Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-24
BIDS TAKE A TUMBLE.
The First Fruits of the New INTEREST,"
Paving Ordinance Are
PLUCKED BY CHIEF BlGEL0W.
CITY Contractors Willing to Work for Much
Lower Prices.
STILL CHEAPER RATES ANTICIPATED

signed and made law by the Mayor last
Friday, providing for the payment of in
terest on street improvements from the
time of completion until collections begin,
were shown yesterday in the bids opened
for street repairing. Chief Bigelow spent
three hours opening and reading 143 bids
on 81 repaving contracts, but owing to the
variance in the figures for grading, curb
setting and laying of crossings, it will re-
require considerable figuring to compute
which bidder gets each contract. The
awards will be made tomorrow, and the
work must all be completed by September
15
In the proposals made yesterday the
figures of the lowest bidders for laying pave
ments were considerably lower than hereto
fore. The lowest price for asphalt was 81 so
per square yard. and for regular block stone
s. II. These are the lowest figures, accord
ing to Chief Bigelow, that have ever been
reached in this city, and are lower than in
any other city in the country for the same
class of work excepting Washington, d. c.
Last years rates on asphalt were from s. TO
s. "a, and on block stone from S3 15 to
IS 80.
May Try the Washington Plan.
However" said the Chief, "Washing-
tons specifications call for a much lighter
foundation than any of the bids opened to-
day call for. As We propose to try some of
that kind of work we may get down to
Washington figures. 1 Will open bids on
"Wednesday for paving several streets on the
Washington plan There is no doubt in my
mind but that the ordinance passed last
week bv Councils is to be credited for the
reduced rates. 1t has restored competition,
and the basis of 10 or 10 years ago for work
must follow. / look for even greater COM
petition and lower prices before very long"
In the bids opened yesterday Booth &
Finn were the lowest bidders for paving in
a majority of cases, Sloan & McIlvaine and
Evan Jones being few cents higher on all
but a few contracts Evan Jones though
within or 8 cents of the lowest in a num-
her of cases was not the lowest on any for
paving, though he underbid the others in
some instances for grading and curbing and
may get some of the contracts in conse-
quence. The highest bidders on paving
were Keeling, Ridge & Co. and Carson &
Orr, their figures being about the same all
through as last years rates. The repaving
included in the list aggregates more than
$500, 900, and with the lowest bidder, for
paving only, is as follows:
Tho Lowest Bids on Contracts.
Forty eighth street, from Butler street to
the Allegheny Valley Railroad, $500 yards
of paving, g 50 per square yard for asphalt
and 81 p block stone; Booth & Finn, lowest
bidders. West Carson street, from Point
bridge, eastwardly, 39il yards; Booth s
Finn, 50 70 per square yard, for black stone.
Liberty avenue, from Center avenue, west
wardly, $50 yards; Sloan & Mc1lvaine, 81 80,
for block stone. Lincoln avenue, from
Frankstown avenue, northwardly, 3,94l
yards; Booth & Finn, block stone, 50 ~ per
yard. Water Street, from SmithfiNld street
to the Point, 4, l27 yards; Booth Finn, 81 Y,
for block stone Forbes street, from end of
Finn, 90 90, for block stone and - 80 for
asphalt Penn avenue. from Penn
syiEania Ea Railroad bridge eastITardiy, adI,nay,
s. 81, for block stone. East Car
son street from Monongahela bridge east
wardly. 1856 yards, sloan & Mc1lvaine, 81 IS
for block stone. Seventh avenue, Fountain
and Tunnel streets. from Grant street to
Webster avenue. 1850 yards, Booth & Finn,
s. p per yard for block stone. South High
land avenne, from Penn avenue, south
wardly. Booth & Finn, 81 81 for block stone,
81 90 Tor asphalt. West Carson street IRON
Monongahela bridge. westwardly, 1858
Evans alley, Liberty street to DuQuesne
way, l,-97 yards Booth 6 Finn, asphalt
s. 60 and R6e5 RS4S stone s. e. BEs alley | sST
u
block stone. Stanton avenue, from
present pavement, east. 1850 yards, Booth
& Finn. asphalt 3 80 and block
pavement east, CPS yards. Booth & Finn,
block stone, - Sc Second avenue from
present pavement east, s,eSs yards, Booth &
Finn, 80 81 Tor block stone. Poplar alley,
81 yards. Booth & Finn, block stone, s. 81.
Booth s. Finn still in the Lead.
Grant street, from Seventh avenue south,
3,9J7 yards, Booth Finn, s. 72 for block
stone. Exchange alley, from Eighth street
east, 2, l2O yards, Booth q Finn, asphalt 81 80
and block stone, g u. Ella street,
yards, Sloan McIlvaine 50 95 for
block stone. Fourth avenue, from
Wood to Liberty streets. ,l33 yards, Booth
s Finn. 81 y for block stone. Carson street.
yards, Sloan & McIlvaine, block stone, 50 90
Spring alley, Eleventh to Fifteenth streets,
2,lGO yards, Booth & Finn. s. 20 for asphalt
and - % for block stone. Virgin allev, from
Grant to Smithfield streets, GAS yards, Booth
& tlinn, s. y for block stone. Center ave
nue, from Fulton street, east, 2,s?O
yards. Booth & Finn, s. IS for block
stone. Filth avenue. from Wilkins avenue
east, 422 yards, Booth & Finn, 81 81 for
block stone and 81 80 TOR asphalt. Our alley,
Elm to Pride streets, l,594 yards Soau & Nc
1lvaine, S2 IS for block stone. Penn avenue,
from Forty.titth street east, 3s4S yards
Sloan McIlvaine, - 80 FOR block stone
Third avenue, from Grant to Smithfield
streets, l,O+5 yards, Booth & Finn, s. 70 for
Roberts to Devilliers streets, l,729' yards,
Boo,h & Finn, 81 9j Tor block stone.
Butler street bridge eastward, l,S00 yards.
Sloan & McIlvaine, 81 So for block
avenues, 1,C22 yards, Booth & Finn, 81 90 for
asphalt and 81 Y Tor block stone. Youngs
alley, $50 yards. Sloan Mcllvaine, block
stone s. so. Penn avenue from Fifth street