Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-11-22
Wants Information.

wants INFORMATION.
Ed. Journal: | was somewhat in
terested in an open communication
in your paper of last Friday, in
which some astute individual wants
to know something about the sudden
demand for concrete for public i'm
provements. He cites the passage of
a resolution in the council wherein
it is ordered that some 10 miles of
concrete walks be laid this winter at
cost of 100000 to isolated property
owners. He might also have called
attention to the fact that the city is
installing an immense concrete arch
on South Twelfth street at a cost of
$4,000, when a suitable bridge cost
ing about $500, could have been built
like that of Capitol street. He goes
on to refer to the fact that petition
ers for hard surface pavements have
been obstructed in their proceedings
and concrete streets are given first
place in considering street improve
ments. There are some instances
where property owners first wanted
concrete and afterwards changed
their minds and asked for a different
pavement. Although work was to be
prosecuted with concrete, further
proceedings were stopped when the
change was subsequently asked for.
East State street is a good example
of the rsuh on the part of the city.
Even the mayor left his chair to hur-
ry along the work of getting this
street to a contract for concrete. Of
, g., l.. /,
street improved and open to traffic
before winter, but what about some
other facts in connection? At 10
o'clock on Saturday night of October
2S, last, the contractors finished their
work on East State street and the
following Monday night 1.-TWO days
later the chairman of the street COM
mittee recommended that the final
payments be allowed. The contrac-
tor being nonresident, took his
money and departed Other contrac-
tors living in Salem are subjected to
delay week after week under pretext
of further examination of the work
done, wholly in the interest of the
property owners. The usual method
of referring final estimates to the
committee was dispensed with in the
case of East State street Were the
property owners interests taken
care of in this case? Why the rush?
1t would look as though local men
should have some of the favors, if
there are any to distribute around.
Investigation will prove that the
council, generally speaking, does not
know exactly what the street COM
mittee is doing in every case. Under
the present committee system, the
council listens to reports from the
chairman and acts in accordance
with his recommendations Whether
he is acting strictly in accordance
with what the council would do in
the matter if enlightened Is, of
course, another matter. Your cor
respondent might also have inquired
into the different prices charged
property owners for the same thing
AS one more instance of where the
concrete contractors get the best of
it, attention might be called to the
fact that Bitulithic and El-Oso pave
ments are required to give five
years guarantee, while concrete
pavement is laid without any bond of
guarantee. In the face of all this it
is said that the committee proposes
hereafter, when concrete pavement is
laid to specify that it shall be laid
to within three inches of the grade
What for? Why, so as to resurface
it when it wears through with some
thing more substantial Yet pave
ment for which such a provision is
to be made in the general specifica-
tions is being laid without usual
guarantee Is this looking after the
interests Of the property owners? Is
it fair to contractors? | thank you
for this space.
EAST STATE STREET.