The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-05

four different brands of asphalt they
would not agree to furnish them Bsr-
l1aa1dez; that it was against their policy
20 furnish asphalt to a company bid
ding on other grades than Bermudez-
The answer was returned that only one
bid would be entered and that on Ber-
mudez-then came the coup d etat Of
the rehners by referring them to the
Trinidad-C Cleveland com pany.
The action of the local paving conS-
pany was of considerable surprise to a
large number of the couneilmen- As
soon as the envelope which the speci-
hcations filed by the Topeka Paving
company as a bid was opened an at
tempt was made to withdraw it by
City Attorney F. G. Dreaming. The
committee of telIers announced to the
councilmen who asked why the To-
peka Paving company's bid was not
made known that no bid had been
made nor certified check fled
We put it in just as kind of
bluff" said G. E. Jewell of the Topeka
Paving company. when we found that
we would not be able to get our as
phalt except from a rival concern
Didding we gave it up. We expected to
bid only on Bermudez and nothing else.
We talked of the other because we
thought it might help them believe that
we would really bid. That's the reason
we didn't say anything and put in this
envelope. We thought that it might
have tendency to keep down the
prices. If it had got out that we
weren't going to bid this. evening the
bids would have gone sky high
For ways that are devious as well as
dexterous the asphalt paving business
is past master. 1t looks very much
as If the Topeka Paving company had
been ripe fruit on the Dough all along
and that several hands aided in the
plucking. There is even some question
that c. A. Proctor, the unprejudiced
/ asphalt expert from Detroit engaged
by the Topeka Paving company to ad-
in the business for a number Of years
and well versed in the tactics of the
| asphalt companies. He never advised
the local company that it might be hard
to get the asphalt at reasonable fig
ure. When he was apprised of con-
ditions he said that he had never had
any trouble in getting it for Detroit
and was surprised. c. E. Jewell said,
Mr.. Proctor says he never had any
trouble and that's the reason I sup
we might have difficulty"
Proctor got a very nice little retain
er to advise and consult with the local
paving company and succeeded in tell
ing them whole lot which they were
unable to put into practical operation.
He was asked to appear at the council
, meeting Monday and advise with the
committee of tellers. He failed to put
in his appearance and sent telegram
that the samples of asphalt should be
sent to him at Detroit for his recon-
mendation. All of which tends to the
same opinion that Proctor was not the
18-carat quality which he should have
been and that the local paving COM
pany was misled
The bids as they were entered last
night follow:
Kansas Bitulithic company = Acme
asphalt, $1.39; reset stone blocks, 171k
cents; new curbing, $1.24; old curbing
reset. "A cents.
Barber Assault ompany-Trinidad
asphalt, 1929; reset stone blocks, 80
cents; new curbing, $1.0O; old curbing
reset, 25 cents.
/ Barber Asphalt company-Buena Wis
ia asphalt, Sly; reset stone blocks. 90
cents; new curling, $1.o0; old curbing
reset, % cents.
Trinidad company Peer
less Bermuda asphalt, $1.3715; reset
stone blocks, $1.46; new curbing, $1.00;
old curbing reset, Is cents
Eanley & Ritchie-C California asphalt
/ $102: reset stone blocks. $1.10; new
curbing, 1928; old curbing reset SO
cents ee~e a8 7
Parker Washington company-Cali-
fornia asphalt, $1.18; Bermudez asphalt
$1.45; reset stone blocks, 81. 25; new curb
ing. rs cents; old curbing reset, 20 cents.
The situation in which the Topeka
/ Paving company found itself involved
was explained to the council in a letter
| signed by Jonathan Thomas, president
| of the company. The letter follows:
The Topeka Asphalt Paving com
pany, that was duly organized for the
1 purpose of bidding on the paving OF
/ Kansas avenue with asphalt, at a meet
ing held today decided not to bid OF
same for the following reasons: The
company went into this matter in good
faith, having previously written deal
ers in the different asohalts and based
/ its faith on the answers to such letters
which would have enabled them t
have made a bid. When it became q
matter of business they learned tc
their regret that the different refineries
had companies that intended them
selves to bid on the work of repavins
/ Kansas avenue and they could only
/ get a price on such asDhalts as they
wished to use from such competing
companies, which price would not en-
able them to feel justified in making
any bid for the work.
'"They feel that If they should make
a bid even at a guess, and be given the
| contract, the companies would refuse
afterwards to sell them the material
at a price that would justify them
1 They have prices on ordinary grades
of asphalt, such as they hope and
trust will not be used in the repavine
4 of the avenue and which they do not
feel justified in making the bid upon