The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-04
NOW COMES TEST
Topeka Asphalt Repairing Bids
Are to Be Opened.
COunciImen Evidently Feel That
Something is Wrong.
TRY IT ALL OVER.
Would Reject Bids and Read
vertise at Once.
Barber Plan May Yet Be Nipped
in Bud.
TRY IT ALL OVER.

Four companies have representatives
in Topeka prepared to submit bids on
the asphalt pavement repair five-year
contract which bids are scheduled to
be opened at the council meeting this
evening. Mr.. Griffith, OF Kansas City,
will bid for the Barber Asphalt COM
pany; Mr.. Loomis of Chicago, for the
Western Paying and Supply company;
Mr. Newman, Of St. Louis. for the
Abbott Gamble Paving company, and
J. Bradley, of Topeka, represents In
dian Territory natural rock asphalt.
All these gentlemen. except Mr.. Grif-
fifth, the Barber man, assert with great
vehemence that they have no connee-
ton whatever with the Barber Asphalt
company.
It is probable that the council will
reject all bids received, and instruct
the city clerk to readvertise. There is
no great haste necessary about award
ing the repair contract, and the coun-
cilmen are generally favorable to Civ
ing all the paving companies a fair
deal
Councilman Bergundtha1 said today:
Il was one of those who did not know
what the resolution was about which
the council passed eight days ago, au-
thorizing the city clerk to advertise for
bids for repairing the asphalt pave
ments. I certainly shall oppose any
plan to award the contract for repairs
when only eight days were given for re-
ceiving bids. 1 shall favor any plan
which viii give the city clerk lnstruc-
tions to advertise for new bids, which
shall be opened at the May meeting of
the council. I think the advertisement
should be run for ten days in the Off
cial city paper, and I think that the
Il CHI p, rr444a
further precautiOn, to send a marked
copy of the paper to every asphalt pay
ing company of which he can get the
address. We want a fair deal in this
paving business. It is too big a thing
to be careless about
There are q large number of asphalt
paving concerns, which use various
kinds of American asphalt. Some of
these concerns are owned and con-
trOlled by the Barber company Some are
bona fide antitrust. A list of seven
concerns which advertise in the munich
pal engineering magazines. and which
have no bids in on the Topeka repair
contract, are as follows:
Northern Improvement company,
Madison, Wis.
North American Paving company.
171-178 La Sale street, Chicago, Ill.
Globe Asphalt company, 405 Blackwell
building, Pittsburg, Pa.
Federal Asphalt company, Chicago,
Illinois
Interstate Construction company TT.
Wayne, Ind
New Century Paving company. Elgin.
Illinois.
Eastern Paving company, Buffalo,
New York
None of these big concerns are rep
resented in Topeka's competitive bid
ding simply because not enough time
was given for them to submit bids
even if they had so desired.
JOHN BRADLEY'S STATEMENT
In the State Journal Thursday it wSs
stated that J. Bradley of this city had
made a generally favorable report on the
condition of the asphalt pavement in
Topeka for the Barber company, for which
work he is said to have received a fee
of 5000. Mr.. Bradley says he did not
receive any fee. Mr.. Bradley says:
In your last nights issue you quote
me as making report Of the condition
of the asphalt streets in the city of To-
peka for the Barber Asphalt company.
and receiving for the same the sum Of
5000.
7 did make such a report and sent it
to f. p Demarest, manager of the
Barber company in Kansas City, Mo,
but never received one cent from him
or any other person for the report,
neither did he ever acknowledge the re-
ceipt Of the same by writing. I am glad
to give you a copy of that report as
we'll as the letter which I wrote to
Demarest. which l wish you would pub
lish. Some time later James NcCabe,
city engineer Of Topeka, came into my
office and asked me if I had made such
a report l told him I had and gave
him copy to read He looked it over
and said, Well that is fair report
You must bear in mind that this report
was made when the streets had been re-
paired by the Barber company, so as to
leave them. at the end of their contract,
in good shape"
The letter, of which Mr. Bradley has
a letter press copy, is as follows:
s'E. Z. Demarest, Esq.
Dear Sir: I looked over contract and
maintenance bond of B. A. P. Co and
city of Topeka and send you the most
important points in it. 1 also examined
every foot Of pavement (asphalD there
is in Topeka, and send you a truthful
and unbiased report on same. I would
prefer not to be brought into any con-
trOversy with the city Of Topeka in any
manner or form as this is my home and
make my living from the patronage
of the inhabitants or this city Hoping
this will meet your approval. am yours
truly, JOHN BRADLEY
THE REPORT
The report made by Mr.. Bradley was
as follows:
NORTH TOPEKA
All on Jackson street from Thomas
lumber yard north, in good shape.
Laurent street from Kansas avenue to
Jackson street, good.
Gordon street from Jackson to kan
sas avenue, good.
Quincy street from railroad track
CUnion Pacific) north as far as pave
ment runs, in pretty fair shape, some
cracks and few holes"
Kansas avenue north from bridge as
far as pavement goes, good
SOUTH TOPEKA
Kansas avenue from Crane street to
Rock Island depot. good.
Kansas avenue from Crane to First
street, fairly good
Kansas avenue from First to Third
street, good
Third street from Kansas avenue to
..,....e....z