New-York tribune., 1901-12-08
ASPHALT MONOPOLY DENIED.
COUNSEL SAYS OTHER COMPANIES CAN
BID AGAINST THE NATIONAL
FOR CITY WORK

De Lancey NicoII. who Is counsel for the Ma
tona Asphalt Company. said yesterday that his at
tentton had been called to statements recently
printed in several of the newspapers Of the city
which calculated to do great injustice TO the
company. He issued the following statement.
which he said he prepared TO prove correct in
every particular:
The charge is made and constantly repeateds that
monopoly of asphalt paving In the city OF Ne% W
the present specifications in the Department o.
Highways. Although this statement has been reit-
T Is so o wo ffh6 ay NO TO begin
neither the National Asphalt Company nor any
the Sty @ ~ NeWyork As the SewYoTk specifi-
tons stand to-day they admit all asphalts which,
when refined possess 55 per cent cent btamen ta & quite
Pavements may be laid with asphaIts from Cali
rorna. from Utah, from Texas, from Mexico,
land asphalt in Trinidad. from asphalt in Ber-
nude or from any other part OF venezuela Not Not
eiay during the last year large amount hoa bssI O.,
done with asphalts over which neither the National
Asphalt Company nor any Of its subsidiary COM
has been done in the last few years by the Uvalde
company. which controls the Texas asphalts la An,
fhnE that Mexicsn asphait has also been laid
by some OF the companies having relation to the
National asphalt Company
to dispose OF the charge that there is any monop-
oily Of asphalt paving in the city or New-fork en-
The only restriction upon the use Of any as
phalt for paving in the streets OF New-York Is
New-york unless IT has had a two years trial IN
authorities OF such municipality. It is true that
this prevents any new aHd u1tried asphalt rom rom
OF all administrations has been that NewYork
not the place in which 10 make experiments.
mepeooT Of paving for nv clients the National
There a
in this charge. The present specifications are sub
ministration OF Mayor Strong. There has been no
material change I notice that Il IS said IN the
Brooklyn suit and repeated in some newspapers.
that there have been some recent changes which
Of very superficial investigation. The Fifth-ave.
sReshoaSS 5eriion eontaIasd this d'G pToTison
ANY bidder Offering material not heretofore
going requirements statement showing some
other locality where such pavement has been laid
officer having charge Of such work in the city or
that the pavement has been in use at least two
years and is satisfactory"
The only amendment made IN this provision is in
read that any bidder who has done. ten thousand
yards OF work in another municipality may be ad-
mttted. but under the old specifications even If he
bid might be rejected in the discretion Of the COM
missioner
the deposit of samples four days before the time OF
making Ts. the bid is new This is also mistake
contain precisely the same requirements.
II is also said that there is something in the
provision requiring the bidder TO make statement
of the location and capacity in square yards day
Of the works or factory where the paving material
is prepared. This clause was in the former specid-
cations in precisely the words.
II anything, the specifications have been liberal
lied by the present adminIstration-certanly not
restricted. The view OF my clients is that they
liberal that there is great danger of
inferior asphalts being used In the city of New
York. and inferior pavements being laid The
perience of Eighth-ave which laid with an in
ferfor asphalt and the city 100000 repair
very likely to be repeated
good deal has been said recently 10 the effect
that the price paid yard for asphalt by the city
OF NewYork is higher than ii is in other cities;
It must always be so, because the streets of New
York are used and travelled many times as much
as the streets in any other city. Repairs at the
cost of the company laying the pavement have 10
be made every year, ana matter of fact there
is little profit in paving the where the high
prices obtained The companies are under q
bond to keep streets in repair for fifteen years
and the annual cost yard of repairing adds up so
that there is a very small margin OF profit left
think the annual cost of repairing Broadway will
be over 40 yard for fifteen years Ioeople
who are disturbed by the prices paid for asphalt
in New-York ought TO go Chicago where miles
OF streets were laid with inferior asphalt at a
low price The streets soon cracked and became
full of holes, and city was put to an enor-
nous expense for repairing