The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-17
HIGH BIDDERS
GET No SHARE
Of PAVING
Engineering Department
Denies FaVoritiSm
Charge.

IN reply to the published statement
appearing In a local morning paper TO
the effect that ''in the face OF a vigor-
Gus protest, embodying the charge that
It would be an act OF fayoritism and
against the foFcible objection entered
Of record b one OF their own number.
the District Commissioners have set a
rather remarkable precedent ia the mat
ter or contracting for street work" il
being alleged that the lowest bidder
does not get the contract, but only half
OF Il, the other half going 10 a higher
bidder. II IS em1hatcally denied today
BY the engineering department cf the
District that the contract in question
had been let, or that there would be anv
favoritism" shown In the final award
ins Of the contract.
It is pointed out that the staranert
that there is a vigorous protest enbodv-
ing the charge of favoritism is without
basis OF fact, that the only protestant in
the case is the Brennan Construction
Company, who were given a hearing be-
lore the Board OF Commissioners recent
" when The merits OF the Brennan
COmpany's bids were reviewed. but no
charge at that time was suggested that
favoritism would enter into the letting
Of the contract.
Contract Aggregating 100000.
1t is further shown that contract az
gregatng something Ike 500. 90 was let
TO the Brennan Construction Company for
the paving OF Pennsylvania avenue and
others Of the streets Of the city: that
the contract for asphalt paving and Vi
trifled brick guttering. which is in ques-
ton. is a small one, only amounting 10
something ike $4,000, completely explod-
ing the statement that the Commission
ers desire 10 show favoritism in this
small contract
One Of the contracts provides for the
.eylns OF sheet asphalt paving in con
J0euon with UluIue0 brick gathering
while the other contract IS TOR shest
asphalt only. The Crawford Paving
Company is the lowest bidder for the
W9rk OF laying the asphalt and brick,
While the Brennan Company is the low
est bidder tcr the asphalt work without
Ihe VlTtned brick II has been recon-
menOed that the Crawford COMPANY he
given the asphalt and brick work and
lne Brennan company the asphalt Work
Ine latter company insists that Fhev
are the lowest responsible bidders and
should have all the work. Engineer
commissioner Biddle and Commissioner
MacTartand are disposed 10 award uhe
contract as they appear On their face TO
che lowest bidder for the two classes 81
work as Indicated above. Commissioner
West laVors giving the entire work 10
ne Brennan Company.
Difference Of Less Than s3oo.
The sum involved is only about $50
CO., and the difference in the bids OF
the two concerns is less than $500. ret
the majority OF the Board Of Commits
sioners believe that they should award
the two contracts separately so as TO
save TO the District this small sum
70 the lowest bidder is their policy
and when the two bids are considered
separately they firmly contend that the
Crawford company should have the as
and the Brennan company the other.
1t IS admitted that the entrance OF
the Brennan Construction Company into
competition for the street paving has
been the means OF reducing the cost to
the District OF its paving work and
large saving annually, but Il IS cen
tended that that does not give Il a right
20 expect aEo secure ali OF the work
or the city, driving out al competition
Wn!oc would enable that company or
any similarly situated concern to be-
come masters OF the situation and ad-
vance the price OF paving at Will after
legitimate competition had been driven
from the field.
ElAak &tAtll Oo4aAt4AAsst4IEE 1lQlkE. IN an
sWer 70 the suggestion made By the
Brennan Company AT the hearing OF
the ceEe, the4 the asphalt work IN its
entirety be given &c tnat company and
the laying OF tho brick gutterinE to
the CRAWFORD Company, says such
proposition la iTnpra eticabio. aa such an
Arrangement would bring Ia conflict two
contracting hrmG working at the sana
time OF q section OF street doing dis
tinctiy different work that must OF
time.