Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-06-04
New Police Force Appointed. One
New Office Being Created and
Police Regulations Adopted-Auto
Ordinance Passed.

TO THE HONORABLE MAYOR.
AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BROWNSVILLE.
Gentleman
My attention has been called
| through the columns of The Daily
Herald" to communication ad-'
| dressed to your honorable body by
Mr. Cobolini, one of your members
in which there is considerable crit
icism as to the street paving COM
| pany not having fully complied with
the specifications.
Having been employed by you as
Engineer to represent your interests,
and protect you in the matter, L feel
that such criticisms are more or less
| of reflection on me, and call for
an explanation and defense of my
| position.
wish to state that | have the
| highest respect for Mr. Cobolini, yet
| cannot but feel that his criticisms
are unjust to me, and call for a re-
| ply.
|
progress Of the work Mr. Cobolini
served as chairman of the street
and bridge committee, and had plen-
! ty Of opportunity to observe as TO
whether the Paving Company was
! complying with the specifications. II
he thought they were not doing so
he had the time and opportunity 10
bring the matter to my attention,
and to the attention Of the City
! Council.
Why wait until the contract is
| practically completed before raising
1 these questions?
| These specifications which were ap-
proved by your honorable body, state
that the engineer shall at all times
be the interpreter of the intent and
meaning Of the plans and specifica-
tions, and his Interpretation shall
| govern in the execution Of the work.
Some one has to be the judge as to
whether we are getting full value
under our contract, and under the
specifications and contract tnat au-
thority has been given me. On the
othur hand, j have always been
ready to consider any suggestions
or advise that might be rendered by
the Chairman of the Street and
Bridge Committee, or any OF It's
members.
Having drawn up the specifica-
tions ! naturally feel that ] am in
the best position to interpret their
true intent and meaning.
Very few contracts for large works
are carried on from beginning to
completion without changes being
introduced into both the plans aind
specifications during the progress Of
the work.
These changes may arise from 2
newly devised method Or plan which
may be considered superior. from un-
looked for obstacles met with in the
work, or even suggestions on the
part Of the contractor himself.
They also. are frequently made
to reduce the cost Of the work, anO
on the other hand are sometimes
made to improve its character.
Sometimes some local condition
may make it advisable to make some
changes.
1t is always customary. and is sc
understood that the Engineer ha!
tie privilege of making changes a:
he deems advisable.
In two instances | have deemed
it advisable to make such changes
1st. In the specifications unde
the head of placing concrete tn.
specifications called for an expansion
Joint an inch in width along eacl
curb with cross expansion Joints
every 100 feet filed with pitch.
found on investigation that
was not customary TO use expansion
Joints in concrete. the concrete bein
fully protected by the sand cushion
and blocks is not subject to any ma
terial change by expansion and cor
traction. and hence no expansio
joints were needed On the other han
the blocks being exposed to extreme
Of temperature also to more or les
swelling from heavy rains needle
more expansion then called for
A the specifications.
Under these conditions | deeme
il advisable to cut cut the expansio
Joints in the concrete where the
e were not needed and place addition
d al expansion joints in the bloch
! where they we're needed.
y As the paving is now being col
structed we are getting two expal
sion joints along each curb wht
= cur specifications called for but Oh
r cross expansion joints from 20
, 40 feet apart when our specific