The Washington herald., 1911-02-26

IN lem of $4,000. to provide an asphalt
plant for the District, was the cause of
the District appropriation bill being sent
back to further conference by the House
yesterday. -
a furry of debate, aroused by the
item, in addition to disclosing what pur-
pUrts to be an asphalt ring in the Dis
trict, brought out some of the woes Of
the Committee on the District Of Co.
lumbia, which Representative Olcott COM
planned had been steam rollered."
When the District appropriation bill
was first reported to the House it con-
tanned an appropriation for an asphalt
plant to be operated by the District In
spite of pleas that the maintenance OF
such a plant was the only means left to
the District to beat down what was con-
sidered an unfair contract price for street
laying and repairing. the provision was
stricken out.
BurIesOn'S Coup Fails.
It was the intention of the Senate Com
mittee on Appropriations to return 1t to
the bill but the matter was overlooked.
The somewhat doubtful expedient of add
ing the item to the bill in conference
was resorted TO. The Committee on APP
propriations at both ends of the Capitol
considered the provision just and neces-
sary In order to escape possible point
of order on the item, Representative Bur-
Lesson, of the House committee, moved to
suspend the rules and adopt the report
The coup failed. The necessary two
thirds majority was not obtained
During the debate on the asphalt mat
ter the ire of certain members of the
District committee was aroused over
imputations of Representative Burleson,
in making excuses for the item, that
the committee was lax in bringing the
necessary legislation before the House.
1T is certain that the increases in
the price of asphalt were made" said
Representative Burleson. For some
reason or other there was no legislation
offered by the House Committee on the
District at this session to meet the situa-
ton. do not know why. Possibly 1t
was because the House did not have
confidence in the District Committee, or
because the members of the committee
neglected their duty
Representative Johnson, of Kentucky,
membr who had rlisd a point of order
against the asphalt paragraph, and Repre-
sentative OlCUtt. Of New York, both
members Of the District Committee, were
lions that the District Committee had
done its best to obtain recognition in
the House for District affairs but had
been steadily crowded out
Hardest working Committee.
We nave been steam roIiered," ex-
claimed Mr.. Olcott, after explaining there
was no harder working body in the
House than the District Committee.
that up to a year ago there were five
competing asphalt concerns in the Dis
trict. When these companies combined
the price Of asphalt jumped from S1.f to |
81 a square yard.
Representative Foster, Of Illinois, raised !
a point of order against the provision for ]
an increase of the salaries of the District |
Commissioners to 5000, which was
stricken out by the House, and replaced |
by the Senate. Representative Gardner, !
one of the House cOnfereeS, maintained |
that if Congressman were worth $500 a |
year to the government, the District Com |
misSionerS were surely worth Sc O00
Adoption Of the report under suspension |
of the rules was lost by narrow margin. |
The Senate, later in the day, voted to in |
sist on its amendments to the District J
bill, and appointed the same conference to
continue negotiations.
Officials OfI the District yesterday in
dorsed the plan to establish a municipal |
asphalt plant. While disclaiming any
knowledge of any trust, they asserted
that the situation had become such that
there was but one contractor in the Dis
u-ict. The conditions are all favorable
I" the Crawford Paving Company, ac-
COrding to Capt. Mark Brooke, Assistant |
Engineer Commissioner.
Other Concern Absorbed.
It was explained that the resurfacing
are the largest with which the
government has to deal The present
District bill has an item of 100000 for
this work. There were two principal !
bidders on the resUrfacing work year
ago, but ont concern absorbed the other /
and since then the contract on new work
has risen from $.45 to S.T. The present
resurfacing contract yields the Crawford
$1.65 per square yard.
The Crawford Company, it appears, has
reached point where it is now receiving
returns on 4 system whereby the govern
ment WithhOlds one-tenth OF the price of |
a contract for five years. Now that five
years with this company have elapsed. |
the concern is receiving the additional