The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-29

paid by each CITY were either never con
sidered or never mentioned. On the cost
basis our average returns FOR money eA-
pended was quite as good as hat re-
ceiyed by our sister city. We got ali that
we paid for and it is fair to presume
that the authorities of New York did no
better. Therefore, the only real differ
ence that existed was that our friends
across the river were willing to buy and
pay for higher priced goods. Good ma
teriaI presents a much better appearance
than does material Of an Indifferent quail
ity. while the wearing life of good work
is with due consideration for the m
creased cost so much longer tnan IS tnat
of inferior grade, that WE concluded Our
predecessors had erred in not having long
since adopted a higher standard, and,
therefore, directed our Chief Engineer 70
demand in future specifications an aver
age betterInent of at least twenty-five per
Cent. This has been made to apply rot
only to werk for which an assessment is
com~prehended but also to reconstruction
work. The result has but confirmed US
in our theory and the improved character
in work of this class made in the last
twelve months is such h we douot II
an appreeiable percentage OF our tax pay
ers would desire a return to old methods.
That this should be accomplished WITH
out friction was not to be expected. Con-
tractors who in the past had learned to
believe that many of the requirements of
specifications were perfunctorily Included
and that the inspection would be made IN
like manner had TO be educated TO the
AA(S
ilege.
sure the fulfilling Of rhe provisions OF
contracts, bat fulfilled they had to. he,
and Notwithstanding many lamentations,
fulfilled they WERE
Oficial life for US in the past season
was not a sailing on summer seas BuL
we have accomplished our purpose n
are pleased to be able to present to the
citizens of. the community several pieces
of work Of a character never before sue
orrefy1114r aftamnfQd in fhiE rifV.
MONTGOMERY STREET REPANING.
It seems but natural to expect that
some particular portion of the Work per
formed under our direction would APP
peal to us with increased favor and ar
ford us rather more than an average
share of satisfaction. Such a piece Oh
street. from Hudson to Warren streets.
This street has several times in recent
years been patched and repaved IN q
more or less Indifferent manner, but the
work never proved satisfactory and so0h
after our induction into office it was con-
ciuded that q pavement of the best cnar-
acter should be placed in this ~thoroush--
fare. Our specifications Were prepared
with such object in view, and on June II
1897, a contract was awarded for the Work
on the basis Of $1.S1 per yard. including
concrete base. If the specifications. were
to be lived up to the price quoted was
ridiculous. but specifications had been
in the past so successfully lodged tnat
perhaps it was not unreasonable tor a
contractor to assume that past conditions
were TO prevail. and that such work as
would produce a profit would pass muster,
but such a rigid censorship was eStab-
lished by the late Chief Engineer lMr,
L. d. Fowler that the Illusion. II 1t ex-
listed. was soon dispelled. AS IN Instance
of the care exercised it can be stated
that quite rs per cent. of the paving
blocks first delivered ON street were re-
jected.. During the execution of contract
-ascertainment was made that the w
in street required partial but immediate
reconstruction, n this moi having been
foreseen q consequence delay resulted in
the contractor being relieved of his re-
sponSibility to complete the work and ne
cessitated the doing of a portion of the
work by regular employees of the city n
the reletting of a contract for the balance.
which resulted in IN award being made
on june 8, 1888, at 2.79 per square yard.
repaving was thus completed and its
character will, we believe, compare favor
ably with that laid anywhere.
PAVONIA AVENUE REPAVING.
During the year 1897 it became apparent
that Payoni avenue. leading to the fer
cations looking to the attainment of that
end were prepared and a contract was
awarded hereunder on October IA, 1897.
While we had prepared for work better
than the average We had not calculated
on its being of the exceptionally high
characer OF that on Montgomery street,
for the reason that the traffic was not
so heavy. But before the beginning OF
operations the Montgomery street work
had so impressed the citizens in the upper
section that nothing but work Of that
class would satisfy them. In fact. they
preferred that no action be taken rather
than have what they termed an inferior
pavement. A contract having been award
ed. and some portion of the work having
been completed, We We're in a dilemma
until the contractor requested to be re-
lieved. The request being granted, We
and. for the second time, awarded
contract, the lowest bid being $2.53ia per
square yard. The work is now completed
and will compare favorably with
granite or trap rock specification pave
menF, no matter where laid.
ASPHALT COMPETITION ~
Our efforts to bring about a legitimate
competition in asphalt paving seemed to
have been in vain. There have been peri
DDS when a spasnodfc contention among
the various competing companies gave
promise of good results. But such con-
tentions failed in lasting qualities, and
the nature of recent bidding conpels US
to assume that an understanding existed
among the competitors 90
That the prices quoted for asphalt work
were being gradually increased to a figure
practically prohibit1ve became ~obnoxlous-
iy apparent and a remedy was at once
applied. which, while perhaps heroic, was
certainly efTectual. Proposals winch mad
been previously received and the lowest
OF which Indicated a price OF $zzb per
square yard for such paving was re-
jected. Declaration was made that the
maximum price that would be paid py
the city for the best grade OF work was
sf.75. and in the face of such declaration
proposals were again solicited with resuft
Thai a new tender was made at ABOUT
Sl.74. which was accepted. and award
made accordingly
Whether this action by the company
CORRECTLY f~oreShadoWS what they conteln-
plate for the future, we do not know,
hut we do know that we VIII not receue
from the position We have taken, even
If such a stand should result IN no more
asphalt being laid IA TINS clsy lnoss ri
support of every citizen.
MACADAM PAVEMENT.
Our past experience with maeadam
illv-adapTed for 5use in cities. Once laid
the abutting property assessed,
therefore 1t becomes a permanent charge
on the city for maintenance md fe6tora-
ton. If 1t is not given great care u
speedily disintegrates n our annual
has so increased that during the IaSt
fiscal year the amount expended closely
approximated S $50. Notwithstanding
our past experiences and consequent re-
fusais to pass f~avofahly on petitlons
co-mprehendiig this grade of work, prop
erty owners III certain localities were 50
fulf5ortunate In their requests that We
reconsidered our determination thaf we
finaily agreed TO try In a few exclusively
residential localities the effect OF a spe-
citication which compeis q contractor to
maintain the a for FIVE years and
several contracts have been let on thar
basis. We are not wholly convinced of
the wisdom of this venture. in faet we
view 1t with not a. little suspicion, and
have but to say IN ~extenuation Of our
course that the residents of the localities
benefited were SO positive that their
streets would give good wear IN return,
that we have made the experiment with
hope OF being convinced
SFH@lIo IfrA ITLF 4 ffTs