The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-25
A. S. NICHOLS, 8 BrOughton ST., west.

not appear that quotations for gravel were
even sought from any other concern than
the Augusta Gravel Company 1t appears
that Mr.. Chaplin, the superintendent, was
doing the purchasing, as the committee re-
ports finding that he had ordered over
$50 10000 worth of gravel by his own direc-
ton and in direct violation of the rule
regulating all purchases for the county
by the commissioners. In their report the
committee states the allegation that the
price (of graveD was advanced 10 cents
per yard, to $1.S0, without consulting either
the committee on roads and bridges or the
board"
1t seems that, owing to the repeated agi-
tation of the matter by Mr.. Kehoe, the
board did finally advertise In compliance
with the law for gravel for Dale avenue,
the result being the award to the Augusta
Gravel Company at $1.20 per yard, the
same as the original contract price. II
appears that subsequent to this transac-
ton the city made a contract with the
same company for the same kind of grav-
ell, to be shipped over the same roads at
$1.15. 1t appears that had the county Of
ficials exercised the same effort as their
city brethren there might have been saved
10 the county 10 cents a yard on the 49,
A0-yard deal and cents yard on the
Dale avenue deal.
On the 9Th of July, 1897, the Savannah
Press published the report of Superin-
tendent Chaplin to the county commits
sioners, giving the cost of the improve
ment of the 6.1 miles of Estil avenue
and Waters road as $21 ,940.79, of which
amount 17,4S5 90 was reported as having
been paid out for material. At 81 80 this
amount would purchase 67211 carloads, or
13, $50 cubic yards of gravel.
The special committee reports that they
found entered on the official records 662
cars or 1920 cubic yards as having been
used on Estill avenue and Waters road
but that subsequently and during the pro-
gress of their investigation an error was
claimed as TO these figures and the record
had been amended by note to the effect,
614 cars only were used in the construc
ton of these roads, 20 car loads being pill
ed up along their sides for repairs and
that 10 cars were enormously charged to
that work v hich went to the Montgomery
Cnoss road. The committee were unable to
determine either from the piles along the
sides of the road or from any other source
except the note referred 10 whether these
20 cars and 10 cars were placed as stated
and they say but accepting that state
ment as true, it leaves 614 cars to be ac-
counted for in the original construction of
Waters road and Estin avenue"
Despite the fact that this error of AZ
cars appears TO have not been discovered
ent Chaplin had made his report to the
board or, If discovered before, the records
were not corrected until after the investi-
cation of the committee had progressed for
sometime in their desire to give the Of
ficials the fullest opportunity and amplest
measures to account for ally the gravel the
committee apparently allowed the 6edUc
ton They also allowed the fullest width
for the road and the maximum average
depth for the gIavel claimed by the Oh
ficials, as wen as the remarkable allow
ance of 3S1A per cent. for compression.
claimed by the president of the gravel
company Though the roller was only ~
tons in weight and not Is as stated in the
report) With all these deductions and dl-
loWances made, they still found that there
were 1T cars or $50 cubic yards less than
the official report shows as being charged
10 and used In the building of Estill ave
nue. and Waters ICad."
1,54O cubic yards of gravel at $L3O
amounts TO s2Oos.
The special committe says "the official
records show that 962 cars of gravel were
used in constructing Estll avenue and
Waters road, Montgomery Cross road,
Skidaway road, and the county farm
road" AS previously stated, of this guam
tlty there was claimed to have been used
on Estill avenue and Waters road GA cars
with twenty-nine carloads placed along
their sides for repairs, making in all CAB
cars or 1850 cubic yards, and leaving for
the work on Montgomery Cross road,
Skidaway road and the county farm road
319 cars or $3.50 cubic yards.
Every one familiar with that section
knows that the Montgomery Cross road is
a very narrow road, having nothing like
the width Of Waters road or Esull aven-
ne that the county farm road is but
few hundred yards in length, much mar
rover and with thinner covering of gra-
vel than the Montgomery Cross road
and that the part of the Slxidaway road
improved is only about s. of a mile
in length. If for Estilr avenue and Wa
tiers road there Is claimed a width of
eighteen feet, width of fifteen feet would
be extremely liberal to allow for the other
three roads named. Assuming this TO be
their width, allowing for them the same
lowed for Estil avenue and Waters road
six inches; the length of Montgomery
Cross road being, say two and three-quar-
ter miles, of the improved part of Skida-
Way road 6 of mile; the little
county farm road Ito make II equal in
width and depth of gravel of the others)
Is of mile, or in ALL say
three and one-half miles of road COW
cred to a width of fifteen feet and a
depth of six inches, would require 2562s
cars or 1884, cubic yards, of gravel. But
as seen above 1t appears from the
report of the special committee
there was to be accounted for on these
roads a balance of 3l9 cars, or $3.50 cubic
yards-some 62ls cars, or 1,2462s cubic
Yards more than the foregoing calcula-
ton, 12462s cubic yards Of gravel, at $780,
amounts to A,60.63