The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-25
TO SAVE ON pAlING
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS "A
PLAN TO BEAT ASPHALT
HEN.
1T is TO CANCEL CONTRACT
NOW, AND Do IT'S OWN REPAIRS,
INSTEAD OF RELYING ON
OTHERS.
S TO CANCEL CONTRACT
EXPECTED SAVING OF $4,000
Makes the Cancellation, Apparently,
at Least, Very Desirable So
luton of the Situation.

The proposition made by the board
of public works to the Warren-Scharf
company, mention of which was mad Z
in the Hob Sunday, was accepted
by the company yesterday. If the
agreement is ratified by the council
the Warren-Scharf company will re-
ceive from the city $4,000 which
amount is the Is per cent reserve held
back on the contracts for the paving
of the streets on ST. Anthony hill with
asphalt. Ten years ago the paving
company laid asphalt on Summit
avenue from Selby avenue to Dale
street; on Western avenue from Sum-
nit to Laurel; on Holly avenue from
Western to Dale street; on Portland
avenue from Summit to Dale street,
and on Dayton avenue from Summit
to Miller street. ='35sess =
Under the terms of the contracts the
city was to reserve Is per cent of the
contract price in each Improvement.
One-half of the reserve was to be paid
at the expiration of the first ten years
and the other half at the expiration Of
twenty years. The contracts also pro-
vided that the company was to keep
in repair the pavements on the streets
mentioned for the second ten years at
a cost Of nine cents per square yard,
based on the entire surface laid,
whether there should be any repairs
made or not. This part of the con-
tracts would call for the payment to
the company of between $4,000 and ST.
900 each year, and at the end of the
second term of ten years, or in 1907
the city would have paid about $40, 900
to the company in addition to the half
of the Is per cent reserve which would
be due and payable at the same time.
President Copeland and the other
members of the board figured it out
that this would be waste of the pub
lie money no matter whether the city
paid the amount from the general fund
or the property on the streets were
obliged to put up the money.
Under the contracts the board is to
be the sole judge as to the condition
Of the pavement at the end of the
first ten years, and each of the con-,
tracts provides that the pavement shall
be in a good condition when the first
half of the reserve is paid. After
careful examination of the pavements
the board submitted to the company
a proposition that if the streets were
repaved in portions where the board
indicated, the entire Is per cent of the
reserve held back would be paid this
year aad the contracts terminated. BY
this arrangement the board figured
that the city or the property owners
would save the payment of the nine
cents per square yard for the second
term of ten years under the contract.
George G. Warren, general Manager Of
the company; John B. Robbins, local
superintendent. and Attorney George
c. Squires were before the board OF
public works yesterday afternoon and
accepted the proposition made by the
beard of public works. The agreement
will be drawn UP in the shape of
contract by the city attorney, and after
it is approved by the board of public
works it will be sent to the council for
ratification.
The amount the company will re-
ceive by the entire Is per cent of the
reserve being paid this year is $37, 1852,
made up as follows: From Western
10 ftiio: Ytt'to, Ooiititiit oNCAuS
paving, s14,300; Holly avenue paving,
S4,540; Portland avenue paving. $4,669;
Dayton avenue paving, S11, Under
the agreement the company will re-
pave those portions of each of the
streets which, in the opinion of the
board of public works and city en-
gineer, need it, and only after this Is
done will the reserve money be paid
over.
The members Of the board are much
elated over the acceptance of the
proposition by the company, claiming
that after the streets have been put
in good condition, no repairs will be
needed for at least four years, and
possibly longer than that. The board
contends that such repairs as are need
ed On the streets for the next ten
years can be made by the city at much
less expense than though the paving
company was paid nine cents per
square yard per year for the entire
surface Of the pavement. Figured out
in dollars and cents. the beard claim
/ that If the council fatifles the agree
ment the city will have saved between
$4,000 and $50. 009.
Assistant Corporation Attorney
Phillips said yesterday that the money
to pay the Is per cent. which had been
held back as a reserve on the Com.
tracts, was in the treasury, and all
that was necessary was the approval
OF the board Of public works and the