commissioners, and we as
sert that there is nothing about a ''cuhic
yard" in the contract anywhere. The
language, SO far as pay for the emth ex'
cavation is concerned. is "at The rate o.
FORTY CENTS Jor each square yard Of nine
cubic foot for the e1cardtion." The whole
story is, therefore, an unblushing, aud, we
have no doubt, deliberate LIE!
The italics and small caps are theirs.
/ know little about the facts Of this
matter except what | have noticed in
the papers, but ii seems to me that the
person who wrote the above, be he edi-
tor, legislator, or clerk, is as wofully
ignorant as the man who made or the
man who drew the contract from which
the italicised portion of the above ar
ticle is alleged to be an extract. Igno-
ramus ough to be more certain of his
ground before he applies his epithots SO
freely.
The writer, when at school, was taught
that 80 square feet make one square
yard,' aud has always acted upon that
basis in all bis business experience DUR
ing the years that have passed since
that time. The term square is applied
to surface or superficial measure only,
and signifies length and breadth with
out depth; a square yard is only the
thickness of line or point, and if ap.
piled to depth at all might as we'll ex-
tend to the antipodes as to the depth of
,ne foot. Now, the denial that the
County Commissioners are to pay the
on the Ridgway bridge at
he rate Of s2.40 per cubic yard Of
,arth excavation, if such denial is in
:ended in the article, is no denial at all,
'or the fact is admitted.
On all public works, Railroads, Ca
1als, etc., earth excavation is paid for
,y the cubic yard-twenty-seven Gu
bic feet-and if my recollection Of the
multiplication table is correct three
lines forty is one hundred and twenty;
here is one half of $40; now, [ ap-
,rehend that the other half is got at in
his way, that the County Commission
'rs are to pay for all earth put into the
approaches to the bridge at the same
,rice as for the excavation, which just
louoles the price and makes S2.40 per
'ubic yard for all the earth taken from
he foundations Of the bridge. Q. E.
D. The price at present given on the
5ennett's Branch Il. r., for earth ex-
AVIATION, is 35 cents per yard, leaving
n favor of the contractors on the Ridg-
gay bridge an excess of $2.07 per yard
'ver the regular rate.
How high is that?
Now let US know what price is paid
or the stone work, and whether the
masonry is first or second class. The
Democrat man, having access to the
contract can of course cnlighten US be-
lighted outsiders, aud while he is
bout it and having files containing the
Auditors reports, he might also inform
Is how the ring stands on the books
& the county, aud whether it is really
Forth while to pay 3 per cent for re-
eiviug and 8 for disbursiug the peo-
'le's money in order to help support
members of the ring in id.eness; and,
lso, whether those people LIE with Il
apital L) who say that the ring is cost
NC the taxpayers of the County at least
5000 per year.
Post up the books, please.
CIVIL ENGINEER.