The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-18
CITY ITSELF TO
BLAME FOR DELAY
Form of Contract Now in Use.
Says Mayor Ainslie, Retards
Street Work.
TOO LAX IN FIXING TIME
Would Provide New Form of
Award, Setting Definite Period
to Complete Work.

The city itself. by the form of con-
tract II uses" said Mayor Ainslie las,
night. addressing the quarterly meet
ing OF the Retail Merchants Associa
Iion, is to a great extent responsible
for delays in street paving. Under the
prevailing form Of contract, delays are
not only probable. but even unavoid'
able"
City wide complaint touching the
slow progress on several Of the paw
ing Jobs. said the Mayor. had caused
him 10 inquire into the probable causes
as a matter Of personal Information
The result of his investigation, he SAID
convinced him that the form OF con-
tract used by the city In Its street
paxing operations will permit OF sew
erai wise amendments
Where the instrument fails most
said MAYOR Ainslie, is in railing 10 IN
a definite and reasonable time WITHIN
which the Job shouldS be completed
The contractor is given altogether to'
much latitude in fixing the time.
sour contracts" he said. "are prac
ticallv nothing more than blank
awards in which the contractor is per
mttted to insert any time ilmi. ne
chooses. In the instance of the MAIN
Street paving. between Fifth ana Sew
.n,h streets. the contractor gener-
ous,v permitted himself SIX months
il which to pave the two blocks.
Suggests Better Plan.
The problem Of delay in paving couio
!, many cases be met, thought ths
Mayor. by providing a form OF COM
tract which would concentrate the re-
sponsibility of paving a street WIN oAe
,y-I IN z
contractor in one act OF award IN 'he
case of streets with car INES. ~ IL
the practice now for the city 10 con-
tract for its share Of the paving leaN-
ing the street car company TO CHOOSE
a contractor OF its own. In many
cases. he said, this division OF worn
leads TO delay.
This better plan. suggested Mayor
Ainslie. would be for the city to pave
the whole street. both "tn1n anc
without the tracks. and then charse
the street car company its pro eata
share on the basis Of standard
agreement as to the relative Faiue OF
the work.
This is a matter for the Street
Committee and not directly my aHais'
said Mayor Airslie. personally
should like to see all OF our present
contract forms destroyed and new ones
substituted. which shall provide rea-
sonable and definite time limit within
which all work must be competed.
Anvil Chorus sings.
More than one-half the entire mem
bership of the association Responded
last night to the call for the quarter
" meeting. In point Of attendance II
was the largest since the last annual
fnr no
we're elected. There was a good spread
and music by Polk MIXERS oarhs
quartet between. but the beginning was
devoted to kicks on municipal! faiHnss
and the anvil chorus came in strong
Paving delays came in Tor a Voiies
of criticism. led by Moses Thalhimer
]. Z. Phillips and J. c. Levitt com
nlain.d that the delivery service of the
local post-cffice in the downtown
streets was several degrees below par
and wanted the matter investigated
Tn. complaint wSs echoed by other:
who gave voice to an additional griev'
auce in the matter OF poor telephone
service.
Upon motion President Charles T
Norman APPOINTED a committee Of thres
TO confer with Postmaster Allan as Il
The committee. which consists OF J.
Levitt, Fred Powell and Moses Thai
htn,er. was instructed also TO hold
similar conference with the telephone
company
Mayor Applauded.
Mayor Ainslie won the merchant!
70 his side with a warm speech out
lining his plan Of bringing the busi
ness interest. OF the city Into closer
touch with the municipal government
It was his first speech as Mayor De
fore 2 Richmond commercial organ
cation. and impressed his audience VIII
its evident sincerity.
The city, said the Mayor. while grow
ing and progressive, is short In com
munity spirit. Too many are reary U
criticize and tear down without mrs
inouiring into facts. An active enor
IN harmonic the various department
of ,he city government: among them
selves. and in turn with the peop'
whom they serve. he said. was IN
course which he had mapped out 10
himself as Mayor
Presider, Norman reported health
increase in membership since the las
meeting Secretary ". y. Clark. Jr
announced that the membership com
! mites will meet next Thursday nish
70 perfect plans for Few campais'
I which is expected ~ add riany ne'
names TO the roll.