New-York tribune., 1905-05-25
FOR NEW ASPHALT BIDS.
AhearR's Plan Said to Mean a No
nopoLu for Uralde Com pang.

Borough President Ahearn said yesterday that
he intended TO ask the Board of Estimate to
consent to the throwing out Of all bids for
asphalt paving from companies that MADE pave
nents with asphalt containing less than So per
cent Of bitumen. This, the California asphalt
men say. means a monopoly Of paving IN TINS
city for the Uvalde Asphalt Company.
At the opening of bids for paving in Manhat-
tan. the other day thirteen bids from the AS
phalt Construction Company. Offering TO lay
good pavement with five year guarantee were
thrown out. and the work will be readVertised.
other bids from other companies. offering to do
the work At 81 % the square yard, were ac-
cepted.
II the Borough President is sustained by the
Board of Estimate it means that the paving IN
Manhattan Borough viii be done by the Harlem
Contracting Company, new concern. supposed
10 be backed by Senator Frawley and others,
the Cvalde company. the A /. Barber company
and the Pan-American company
There is nothing TO conceal with reference
20 my position in this asphaiting matter" said
Mr.. Ahearn yesterday. Il Simply shall insist
that the paving laid in this city by asphalt COM
panies must be Of the best and most substantial
character. Mr. WINERY. the engineer OF this
department appointed specially to supervise the
laying Of asphalt. viii not permit asphalt con-
tanning less than 30 per cent Of bitumen TO be
laid. The so-caIled California asphalt being laid
in BROOKLYN al - cents a yard is made Of the
residuum Of California and Texas oil companies
and is Of an Inferior grade. The traffic in this
borough is much heavier than elsewhere. and it
would he a waste Of money to put down an in
ferior grade Of pavement. 1t would not last,
and in short time the city would have TO go to
the expense Of relaying it. 1t is not true that
am trying 10 throw all the business in this bor
ough 20 certain favore5 contractors. I told Nj.
D. l..
why the Asphalt Construction Company's bids
were thrown out. that If they would meet the
Specifications made by oar engineers their bids
would be accepted. but that would not con-
sider them unless their product met our require
meEts
Borough President Littleton of Brooklyn
thinks that the cheaper asphalt is good enough
for that borough, and he is laying a lot Of it
over there. The traffic over there is not
heavy as il is here. and perhaps a cheaper pave
meDt viii answer. The whole subject was
thrashed out before the Board of Estimate
year ago, ana every one Knows that l favor pay
ing more for asphalt and getting better grade
I consider il econOmy in the end 10 dc this
II looks as if the Uvalde company and its
allied interests viii get the bulk Of the Work IN
this borough. 1t is understood that the Harlem
Contracting Company is working in harmony
with the JVaide company and that The asphalt
handled by them comes from lake III Nenez-
ueia controlled by the CVaGe and allied inter
ests. The ngfneers of othe- companies say that
II is absurd TO lay down the requirement that
paving must be made from asphalt carrying %
per cent OF bitumen. asphalt with that quap-
tity Of bitUmeu would be too soft and would not
make a good pavement They assert that
asphalt carrying 80 per cent bitumen is mixed
with SAND and other ingredients to make il Of
a desired hardness and toughness. and that the
California residuum asphalt in it's analysis, is
exactly good the asphalt made from any
Venezuela product.
When Charles T. Murphy was treasurer of the
old Dock Board he gave out orders, without
competitive bidding 10 the U-yalde con1Danv- for
paving worth 100000.