The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-19
RICHIE SAID NO
Wouldn't Take More Paving at
City Prices.
Santa Fe Finds Out Something
About Contracts.
CUT THROAT PRICES
Contractors Feud Keeps City
Figures Down.
Total Cost of This Years Pave
ment Over $4,000.

one of the first things that happened
to John Richie, the Topeka paving
contractor, the morning after the city
let its paving contracts last Monday
night, was a summons to come up to
the office of the chief engineer of the
Santa Fe at the general offices.
Il understand" said the chief engi-
neer to Mr.. Richie, that you have
been awarded by the city the contract
for paving Adams street in front of
our new freight depot"
That is true, 1 guess said Mr..
Richie. He bid s115 on the job
1t is our plan" continued the chief
engineer, ito hayA all the space be-
tween the street and the depot. for
the full length of the depot, paved as
the street is paved, and we presume it
will be more convenient for the same
man who paved the street to do the
work on our land, too. You would be
willing, I suppose'-and the engineer
temptingly dangled 1000 worth of
work before Mr.. Ritchie's eyes-"to do
this job at the same rate you get from
the city?"
mot on your life" exclaimed Mr..
Richie, beginning to move toward the
door I wouldn't touch it at that fig
ure. Give it to somebody else at that
price,
Why, this is surprising" said the
\ chief engineer. Cant you afford to
do our work as cheap as you do the
city's?"
mo, sir said Mr. Richie. THAT
price made to the city is the result of
a fight between contractors. 1 won't
make a cent on work at that figure. I
do it for the city at that rate Just to
keep the other fellows from getting it.
But when 1 do work for the Santa Fe,
I expect to make some profit on it,
Mr.. Richie offered to take the
! Santa Fe's job at $1-3O, which is Is
cents per square yard more than his
! bid on the city work. After consider
| able dickering the Santa Fe accepted
the terms. Mr.. Richie will do the
Santa Fe job at S1.30 per square yard.
1t is said that there is no other
| town in the state which is getting
the kind of brick pavement which
/ Topeka is getting for less than S1.30
per square yard. Ever since the 1909
| contracts were let the Topeka con-
tractors claim they have made no
money. The reason is that there is a
/ stated by Mr. Richie to Chief Engi-
neer Morse of the Santa Fe. Each of
the feudists is willing to lay pavement
| at cost just for the fun of throwing
| the harpoon into the other fellow.
Topeka's pavement prices are GER
tainly low This applies chiefly to the
paving itself, and not to the grading,
curbing, or other extras During 1893
1903 and 1904, all street paving has
been laid for less than $1.2O. A few
alleys have gone a little over that but
not very much.
The cost of grading has shown ten
dency to advance during the past four
years. 1t reached the low point in 1902
when most of the work was done at
20% cents per cubic yard. 1t was
about 1 cent lower this year than it
was last Grading goes up or down
depending on the amount of competi-
ton. Last year there was so much
work throughout the country that
there was practically no competition
for the city work. The result was
higher prices.
Colorado sandstone curbing has just
about held it's own during the past
four years, while Fort Scott blue sand
stone has advanced from 40 cents per
ineal foot to so cents per lineal foot.
The cost of iron crossing plates has
been hammered down from $3.50 in
1901 to S525 this year. The cost of
catch basins has also been steadily
cut.
The following table shows the com
parative prices of grading, paving. etc.
for the past four years, the high and
low columns showing the highest
and lowest prices for the contracts