The Topeka state journal., 1902-04-16
TAKES A HAND.
American Asphalt Journal Dis
cusses Topeka Muddle.
Say Specifications For Street
Repairs We're DOctOred.
BRADLEY is SATISFIED
Has No Objections to Them as
They Stand.
Vigorous Editorial on the To-
peka Situation.
BRADLEY is SATISFIED

Topeka's new asphalt paving repair
specifications are again under IRE Ine
American Asphalt Journal, the organ OF
the anti-Barber asphalt companies, de-
clares IN forcible language in its forth
coming issue, that the speclHcatlols
were prepared under the direction OF
the trust ofI1cials'' and that they 'prae-
tically exclude all bids.
The attack on the specifications has
evidently been prepared by the edltol Oh
the magazine a1lef lnspec.lns l--e,7 elte
vised specifications which were supposed
to have been drawn up 50 that they
would be satisfactory to all the asphalt
concerns in the United States. The title
Of the article is "HoodWlnklng IOpekas
and it IS in fun as follows:
"HOODWINKING TOPEKA"
1.-THE asphalt specifications at Topeka,
Kansas. sent out recently to contract
crs, asking bids on street repairs are
only serving the purpose Of misleading
the people Of that city. Some OF the lat
ter it seems were anxious to have asphalt
rock used, therefore the city engineer
placed asphalt rock upon the Specln-
cations, but evidently under the dlrec-
ton Of the trust officials ne has done IL
in such a manner as to practically eS-
ciude all bids.
First, he insists on a binder course
which is supposed to be made of Irlnl-
dad or other fuxed asphalt, when ne
knows OF should know that Dlnder
course is not necessary and is never
used when laying asphalt rock "a binder
course would add about One-thlrd TO the
cost Of the pavement)
Next, he specifies an asphalt from a
particular place in Kentucky, which is
to be mixed with thirty three and one
third per cent of -NOrWhOle asphalt,
German rock deposit owned by the trust
CT it shall be an asphalt rock Cline de-
p0sit) from the tBuckhorn deposits 1n
Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, also
owned by the trust. We do not object
TO the trust using any Amerl-
can asphalt rock, but we do object
to their specifying a poor or low grade
OF a mixture, especially a mixture with
material owned by themselves.
American asphalt rock under these
specifications has no more chance than
gratifying to know that they are forced
TO recognize its intrinsic value as
paving material The companies which
use the genuine article, pure, hign grade
asphalt rock, free from all admixtures,
prepared ready to lay and guaranteed
for a long term of years, viii see to it
that these tricks are duly exposed.
The trust itself has been both shorn
and clipped. and it is extremely doubt
fui whether they are longer in con-
ditiOn to adequately reward those
aggressive agents who, in order to get
a contract are willing to swear their
life away for mess of pottage.'
Genuine asphalt rock has come to
stay, and like a good dollar among a
lot Of cOunterfeits will remain always
unsullied. The citizens of Topeka viii
not longer continue in ignorance Such
methods always expose themselves"
SPEClFICATIONS M1SQUOTED.
In justice to City Engineer McCabe
II should be stated that the specifca-
tions which he drew up are misquoted
in the article from the American
asphalt Journal. Whether or not the
Interpretations are of vital nature is
difficult to determine. The paragra ph
OF the specifications which is referred
to in the article is as follows:
Upon the foundation thus prepared
tsee binder course) there shall be
placed a wearing surface as follows:
Ihe wearing surface shall be composed
OF bituminOus sand rock from Chicka-
saw nation or Breckenridge county
Kentucky Sc 2-3 to SO per cent, and
bltumlnous lime rock from the Buck
horn mines in Chickasaw nation, SO 1-3
70 90 per cent The rock of both mate
rlals snail be finely ground and thor
oug1ly mixed and nothing shall be
added to or taken from the powder OBJ
tanned by grinding the bituminous
rock Th1s powder shall be heated in
suitable apparatus to q temperature
OF nom $50 to zoe degrees Farenheit: it
snaH be brought to the street in suit
aple cars and spread with rakes to an
even thickness Of such depth as viii in
sure a uniform thickness of 11s inches
after having received Its ultimate COM