The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-12
MR.. CURRIER EXPLAINS
PURCHASE OF CURBING
Street Commissioner Gives Same Facts
and Figures in Regard to
Same.

Mr.. Editor VIII you allow me little
space for q few words on the paving ques-
tion. / deem this advisable in view OF
the fact that both Of the local dailies have
made mention of this matter In a way
which was more or less misleading, and
also in view Of the communication from
Donald smith, published In the Evening
Telegram OF May Sih, which leaves the
subject IN worse mix up than ever, as it
contains incorrect and misleading state
ments. If | remember correctly in all the
newspaper discussion of this matter and
in its discussion at a recent city meeting,
j have been given full credit or discredis
for the purchase of paving made by the
city The facts are, these purchases were
made in accordance with the unanimous
judgment OF the whole board Of street com.
lmissoners, after what we considered care
full deliberation, and under good advice
from those in whom we had confidence /
make this statement not to relieve myself
from credit or discredit In the matter, but
simply to let the public know / am not act
ing alone IN this matter. Whether the
street commissioners made a mistake or
not when they purchased paving for S34
per thousand on the cars at quarry Will
appear later. In regard to this commune
cation | must take full responsibility, as
the other two members of the board of
street commissioners are not in the state
at this writing. If state anything but
facts they will correct me.
! About the middle Of last March a man
came into the Office OF the street depart
ment and introduced himself to me and
said he was paving cutter and that he
and two Of his friends had about 10000
| paving block which he should like to sell
| the city. He informed me that these
| 10000 blocks were what they had made
! since last November when they had stop
ped working for Eagan and Morse who
would not furnish them work in the win
| ter. They we're anxious to get their mon
! ey out Of the blocks. He said he had Of
feFed to sell the blocks to Eagan at $50 90
per thousand which was to be the prevail
| ing price this year, and that Eagan had
refused to pay them that price. We ask
ed him what he would sell the blocks to
the city for and guarantee them all good
blocks. He said S35. that he could not
afford to sell them to the city as cheap as
to Eagan as he must lose time in coming
down here to sell his blocks, to get his
I pay, to see them all loaded and to stand
the shrinkage If there were any culls
found in them
About two weeks later the commission
ers decided to make the purchase and /
closed the trade at S34. after spending
one half day in going to the quarry /
know full well that we were paying Mr..
Cameron $50 on 10000 paving blocks for
the items above mentioned We are still
looking for any one who viii furnish any
man as good blocks at less price OF even
al the same price. If 81 80 on thousand
paving blocks is too much for what Mr..
Cameron did Why does not some one come
4 forward who Is willing 10 do it for less9
/ We advertised for bids on $4,000 paw.
ling. Two bids were received for them on
| the cars at quarry, both made on the basis
OF the same size block which.we purchased
from Mr. Cameron. They were Morse
and Eagan $50 and Mr. Grant $500 one
4 S. and the other S400 more than the
street commissioners paid Mr. Cameron
The other bid which we received was for
block from Z II to deep land on the
! ground where tt was to be used at $50 per
thousand. Morse and Eagans bid for the
same block was $40 at quarry.
| hardly know why the Albany price of
paving was drawn into this discussion ex-
cept that both Mr.. Eagan and Donald
Smith told me that the price Ia Albany
was to be s65 per thousand this year and
that the price here would be figured on
that basis. Using Mr.. Smiths date what
would paving cost at Albany? Cost load
ed at quarry $500 plus freight TO Barre
city $500, plus freight from Barre city to
Albany SIS, or s57.10 II sold at $50 in
Albany, the j0bbers' profit is $3.50 per
thousand, the same jobbers want, as is
shown BY their bid, $500 profit for it load
ed on the cars at the quarry. These same
men have told me they were not In busi-
ness for their health, which | believe to
be true,
Why do we bring the paving from the
hill now and dump in on the meadow?
Simply because we believe it advisable to
have a small supply in the city to keep
the PAYERS busy in case Of delay in get
ting cars from the hill after the work is
commenced. These paving we expect will
cost on the street as follows: loaded on
cars, S34, freight $500 unloading s 95
trucking 81 55, total S44 TO-
Now lust a word In regard to the gener-
osity OF II. Il. Smith AZ Co.. company
composed Of two Of our shrewdest, bright
est and most highly esteemed business
men, men Of means and with all, mighty
good fellows
What is 1t this Co. will give the city
free? Is it free paving? Not quite that
VIII they furnish it to the city at 325
/ per NJ, the same price they are selling it
to Morse and Eagan? MOI But they VIII
give the city the privilege of carrying
away portion Of the grout heap free. Is
this grout under derrick2 MOI Isit BY
the side Of the r r. track? No! win
they sharpen tools for the cityg Nol
viii they let the city put paving cutters
on the quarry on the same conditions that
Morse and Eagan have? Mo- Why not2
Because they don't want tol How do
know all this2 Because Donald Smith
has told me so within ten days II this
company wants to be generous to the city
and without losing dollar why don't it
do what it told Abram Mann it would do
only a short time since, i. e., Furnish an
the paving it wants and as it wants 1t at
S32 per thousand blocks You are good
business men but | DO not see, just now,
how the city can take any Of your grout
heap as a donation. Most quarrymen pay
a littio IN kaVa frrag4f vauanvad