The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-11
P. !. MORAN IS TO
HAVE COMPETITOR
Acme Asphalt Co., Through
Ogden Firm, Bids for City
Paving.
OFFER is A BIG SURPRISE
BOARD AND CONTRACTORS Ex-
PEcTED NO COMPETITION.

The opening gun has been fired il salt
Lake in the fight between the aspnalt
trust and the Independents, and the flIst
battle Will he decided Friday night Dy
the board of public works in awarding the
contract for the asphalt paving OF IhlIu
South street from State street to Tenth
East street.
P. j. Moran. who has been alone in the
field for three years and has Increased
the price of asphalt paving nearly ~ per
cent is said to be the representative OF
Inc trust i'm Salt Lake. and it was for
this reason that the Barber Asphalt COM
pany pulled out in 1906 and never SUD
mitted a real bid since that time me
Barber Asphalt company IS one Oh the
MAN companies in the asphalt trust, ana
does practically all of. the asphalt WorA
IN the east. go
The Barber company has submitted
few bids during the last three years, put
thew have always been ridiculOusly hlgh
aud have shown no desire on the part Of
that company to enter the local Ilel1 i
against Mr.. Moran. For the paving OF
Third South street, for instance the Bar
her company's bid was nearly SlO,OO more
than that of Moran. There IS slOIy
among the contractors that Moran pay ;
the Barber company a bonus to keep out
of the local field. some of them placing
the amount at S25 600 a year, TO give the
local contractor a clear field here
New Company Bids.
The independent company, which has
been making inrOads on the trust an
through the country. IS the acme Asp l1I
Paving company This company IS now
working through Strange & Mcguire. an
ogden firm of contractors, VINO nave
done some sewer work for SAT- Lake QUE
never before submitted a bid for paving
They are being used by the Acme com
pany to start the fight here. -.
Strange & Mcguire filed a bid of Sl4l 80
for the paving of Third South street la9
Friday night against Sl64.392.So for r J.
Moran. the nearest competitor. Inc blo
OF the Barber company was about SIiSU9
The fact that Moran had been uhderplu-
den and that there was again 10 De Ied
competition I'm the field fell ike Doull
among members of the board OF WORKS
and the awarding Of the contract was pu
off until Friday night of this week
Ii is said on authority that II the Ach,
CorlDanv, through Strange < Mcguire, i
awarded the contract, the company VII
Immediately build a 5000 plant IN 81
lake and will enter the field mere IN al
rect competition to Moran. the preseh
program calls for the asphalt paving o
Ninth East street from South Iempi'
street to the city limits; the paving .
Main street from Ninth South to Twelfth
South the paving of West temple suSt
from Ninth South to Tenth South IN
paving of Twelfth South street from Man
TO Thirteenth East. ana other Silialle
fohs making a total of more than /
miles for the year of 1910. 1t VIII o.
seen. therefore that the flght oetWeei
the asphalt companies will he an interest,"
ing one and will mean great reduction
in the cost Of paving.
Offer Big Surprise.
The bid Of the ogden firm came as
sunrise to every contractor in the city
as there had been no intimation that IN
independent company intended enterlni
the Salt Lake field. which had been $
completely tied up by Moran. Moran dl
tho work we'll and quickly. and there wa
little protest against the increased pric
which he charged. Besides which he ha
made his money here, and. has spent man
thousands of dollars in building an as
phalt works.
Had there been any suggestion OF com
Detition. no doubt Moran would have Gu
his figure down and would have gone [
tbp mat with the competing company
other companies sent in bids, but OWN
to their small plants, the work Woui
have been almost an impossiolhty 70
them.
The present situation is a novel one
The result of the first skirmish VIII o
known Friday night when the board Q
works awards the contract for the paw
ing Of Third South street On the Frl
dav night following, Nov 10. bids vi
be opened for the paving OF Ninth Las
street from South Temple street 10 IN
city limits. which will cost in the neigf
borhood of Sl25O00. perhaps more. Al TN
time too it is probable the firm c
Strange * Mcguire viii submit a bid, ac
ing for the Acme company. and II is cel
tain that Moran, approaching TINS, WI
mi in 4 low bid.