The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-29
RITCHEs IN ASPHALT WORK
CITY AND WARRE:N-SCHARF COM
PANY CANNOT AGREE.

Observation-Disclosures WiIIink Says
Work Was Not PerfOrmed-The
Company Wants the City TO Guar
mntee Payment for work Done for
Private Parties or to Agree That
All Repair Work on Present As
phaIt Streets Shall BE Done by
Warren-Scharf Company.
The Warren-Scharf Asphalt Company
and the city are in considerable of smart
on the question of paving repairs. The re-
paving of the portion of Broughton street,
between Bull and Drayton, which the
street railway company agreed to pave
with asphalt on removing its switch at
that point, has been left undone for several
days, the asphalt company having de-
manded that all orders for repairs to as
phalt paving for which it is under contract
with the city shall come through the city,
and that the city shall be responsible for
the payment of the same.
The Commissioner of Public Works with
In whose province this matter lies, has de-
clined to agree to the demand. There are
two reasons for this. One is that paving
repairs might sometimes be done for ire
sponsible parties and the city thereby be-
come the loser. The other reason is that
under the system pursued in the city
treasurer's Office each bill for repairs paid
by the city would have to be charged
against some department under the com
missioner, presumably streets and lanes,
while, when the bill should be collected, it
would simply become part of the general
revenues of the city, and would not be
credited to the department which had de-
frayed the expense.
Mr. A. l.. Alexander, local representative
of the Warren-Scharf Company, has
agreed to withdraw this demand on condi-
ton that the companys present mainten-
ance contract with the city for the asphalt
streets shall be interpreted as requiring all
repairs made to these pavements to be
done by his company.
Commissioner WilIink said that IL was
hardly likely thai this proposition would
be agreed to. The Warren-Scharf Com
pany charges $25S per square yard for
making these repairs, this being the price
specified for such work in it's contract
with the city. Now that the Southern
Paving Company of Baltimore has entered
the local field, and is undertaking work
for less than has heretofore been charged
by the Warren-Scharf Company, the
charge for making repairs to pavements
is also expected to undergo a considerable
reduction. Commissioner t,.------- does not
favor the city binding itself to have all
repairs to asphalt streets made at the
prices charged by the Warren-Scharf
Company nor does he favor the city maxi
ing itself liable for work done for private
parties.
With the Southern Paving Company in
the field private parties will be able to
contract with either company for such
repairs as 1t may be necessary to make
in making connections for gas and water
mains or for any other purpose The city
will simply require that the work be well
done, without regard TO what company
does the work or who pays for it.
A more serious difference, however be-
tween the Warren-Sharf company and the
city is that matter of the payment for the
work of maintenance on the asphalt streets
last year. When the contract for the
Oglethorpe avenue pavement was secured
by the Warren-Scharf company it also en-
tered into contract with the city to
maintain all the asphalt streets in the
city on which the five-year guarantee had
expired at the rate of cents per square
yard per annum. This was considered a
good contract for the city and also for the
company as 1t was compelled to main
tain an asphalt plant here anyway.
1t will be remembered that the company
was very dilatory in making repairs on
the asphalt streets last fail, and the
streets were allowed to get in a rather
diapidated condition. The first year of the
contract expired on Nov. %, but it
was not untA after that date that a re-
pair force was brought here and extensive
repairs made. the work lasting wen into
January. When the company presented
its bill for annual maintenance it was
held up by Commissioner Wlllink until
the streets had been put in good condition.
After this had been done payment was
again demanded. Commissioner Willink
refused to approve the bill on the grounds
that the company had not performed its
contract. which was that the streets should
be maintained in good condition, but had
allowed them to lapse into a poor condi-
ton during a good part of the year for
which payment was asked
meeting of the street and lane COM
mitete was held at Commissioner Will
links office yesterday afternoon to con-
slider this matter. Mr.. Alexander was
present and there was a lengthy discus
sion. Mr.. Alexander held of course, that
the city is liable for the entire charge for
years maintenance of the asphalt
streets. The committee, however, upheld
Commissioner Willink's view. A PROPOSE
ton was submitted, by which the commit
tee offered to settle on the basis of work
done during the year, which would
amount, il is estimated to about two
thirds of the companys bill for mainte-
nance for the year. Mr.. Alexander agreed
to submit this proposition TO his COM
pany.
Commissioner Willnk, It will be remom-
bered. Required the Warren-Scharf Com
pany to repave a large part of Oglethorpe
avenue, because the work there was not
up to the specifications, which called for
first-class asphalt pavement The COM
missioner Is positive In his stand that none
but first-class work win be accepted. An
instance OF this is the paving of the Bun
street crossing of Broughtou street. The
railway company renuired that q row of