Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-29
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Mayor Calls for a Test of Paving
Brick Before Signing Contract.
RESULT MAY OCCASION VETO
Shamrock Athletic Club Pulls on n
Mixed Card of Boxing, Wrest-
ling and other Athletic
Sports.

After having asked the council in the
matter of the paving contract of West l.
street to walt for a test of the materials
used in the paving before awarding the
contract, the mayor refused yesterday
morning TO complete the contract without
making a test OF the paving brick to be
used by the two bidders.
Accordingly a test of the brick was made
at Twentieth and Nicholas streets. This
resulted, it is stated, in demonstrating that
the C~offeyviIle brick stood the test better
than the Purington block.
According to the resolution passed in the
city council Tuesday evening the contract
was awarded to the National Construction
| company on the ground that the council
considered the Purington block the better
Therefore the mayor will ask the council
to reconsider it's action. Whether the coun-
Gil will refuse and compel the mayor TO
veto the resolution is a matter of specula-
ton.
The test of the brick was made in the
presence OF both contractors and under the
supervision of the mayor and city clerk.
One good effect of recent competition is
shown I'm a reduction in the bidding from
sea to $3.50 per yard.
Contract May BE Blocked.
The contract for paving L street in South
Omaha may be tied up in the courts by
reason of recent developments. Although
Hugh Murphy was the low bidder the
council let the contract to the National
Construction company at a higher figure
and now Mayor Koutsky refuses to sign
the contract. Andrew Rosewater, city en-
gineer of Omaha, was asked to make a re-
port on the relative merit OF the different
having bricks ana has submitted the follow
ing report to Mayor Koutsky:
In compliance with request of Mr.. George
W. Roberts, city engineer of your city,
have this date made what IS known as
RATHER tests of ten Coffeyville Vitrlfied
paving blocks, weighing elgnlyiIwo PounGs
simultaneously with nine burlington VIII
fled blocks, weighing elghty-two POUNDS
Those present were Messrs. Frank hout-
sky, mayor of South Omaha; George w.
Roherts- city engineer OF South Omaha; j.
j. Gillen, city clerk OF south Omaha, T. X
Bling, assistant city engineer OF Lincoln
Scott King OF the NatlonaI CohStrucIIoh
company; George Parks, president NatlonaI
Construction company, George Muntoe,
manager for Hugh Murphy; Andrew itoss-
water, city, engineer OF Omaha' - j.
ment of Omaha; Dean Noyes, superinlend-
ent Of asphalt repair plant OF Omaha
George Redman in charge Of yards anu d
# e e e Il ad n a sta I'd. r Il u lie
O.. sI,u .at..cI vita 3O pUunLs VI snOs
in each chamber consisting OF TWO Sizes
Seyenty-ffve pounds consisted of ten pieces
WeiRhing seven and onc-half pounds each
and the remaining 20 pounds, consisting OF
one and one-half inch cubes each weiSh,
ing seven-eighths OF a pound as prescribed
I'M the standard for Tattler test, adopted
by the National Brick Manufacturers as
ISOLATION. The RATHER was operated con-
tinuously for one hour at the rate OF thirty
revolutions per minute, or l,s0o revolutions
in all.
The results Of said tests are as follows:
Toss Of weight of the Purington block was
fourteen pounds, making a loss OF l1.O'
per cent.