The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-23

other. However, when the bids were
opsned it was found that while sep
arate bid was made on each mixture
of cement, sand or gravel, the bids
for all mixtures were stated to be
based on the use of either rock or
gravel.
Price Was Fixed the Same.
Thus fixing the same price regard
less of whether rock or gravel was
used. Throughout the whole discus
sion of the material to be used, the
city surveyor claimed that the gravel
made equally as good a concrete base
as the crushed rock Relying on these
statements as the council believed it
had a right to do, the bids were &C
copied without specifying which ma
terial should be used. This accept
ance was approved by the council and
apparently by the city surveyor. The
only contention made by the city
surveyor at that time being that con-
crete or granitoid pavement was the
only kind that should be used. But
as the granitoid paving was consid-
erably more expensive, and many of
the property owners requested the use
of asphalt the committee, with the ap-
prevail of council decided on asphalt.
In subsequent specifications the
committee required the bidders to
make separate bids on the crushed
rock and on the gravel, in order that
they might adopt the cheaper mater
ial if there was any difference, as
there was supposed to be no differ
ence in the quality of the paving. AS
result the bids on the gravel were
found to be only 10 to Is cents cheap
err than those calling for crushed rock,
but believing as we have just said
that the gravel made equally as good
a pavement the bid for the gravel
was accepted The first time the
committee learned that the city sur
veyor did not consider gravel equally
rs good as crushed rock for the con-
crete base was in the interview with
MIN published in the Evening Bulletin
of March II, and this statement is in
direct conflict with his previous state
ments.
Material Not Screened.
When the contractors began to de-
liver the sand and gravel known as
Umatilla gravel along West Main
street and before any work was done
at the suggestion of the mayor, the
chairman of the street committee
called the attention of the city sur
veyor to the material which was be-
ing delivered and especially to the
fact that it was not screened as called
for in the specifications. The city
surveyor then stated in effect that the
sand and gravel delivered was the
best thing for the concrete base that
he had ever seen and that it was sur
prising how nature had mixed the
sand and gravel just exactly as we
wanted it, and while speaking of it
took some of it up in his hands and
remarked on how clean from dirt it
was And to show this took some
to a hydrant and ran water through
it, showing that it was free from
dirt. The chairman then reported the
surveyors statement and test to the
mayor and the use of the unscreened
sand and gravel was permitted. At
forwards on the suggestion that the
sand and gravel was rot being screen
ed and might not be in proper pro-
portion and on tie statement of the
contractors that they were willing to
screen it, the city surveyor was re-
quested to test it, but refused, say
ing that it was none of his business,
that it didn't matter anyhow and if
the contractors wished to test it they
could do so.
Makes Only One Complaint.
During all the time the concrete
base was being laid on West Main
street, the only complaint made by
the city surveyor was in regard to
the measuring boxes, which he said
were too large but this was remedied
by the contractor as soon as the sur
veyOr called his attention to it. Com
plant was also made by the surveyor
in regard to the use Of the concrete
mixing machine, which ne said was
not mixing the cement evenly and not
using enough cement at times. This
matter the committee took up with
the council and after thoroughly dis
cussing and relying somewhat on the
experience of one of the council who
had used a mixer somewhat similar,
it was decided that its use might be
continued, but special care should be
taken by the inspector to see that the
cement was properly fed and the sur
veyor'S son was placed in charge to
count the sacks of cement used. Sub
sSquently the same objection was
made to the mixer while putting down
the concrete base on North Third
street but at the time the complaint
was made the contractors under the
direction Of the chairman of the street
committee was using more cement
than the specifications required and
this the committee believed benefited
rather than injured the pavement.
Said Too Much Sand Used.
Not until all the concrete base had
been laid on West Main street and all
except about so or 60 feet on North
Third street had been completed did
the city surveyor make any complaint
relative to the proportions of sand
and gravel, at which time he claimed
that too much sand was being used.
h &c tot hn 1t,oit hA1i