The Washington times., 1911-04-27
CONGRESS IS ASKED
FOR ASPHALT PLANT
BY COMMISSIONERS
Estimate That 1t Would Pay
For Itself in One
Year.

Declaring that its establishment would
result in a saving Of 100000 a year, the
Commissioners today forwarded to Con-
gress a bill authorizing the construction
of municipal asphalt plant in the Dis
trict. The bill does not carry an ap-
preparation, but merely authorizes the
establishment OF the plant, the appro-
prtation to be subsequently carried in
the regular District appropriation bill.
- is provided that the cost of the
plant, including all structures, mate
rials, means of transportation, horses,
wagons, harness, road rollers, tools and
machinery, railroad siding, and all nec-
essary and incidental contingent ex-
penses shall not exceed $4,000. Upon
the estims ties made by the Commits
sionerA the plant will more than pay
for itself in one year.
An appropriation for q new munich
pal asphalt plant was contained in the
last District appropriation bill, but was
knocked out on the floor Of the House
on the ground that it was new legisla-
uon," forcing a continuation of the
contract system.
Lowest Bidder Gets Contract.
The contract for asphalt resurfacing
and repairing was awarded today to the
Crawford Paving Company, of Wash
ington, whose bid of S1.6S a square yard
was the lowest received. Other bidders
were the Barber Asphalt Company, of
Philadelphia, $.7S; the Eastern Asphalt
Company of New York, $L70. and
the Schneider Asphalt Company, Of Bal
umore, 800.
The amount contained in the District
appropriation bill for resurfacing and
repairing for the fiscal year beginning
July l, is S425, 900. AS the city extends
1t viii be necessary, under the present
system, to increase the amount of the
appropriations for this work, as shown
by the following arguments presented
in letter forwarded by the Commits
sioners to Senator Gallinger, chairman
Of the Senate Committee on the District,
today:
I'm the District there are over S,OOO,-
900 square yards. or 145 miles, of asphalt
pavements. The extreme age of the
pavements is thirty-nine years, and the
average age thirteen years. The av-
erage life of a street asphalt pavement
Is from twenty to twenty-five years.
''1t is apparent that there will be a
large and continuous. expenditure in re-
surfacing and repairing.
AT present the work is done under
contract. The last contract was for
five years, which expires on July l. Bids
have recently been opened for a two
year contract 10 -DeSln on Inat Qate.
THE Commissioners believe they can
do this work better and more economic
ally than under contract, for these
reasons:
There will be saving of the contrac-
tors profit, not less than 20 to 80 per
cent.
Inspection Cost Saved.
There will be no adverse interest be-
tween the agency doing the work and
the agency paying for it.
THE considerable expense Of inspect
ing the work done under contract can
be saved.
"A plant owned and operated by the
District of Columbia would have con-
tinuous and regular employment, lead
ing to the most economical results. e..
THE policy of constructing and re-
pairing pavements through the use OF
a municipal asphalt plant is being gen.
sfally recognized in other cities, such
as Detroit, Mich; Columbus and
Dayton, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind; Kan
sas City, Denver, Colorado. Seattle,
Wash, and many others"
In view of the large saving afforded,
the Commissioners are hopeful that
Congress during the present session will
authorize the construction of the plant
in this event the plant will be in work
ing operation in two years, or at the
expiration of the present contract