Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-26

mo DhRlt O. t1ToIt lut phftTSs
were mystified, recently, when they re-
ceived the following official notice from
the Street and Sewer Department dated
November 2lst:
Davis a. Bro. You have been
awarded the contract. as per your pro.
posal OF Seutember 9th, 10 furnish all
material aud pave with granite blocks
such sections of streets that may be
ordered for this season OF 1901"
The surprise resulted from the fact
that the Msssrs. Davis had submitted
no bid for paving with granite blocks,
10 their PROPOSAL OF September 9th,
whereas Simmons n Bro, the only
other bidders on that date, had cub
mitted figures on granite block paving.
And to add to the mystery. Simmons
d Bro. are paving with granite block
on thirteenth street between Poplar
aud LON bard. The Messrs. Davis at
first came to the conclusion that they
had rece we'd the notice intended for
Simmons & Bro and thought the latter
firm might have received the notice
intended for them.
A reporter of The Gazette called
at the office of the Street and Saver
Department FIR day afternoon and
sought an explanation from Secretary
Wiley. Mr.. Wiley said the notice sent
TO the Messrs. Davis was incorrect, and
should have read that they had Eeen
awarded the contract for bricks that
might be used, but in recording the
a'tion of the Street and Sewer Di-
rectors and in sending out the notices,
which were taken from the record, he
had made the mistake Of using the
words granite blocks" instead of the
word ''bricks." The record, as it had
been written up, showed that Simmons
d Bro. had been awarded the contract
for rAving block and Davis & Bro. for
granite block. Mr.. Wiley said he made
the mistake Ia writing up the record,
as Davis a. Bro. had been awarded the
contract for paving bricks, but he did
not notice his mistaEe until after the
notices had beer sent out His attention
was called to the error afterward by one
of the directors, and he intends to cor
rect the record, SO as to indicate the
correct action taken, showing that the
contract for book was awarded to Sim
mons & Bro. and for brick to Davis d
Bro
"As a matter of fact" Mr.. Wiley
explained, "the board did not advertise
for bricks. The advertisement called
for paving block, but as Davis & Bro.
had submitted bid for bricks, 1t was
decided to award them the contract for
any brick paving which might he done. :"
In reply to question asked by the re.
potter, he sad he Id not know of any
brick paving that was to be DONE
Mr.. Wiley called attention to the fact
that in submitting their bid Davis &
bro. neglected 10 accompany it with a
loertihed check for $500, which the
specifications required,S while Simmons
~ Bro. sent in check for that amount.
This fact is noted on the minutes of
the meeting of September 10th, when
the bids were opened, in connection
with the figures of Davis & Bro, and
Simmons & Bro. The advertisement
asking for these proposals, which was
printed five days PRIOR to September
9th, the date fixed for opening the bids,
read as follows:
Proposals fos paving streets with
granite blocks and vitrified paving
blocks aud furnishing all necessary
labor and material therefor, will be
received by the Board OF Directors
of the Street and Sewer Department
until 1890 o'clock, a. M, Thurs
day, September 9th, 1901. Specifica-
'tions may be obtained at the Office
OF the department. This right to re-
ieot any and all bids is reserved. BY
order of the Board Of Directors. Harvey
y. Wiley, Secretary.
The advertisement, however, 1t will
,be observed, says nothing about the re-
lauirement of certified check for $500
to accompany each proposal.
The bids were as follows: Davis 4
Bro. Mack wire cut brick, laid on a
concrete foundation, SILL Fer square
Yard gravel foundation, Sl.45; crushed
Stone foundation, Skis; Mack depressed
wire out brick, concrete foundation,
SLIT; gravel. S1.5l; crushed stone,
81. "a; Mack wire out depressed block,
concrete Foundation, Sill; gravel,
s1.s5 crushed stone, 81. 48; Cieartielo
W.O. Brick, concrete foundation, 81. &c
gravel, AZ; crushed stone, 81. 40
Clearheld block, concrete foundation
Gl.6S; gravel, Sl.92; crushed stone
f1.45; Pine Grove block, concrete
foundation, sl.58; gravel, sl.32
crushed stone, S1.35.
Simmons & Bro. -Montello block
,oncrete foundation, Sl.6S; gravel
II. "A; crushed stone, S1.50; Montell'
Sextrs), concrete foundation, 81. "a
grave, Sl.50; crushed stone, 81. be
Porter block, concrete foundation
sl.S3; grave, 81 So; crushed stone
Cl.OD. DfhuuyWinB RIhDltb biucht SAsuo
Theses figures are recorded on tn
minutes of September 10th, and In con
nection Herewith, the following: LII
department to excavate streets, to sub
grade and do all necessary rolling u
foundations and OF vitritied block paw
ing; the contractors to furnish a.
materials and do all other work.
At the time GO paving WORK had bee
laid our, so far as is known and n
action was taken OH the bids until tn
meeting of November 18th, when tn
contracts were awarded as stated above
shortly afterwsrd it..was decided to paw
lSeventh street from Broome to du Pon
t6nd Simmons " Bro. were instructed
(do the paving with Monticello block a
their bid of 81. co per square yard. an
THE work has Just been completed.
As to the paving of Thirteenth stree
between Poplar aud Lombard, Secretar
Wiley stated that Simmons Il Bro. vel
engaged by the Peoples Railway CT
to pave between their tracks ana thrt
feet 90 each side thereof in that squa
aud as that left only small space c
each side of the street to be taken ca,
0f by the city, the company having
switch there, the contractors wei
,authorized by the Street and Sew
department to pave the entire squa
With the granite block. So far as
known, no more work is planned II
tthis season, unless in case VI emergenc
AS a matter of fact, very little payir
has been done during the year. Sim
the bids were opened on September l0t
10 n hao uAd nj