Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-12
THE GRAVEL FAMINE
CAUSE OF LIVELY CONTEST OVER
CONTRACT.
The Construction of Cement Sidewalks
Giving the Commissioners Con-
siderable Trouble.

The scarcity of gravel In the District OF
Columbia available for concrete work SO
nearly approaching "A famine has precipi-
tated lively fight at the District building
IN connection with the award OF the con-
tract for the construction of cement side
walks during the current fiscal year The
principals in the contest that is on have
been prominent at the District building for
the past several days and have been in
constant communication and consultation
with the Commissioners generally. and the
engineer department officials in particular.
The gravel famine has reached the serious
stage now. and in view of the demand for
the material brought about by the great
projects of public Improvement under way
at the present time and to be undertaken
next spring the Commissioners look
ing carefully into the matter before maxi
ing award for the District work.
The contest for the cement sidewalk con-
tract is participated in by the Coiburn
Paving Company and the Crawford Paving
Company, both local concerns. The Gran
ford company is the older concern and has
held many District contracts. The Col
burn company had the cement sidewalk
work for one year and claims that never
a complaint was entered against its work.
When the bids for the cement sidewalk
work were opened. it found that the
two concerns were tied on one class OF
work. while the Colburn companys bid
was a shade lower on the second class. 1t
is stated that on the basis of work done
ir past years. the aggregate difference be-
tween the two bids is but 81. HOO.
In specifying the class of material to be
used in the concrete foundations for walks.
the Commissioners called for the use Of Po-
tomaC river washed gravel or gravel IN
every respect good as the best Potomac
river pebbles 1t is stipulated that the
gravel must be free from dust. dirt. chips,
leaves and other foreign substance or OBJ
Jectonable matter
Crawford Company's Appeal.
Immediately following the opening of the
bids the Crawford company wrote to the
Commissioners arguing that the contract
should be awarded to it. as the company
was in a position to furnish the necessary
gravel at once. The company referred to
the gravel situation in the District. stating
that the facts We're well known by the en-
gfneer department. 1t was further claimed
that by the facility with which the COM
pany could carry on the work. the District
and the property owners would be saved
much more than the sl.400 difference in the
amounts bid. The Crawford company
claims to own some of the most fertile
gravel pockets in this section.
The Commissioners. through the acting
Engineer Commissioner, Capt. II. c. New
conner, called upon the Colburn Company
for statement as TO its proposed gravel
supply Mr.. +. B. Hay, president of the
latter company, has been in consultation
almost daily with the Commissioners since
company under the rule of accepting the
lowest responsible bid and has asserted
the ability Of the company TO carry out the
contract. The Colburn Company proposes
! to use gravel taken from gravel banks in
| the eastern section of the District. They
| claim for this gravel that 1t was once a
part of the Potomac river bed and that
| when cleaned it will come up to eXpecta-
| tons. The Commissioners directed Mr.. c.
B. Hunt, the engineer of highways, to visit
the gravel holdings of the Colburn Com
pany and to report as far as he could from
a purely superficial survey of the land.
Capt. Newcomer stated this afternoon
that the award of the contract is still be-
ing held up on account of the gravel ques-
ton and that decision would probably
not be reached COR several days.
Reservation of Rights.
Where all conditions equal the Com
raissioners generally award contracts to the
lowest bidders In all specifications. how
ever they insert a paragraph which reads:
The Commissioners reserve the right to
reject any and all bids or parts of bids and
to make the award in such manner as they
consider best for the interests of the Dis
trct of Columbia"
The sidewalk work in the District is paid
cne-half by the property owners whose lots
the pavement abuts and one-half by the
District of Columbia. Where walks ara
laid at the request of owners the latter are
required to deposit the estimated one-half
cost. In where the work is UNDER
taken on the initiative Of the Commission
ers one-half assessment Is levied against
the property and is paid in three yearly in
StallmentS.
The action of the Commissioners in the
award of the cement contract is being
watched with a great deal of interest by
the building and contracting firms gen.
orally, all of whom have felt the effect.
more or less. of the gravel scarcity.