Evening journal., 1903-09-28
EXTRA CHARGES
ARE EXPLAINED
Incidentals for Hare's Corner
Road Was Carting Says
President Chandler
COST COUNTY ABOUT $500
Highway Commission and the Levy
Court Each Claim That the Other
Has Too Much Authority-Either
Could Tie Up Works.

ONN'~% f'~ -
There has been considerable discus
sion Of late among county officials and
citizens in general as to which Of the
two bodies. the Levy Court or the
Delaware State Highway Commission
is vested with the most authority ia
regard to the building Of new roads.
This discussion was brought about b.
remark made by President Horrigsn
at an open meeting Of the Levy Court
last week at which time he said IL the
Levy Court was going to ignore tn,
Highway Commission the time may
come when the commission will ignore
the Levy Court
The court rejected the bids for thu
proposed new Elsmere road and It was
this that Mr. Horrigan had reference
to when he made the remark. As II is
understood the Highway Commission
favored awarding the contract to one
of the bidders, many people claim the
court ignored the commission by re-
jecting the proposals, and those inter.
ested are anxiously awaiting to see II
Mr.. Horrigan carries out his threat ana
attempts to ignore the Levy Court.
The powers vested In these two bod
les in the awarding of contracts FOR
new highways are very peculiar. Under
/ the act creating the Delaware STATE
Highway Commission, both the Levy
Court and the commission has to ap.
prove contract before IL can be
awarded For instance. II the Levy
Court considers that bids are too high
they can reject them. on the other
hand, if the court should receive what
it would consider very reasonable bids
for a road. II would have to get the
approval of the Highway Commission
before il could give out the work. II Is
probable to this clause that Mr.. Horri'
gan had reference to when he threat.
4 ened to ignore the court. AS it Is wei
known that there Is not the best o
\ feeling between some Of the members
/, OF both bodies, clash may occur a
any time and then one side could hol
the other up as long as IL desired, O
(, funtii changes were maue in the act ere
ating the Highway Commission.
Want More Authority.
Some members OF the court thin
= they should have more authority owe
/, the work after a contract is awarded
They argue that as the court pays 70
the work they should have some sa,
about it. AS il is the Levy Court Com
/, lmissioners have practically no author
/, ity over the work after II Is started.
why Women SIM" which recently wa
Reason for extra charging on2-CI
The impression has got out thai
there has been considerable extra
charges by the contractors in the worl
2 on the Hare's Corner road, but this Is
! denied by President Chandler Of the
Levy Court one Of the items that has
j been mentioned as an extra charge i,
carting. Mr.. Chandler. in explaining
this, said that the contract for tn,
Hare's Corner road states that tn,
binder OF filler is TO be used out of To-
cal material If suitable. and that ther,
win be no extra charge to the county
If the binder is within half a mile OF
the road. The binder being used Is
more than half a mile from the road
land the contractors are charging II
cents a yard for hauling, which vii
probably amount to about $500 extra
Dissatisfied With Grade.
Several members Of the Levy Cour
have been dissatisfied with the grad,
on the Hare's Corner road. and IL /.
understood that this was also the prin'
cipal reason for rejecting the bids foi
the Elsmere road.
After making a thorough investiga,
tion Of the road after the plans ha,
been made out by Engineer Carswell
the committee Of the Levy Court decid
ed the grade would not do and said
new profile would have to be made ou
! for a change in the grade. The engi
neer said the contractors. if a new pro
file was made out would charge s6S
extra for the additional grading. TIL
committee did not think an extr,
charge should be made and rejected tn
bids.