The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-01
PLAYING FOR VOTES
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF ASSEM-
BLY, KILL CONTRACTS
FOR PAVING
NO TIME FOR CIVIC PRIDE
For Present Everything Subordi-
mated to Vote Getting--NO I'm
prOVemenfs for Ninth Street
or Summit Avenue East.

No legislation that will stand in the
way of vote-getting is to be permitted by
the Republican members of the assembly
Civic pride, for the present, is to be rele-
gated to the rear.
At the meeting Of the committee on
streets of that body yesterday afternoon,
disputed contracts for the paving of a
number of streets were up for considera-
ton, but only a few of them escaped
total humiliation in the shape of a mo-
ton to kill Indefinitely.
The majority of the contracts killed
represented streets in Assemblymel
Wheeler's ward, the Fourth. He thought
they could wait for another year. as
there was no pressing need for their being
paved. The streets held up We're Ninth
and Summit. Minnesota was to be in
cluded in the list, but the other members
of the committee thought it a disgrace to
the city to allow it 10 go longer without
being paved and refused to give it their
concurrence. With South Robert street
and Payne avenue it was sent back to
the board of public works to await a
new call for bids.
While not opposing call for new bids
on all streets in which asphalt was the
material to be used, AssembIynan Whit
comb was of the opinion that if lower
figure was secured the city would be the
loser He cited the fact that the most of
the asphalt paving on the hill which was
considered the best in the city, cost as
high as $3.50 a square yard. AS the re-
suit of paving wars, a much lower rate
had been obtained on the streets in the
business section of the city, but the re-
suits hardly justified the saving Dr.
Whitcomb was confident good paving
could not be secured for a cent less than
$3.50 a square yard. Its like clothing,
when you pay a shoddy price YOU get
shOddy goods, remarked the doctor AS
one who believed with him DR.. Whitcomb
quoted DR.. Archibald McLaren. who said
that when the figures for asphalt paving
reached $3.50 and $3.50 a square yard he
would ask that every street on which he
owned property be paved with asphalt.
Wheeler Thought Differently.
Assemblyman Wheeler tried to combat
DR.. Whitcomb's argument by contending
that no matter what the price, there
were specifications that must be lived up
to by the contractor, which were gener-
ally observed as far as possible and no
more, but DR.. Whitcomb refused to be
convinced
There is something rotten somewhere"
said the doctor, land you will have to
show me otherwise before I will be con-
WINGED. have followed Up paving opera
tons in this city and l have always
found that when the city got good job
it paid for it"
City Engineer Rundlett was brought
into the argument but he furnished moth
ing beyond a statement in his opinion
that $3.50 was a fair price for asphalt
That was about the price paid in his
time, and labor and material had adj
vanced considerably since then.
The discussion waxed warm, but was
friendly, and each side found supporters
f1p
who attended. Most of them admitted
| that the best was the cheapest in the
long run, but they wanted the expert
meht of having new bids called for the
streets in which they were interested, and
1t was granted.