Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-31
LET'S LIMIT THE PRICE.
Mo-, Limits Price IL
Observation-Disclosures Letters.

The city engineer of Independence,
Mo-, writes today that concrete paw
Ing with d crushed stone wearing sur
face was laid in his city last year at
a cost of $50 per square yard, which
he said included to 10 cents for cost
Of grading. A study of his specif1ca-
tions reveals the fact that this city
made the same mistake which our city
council will make if it fails to amend
it's proposed specifications, viz: in
specifying formula which some one
firm controls, thereby permitting that
firm to dictate the price, however, they
took the precaution at independence
to add a clause to their specifications
providing Price for said pavement
shall not exceed $3.50 per square yard"
This was too much for the thickness Of
pavement specified but evidently was
agreed with the contractor since the
contract was let at the outside figure
named. eN
However, the independence specifi-
cations offer one good suggestion when
they call for wearing surface con
sisting Of one part by, measure Of
Portland cement, one part by measure
of small size stone and one part by
measure OF small ssfze stone and sand.
etc" This would let the. granitoid fell
low In without keeping everybody else
out. Any hard stone could be used, and
Inc patented formula required. No one
has any objection to granitoid IL there
is no monopoly price. The granitoid
fellows ought to come forward with an
open guarantee of their price.
For instance, the assistant inspecting
engineer of the Universal Portland
Cement Company writes in answer to
an inquiry for specifications for an
ideal pavement saying that the cost of
using granite in the wearing surface,
which is granitoid, would be $1.20 per
square yard in Marshalltown, with ce-
ment at s1.30 per barrel, sand at $3.50
per cubic yard. gravel at $1.1s per
cubic yard and labor at 20 cents per
hour. He also says that $3.50 per
square yard should be the outside fig
ure for a granite top pavement, includ-
Ing contractors profits. Other contrac-
tors say that Is cents above net cost
Of labor ana material, or in this case
s1.35, is sufficient margin. But taking
the Universal Cement Company's fig
ures for 1t, why not specify that gram
itoid shall not exceed $3.50 in price
This would avoid the $1.75 to 50 pre-
dicted. Then why not open up the
specifications for crushed gravel as is
used successfully in many Of the larg-
est cities in the United States?
That some amendment is needed is
evidenced by a letter received today
from a contractor who has done some
paving in Marshalltown before. A
brief copy Of the city's proposed speci-
sent him to which he replies, saying:
II would say that 1t has the ear marks
of being favorable to some certain par
ties, or in other words, the tendency
| would be to curtail legitimate compe-
tition, rather than inviting unre-
stricted competition which the statutes
Of Iowa intend that every contract let
should have attached to it; and 1t is
| my opinion that the specifications re-
ferred to In your letter are OF such a
nature that they would not get the
lowest price Bid for the construction of
1.-THE same, and If they should be so
changed as to make free and unre-
stricted competition, your city would
Feceive q much lower bid
Any councilman, tho he be honestly
Iprejudiced In favor OF granitoid, should
be willing to protect property owners
with specifications that will permit
free competition among bidders There
I Is nothing secret about any of these
letters. any councilman or property
owner can see them at the T.-R. Of
flee.