The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-10
Now Being Laid Around the
State House Square.
THE HIGHEST BIDDER
SOt the Contract and He Is Not
Laying
A Walk Similar to the One Al
ready Down.
Some Peculiar Features of This
Peculiar Contract.


and walks in and around the state
house grounds. it might be interesting
to know something about the sidewalk
that is being laid around the west and
south sides of the capitol grounds
The executive council did not adver-
tise for bids. but sent word to several
parties that they would like to have
them bid.
When the bids were opened by the
council, the governor read four bids
for the entire work out loud to the cOun-
ell. There is some dispute as to this
statement. Some of the members Of the
council say that there We're five bids
read aloud The council then went into
executive session The four bids that
We're read aloud and heard by those
present We're. The Barber Asphalt
Paving company for the complete work,
using Trinidad asphalt, ST per square
yard. the Topeka Roofing company to
complete the work, using Indian Terri
tory asphalt S3sS41. for compressed ce-
ment blocks (similar to the walk on the
east and north sides of the grOunds) the
following bids were made: II. I.
Cook, q cents per square foot for the
entire job; the Builders Supply and
Material company, 81 cents per square
foot for the entire work.
The records of the council show that
the Kansas City Stone Sidewalk cOmpa-
ny made bid on the same day. Their
Z
in a walk similar to the one now laid
on the east and north sides of the
ground, for 2332 cents per square foot.
or with greater depth and a border
at cents extra per foot"
The bids made by the Building Sup
ply and Material company and Cook
specified that the walks We're to be laid
on a concrete foundation 1t is said
City Stone Sidewalk company was pres
ent when the bids We're read aloud and
that he then went out in the outside Of
flee of the secretary of state and haR
the secretaryfs stenOgrapher write out
his bid. None Of the first bids were ac-
cepted. Some of the bidders We're ask
ed to submit further bids, but all of the
bidders We're not given the chance to
make further bids. Finally the contract
was let to the Kansas City Stone Side
walk company at the rate of 81 cents
per square foot, the highest amount bid
by anyone and much higher figure
than the first proposition made by the
company.
The walk that is being put in consists
of ten inches of cinders and the con-
tract calls for three inches of cement
composed of clean Kaw river sand and
Ft. Scott cement" Then the hexagon
cement blocks are laid on this
The foundation under the walk on
the east and north sides of the square
which has been laid a year or more is
laid on concrete base.
The concrete used in it was what is
generally meant by the word concrete.
It is composed Of cement, sand and bro
ken stone.
In the concrete that is being put down
in the walk now being laid, no stone is
being used. The broken stone is the
most expensive ingredient in concrete.
The contractor and the executive cOun-
ell We're careful to have the kind of
concrete specified in contract. 1t is to
consist of sand and cement"
People who have had experience in
the matter say there would be a hand
some profit in the job at the price the
present contract was let if the real con-
crete were used, but with the kind of
base that is now being laid, the profit
is immense 1t is so immense that it is
really bonanza for the contractor.
According to the first bid which the
Kansas City stone company made they
were to lay a walk similar to the one
now laid which is on a regular con-
crete base, for 231s cents per square
foot. After dickering around over the
matter for week or more, the council
concluded to put in a walk without any
regular concrete base and raised the
price ~ cents This together with the
manner in which the contract was let,
makes the whole matter appear in a
light that reflects no credit on the coun-
Gil or the members that voted for the
contract