The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-21
DOWN TO BED ROCK
Mr.. Bradley Would Repaye
Kansas Avenue Cheap.
Offers to Do the Work for So
Cents Yard.
CALIFORNIA PRODUCT.
Proposes to Use This in the
Repairs.
Mayor davis Is Pleased With
the Proposition.

An offer to pave Kansas avenue for
IS cents per square yard, using Cali
fornia asphalt, has been made.
John Bradley, the asphalt contractor,
made an informal offer to Mayor w. III.
Davis this morning to enter into a. con-
tract with the city to resurface Kansas
avenue. using California asphalt. -.Mal
tina" brand, which costs SIT per ton.
But before he will agree to accept
such contract he wants to have the
assurance that all the repairing which
is to be done ON the remaining asphalt
pavement is to be let to him on basis
of the same price Il can't afford to
put in plant which will cost me about
| $4,000 just to resurface Kansas avenue,
said Bradley Il will have to have the
guarantee of more work. This Cali
fornia asphalt is a good asphalt and has
had considerable use. Brooklyn has AZ
blocks paved with this kind of asphalt
and it has given good service there. L
would like to patch up some OF these
holes on the other streets just to show
you what can be done with this kind of
material. 1t won't cost much either. |
think that Harrison street could be fix
ed up at small expense"
Il think that is very reasonable
OFFER said Mayor H. Davis as he
examined a sample of the asphalt und ar
question. 81 think that it would be
great deal better to award a contract
at such a price than to buy q municipal
asphalt plant That's really the best
news that have heard yet this morn
ing 1t is, however, pretty certain that
the people want a city plant which
would make further repairs an easy
problem.
THAT price doesn't include a MAIN
tenance bond, however" was suggested.
81 couldn't of course put down that
pavement at that price and furnish
maintenance bond,' returned Mr., Brad
ley 81 don't care to say anything about
that now. / of. course would have to
charge something additional for fur
nishing such a bond. how much 1 don't
know,
We'll, I don't care very much for a
maintenance bond,'' said the mayor
when his attention was called to this
feature. Il would Just as soon have
the pavement put down without such a
bond as with it. We can hire a good
man as an inspector to go along with
the work and keep watch on it and see
that it is laid properly. That will fur
nish the protection to the eity's in
terestS.''
City Engineer McCabe is a believer
in maintenance bonds. "As rule
5 year maintenance bond is but little
dearer than simply letting the contract
without such a feature said he. 1.-The
expense of repairs doesn't come until
after the fifth year. about the seventh
usually, and for this reason the con-
tractors don't ask very much addi-
tional for such a bond, if any For 4
ten year maintenance bond, the kind
that they usually give now, the con-
tractors usually tack on from to 5
cents per year, making it about from
80 to 40 cents. placed the maximum
with such bond at $1.75. However,
In making my specifications for bids
have made them on a basis of a ten
year maintenance bond, or a 5 year
maintenance bond or without This
will enable the contractors to bid
either way as they desire. The feature
which is to be recommended in 5
year guarantee is that the city is pro-
tected against any risks involved in
burning the asphalt
A test will be made of the contract
which the Barber Asphalt company
has with the city to do the repairing
of the asphalt pavements in the city.
The Barber companys contract price
for repairs is $3.50. But Bradley
agrees to make repairs of the pave
ment on Harrison for IS cents.
Mayor w. II. Davis said: 81 expect
to recommend to the council that the
repairs of Harrison street be made and
that Bradley be given the work. This
will give us an opportunity to find out
if the Barber company expects to do
anything in the way of injunction pro-
ceedings or whether they will let US go
on with the resuffacing of Kansas
avenue