Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1911-07-12
COMPETITION in.
BRIDGE WORK.
Consulting Engineer Tells
County How Best Results
May be Obtained
SENDS LETTER TO
COUNTY ON SUBJECT


ing engineer John e. Greiner was read
at the meeting of the Levy Court yes
terday.
Baltimore, Md, July 5, 1911.
Mr.. Samuel j. Dennison, Chairman
Bridge Committee, New Castle County
Levy Court, Wilmington, Del.
"In connection with the proposed
Christiana river bridge which will re-
quire the use Of a patented type Of
bascule, / submitted for your commit
tees consideration a method of hand
ling this matter, which will be ab-
solutely fair to all competitors and
will eliminate any possibility of criti-
cism, which might arise in case the
committee should arbitrarily select a
particular type without first making
thorough expert investigation. This
method of handling the matter is based
on the assumption that you will retain
an independent consulting engineer to
look after your interests, as is as fol-
lows:
cd Have your consulting engineer
/ prepare specifications and a general
plan of the proposed bridge, which
| specifications and general plans will
| be applicable to any of the several
types of patented bascules. and will in
sure all competitive designs being
made on precisely the same basis as to
quality of material, strength and work
manship.
"(2) Submit these specifications
and plans to the Scherzer Rolling Lift
Bridge Company Chicago, H.. Strauss
Bascule Bridge Company, Chicago, H.,
and to the Strobel Steel Construction
Company, Chicago, H., who control
three of the best types of bascule suit
able for this place. Invite them to
submit for your consideration, general
plans of their patent structure. their
estimates of quantities and cost of
superstructure alone. if built in ac-
cordance with the above specifications
and general plan and have them in
form you as to what lump sum price
they will charge for furnishing you
with the necessary detail designs of
their bridge and the right to construct
!, and use same, in case their particular
y type should be selected
"t5) When these Datentoes furnish
you with the above information sub
: NIT it to your consulting engineer with
instructions to review the same and
report to your committee as to the
adaptability, relative merits and rela-
tive economy OF the several
types in order that your com
mittee may decide on its merits which
', particular type you will select
20 After making the selection oi
the type Of bridge to be used enter
into a contract with the patentee for
furnishing you the necessary stress
sheets and detail plans in accordance
with his proposition as outlined in
item ID above, and have your con-
sulting engineer carefully examine
[ and review these plans after they have
been furnished in order to be abso.
b. utely certain that they conform
! strictly with the specification re.
5 quirements.
5 "(5) After approval of your con-
] sulting engineer invite number OF
' bridge companies to bid on these
+ plans and specifications, and award
} the contract in accordance with the
prices submitted and the guaranteed
81 time for completion as your judgment
p may determine.
T "(6) Your consulting engineer IN
the meantime should prepare detai
plans and specifications for the
foundation and all the substructur,
which supports the steel bridge. Con
tractors should be asked to bid OF
these plans and specifications anC
the contract awarded All this car
be done in advance Of the contrac
! for the steel work in order that tn,
substructure may be ready for rhl
steel work by the time the bridg,
contractors are ready to proceed will
q the erection.
o "If the above method is followe
b you will have the benefit of two com
5 petitions, the first competition anon
G the different patentees as to thei
r charges for the right 10 build tn
e bridge, and second, the competitio
among the bridge builders themselve
based on the type which you finall
: select. These two competitions can
not help but result in economy.
"The proposition which / name
, you for my professional services 4
connection with this bridge is as fol
lows:
Furnishing specifications and plan
as per item (D above, reviewing {
the prices submitted by the patenteei
= the approval or all plans for the sur
erstructure, preparation OF specifica
J. tions and contract plans Of the sub
Il structure, all general supervision an
a management, the inspection Of th
| superstructure at the shops and mill
j, and constant supervision by a res
y dent engineer for both the construC
l. ton and erection Of the same froI
n the time the first contract is awarde
i until the final completion by tn
o board Of the lump sum Of S4,500
Q please understand, however, ths
this does not include the sounding
l. necessary in order to determine tn
d depth Of rock, which expense will b
borne by the committee as it is PAL
OF the cost Of the bridge Howeve
/ will supervise the taking Of a
soundings, charging your committe
the cost thereof.
= Trusting that the above propos
ton will meet with your approval,
am.
: Respectively,
y. E. Greiner"