Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-08-26
MIX-UP OVER PAVING
Change In Prices Quoted By
Manufactures TangIes A.
ward OF The Contract
For West Street
Extended
FELDMEYER GETS CONTRACT
City However Will Possibly Change
Brick To Be Used II Present Com.
pany Sticks To Raise

Something of a tangle developed
when the City Council met last
night to award the contract for
paving West street extended, as pro-
vided under the new issue of mu-
nicipal improvement bonds recently
ratified by the voters.
The trouble arose over the fact
that after once quoting the city a
price for furnishing the Bessemer
Block paving brick, the company
controlling this produce claimed that
on account of a miscalculation in
freight rates it had offered the
brick at too low a figure, and
would be unable to furnish it at
the lower figure.
The contract was finally awarded to
William E. Feldmeyer. who was the
lowest bidder, but the award was
made Professionally and the matter
will not be finally settled until the
question of brick prices is finally dis
posed of. This action, was taken after
Counselor Melvin had advised the
Board that such award would not in
validate the contract made.
There were two sets of figures
given, one to pave the street from the
present end of the pavement to the
city limits, and the other set only to
pave to Jefferson streets. These bids
follow:
To Jefferson Street On y-Stehle
e. McGuckian, $7,256. 80; United En-
gineerng and Construction Company,
81, 7,930.15; George Jewell, $6,077.IO;
Vim. E. Feldmeyer, $5,736.52; ID.
M. Andrews, Sc, 452.65
To the City Limits Stehle &
McGuckian, $8,1S3.43; United Engi-
neering and Construction Company,
So, 927. 61; George Jewell, $6,S47.71;
VIM E. Feldmeyer, Sc, 465. So; d. M.
Andrews, 81, ,30279.
When the city determined to ask for
bids. the Engineer had already cor
responded with number of makers
of paving blocks, and had their fig
ures. To save time the Councilmen
authorized him to furnish all the in
formation he had to the various con-
tractors who desired to bid. The
Council then adopted the Bessemer
block at the figure quoted by the max
er, of $24 per 1000, and it was on
this basis that the contractors bid
After the bids were drawn, the
company notified Mr.. Little Of a
mistake in freightage, estimating
that would make this brick cost 81
more per / 900. Mr.. Little, through
this mistake of the manufacturer
given the contractors too low a figure
on which to estimate their bids, felt
that some provision should be made
to protect the contractor. 1t was
over this proposition that the contest
in the Council occurred.
Messrs. Parkinson, of the First
ward, and Myers, of the Third ward,
took the stand that the contractors
should have got the prices from the
maker direct, and that as they did
not, they should "take their medicine"
on the higher price. To this the
majority of the Council demurred, AL
derman Linthicum urging that it was
not fair to the contractors, and that
the city stood not to lose anything
anyhow.
Counselor Melvin agreed that
Messrs. Parkinson and Myers idea
was right TO the extent of being the
strict letter of the law in the matter,
but he thought that there was ques-
tion of good faith and square dealing
concerned, and urged the protection
of the contractor from the loss he
would incur through erroneous fig.
ures furnished the City Engineer by
the maker and by him turned over
to the contractors.
Mayor Strange, Aldermen Zeller,
CLANCY and Thompson, agreed to
finally dispose of the matter the
contract was awarded to Mr.. Field
meyer. This was done, however,
with the understanding that efforts
will be made to hold the Bessemer
Brick Makers to their original fig
ure or to substitute brick of equal
quality for the Bessemer Brick.
Mr.. Feldmeyer, under this arrange
ment, agreed to consider the ac-
ceptance of the con tract.