The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-18
IN A BIC ROW.
Pavement Repair Contract is
Causing Much Contention.
0uaSfinn Ahnuf Cnnfinuinr laaI
Question About Continuing Deal
With Barber Company.
SHALL 1T BE RENEWED
That is Point About Which
There is Difference.
Hardness in Making Repairs is
the Cause.

In spite of all efforts to avert the
trouble, there are many indications that
within a very short time the city coun-
Gil will be in the midst of one of the
hottest pavement fights which has ever
been presented to the council chamber
audiences.
The bone of contention will be asphalt
pavement.
Several members of the council, it is
said, have become convinced that the
city ought to renew it's alliance with
the Barber Asphalt pavement company,
or some other asphalt company; that
a new contract for repairs should be
made with the Barber company, and
that the city should at once accept the
job of repairing which the Barber COM
pany is about to declare completed, and
demand pay for. Whenever this job is
accepted by the city, the city must pay
over 81, 500.
There are other members of the cOun-
Gil who declare that the Barber COM
pany has deceived the city, and that it's
work is not what it should be- These
members will make a strong stand
against any further dealings with the
Barber company; they will fight the
payment of $1,000 to the Barber COM
pany on the ground that the repairs are
not properly made, and they will de-
mand that future contracts for asphalt
repairs be made the basis of pave
ment by the yard.
The Barber company is now working
a very small gang of men in Topeka.
They are patching up holes on various
streets, wherever ordered to so do by
the city engineer. They work very slow
ly, and are not doing a very good job.
if the testimony of several city officers
who have been investigating the matter
can be believed.
West Eighth avenue, which was in
very bad condition, has been extensively
patched, and is, of course, improved.
But there are SO many patches there
that the smooth surface which asphalt
is supposed to have is entirely lost The
pavement is very rough.
On Quincy street, just at the south of
the junction with Eighth, there is a
surface rs feet long and 80 feet wide
which has just been repaired. The
asphalt is so crumbly that it is fast
being reduced to a powder at this
place. The asphalt company's mana
ger, Mr.. Buckley, says that the asphalt
used there was burned, and has agreed
to reSurface the street at that point.
How much burned asphalt has been
used in the repairs is not known.
1t is reported to the city officials that
the city engineer of Lincoln, Neb., was
told by Barber asphalt man that the
Barber company had cut Topeka off its
list, and did not expect to be able to
lay any more pavement here, and was
trying to get out of its repairing work
here as easily as possible.
City Engineer McCabe was asked to-
day whether he would advise the coun-
Gil to pay the Barber asphalt bill for
81, 500.
II don't know" said Mr.. McCabe ct
don't think that matter ought to be left
entirely to me. In one way the Barber
Asphalt company has fulfilled it's con-
tract. 1t has done everything the city
has asked it to do--that is, it has work
ed at everything the city has directed.
But as to whether or not it has done a
workmanlike job, is another question.
At the present time, the repairs are
being made SO slowly that the pave
is repaired"
It is claimed that the Barber COM
pany did not ship its surface heaters to
Wichita, as it claimed it had done
several weeks ago. 1t is asserted that
the heaters We're shipped back to Kan
sas City, and that the Barber COM
pany had no intention of coming back
until it found that the city would sue