The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-12-13
CUT OUT ROAD CONTRACTOR
Nothing More Than Figureheads and
County Pays Them Big Profit
for Their Bare Signatures.

(By ISAAC L. TOTEM. in the Farm and
Fireside)
In this state Qndiana) we have
what is termed "the three-mile gravel
road" law. Under the provisions OF
this law fifty freeholders of town
ship may petition the county commits
sioner to establish and construct three
miles of gravel road at any place
within the bounds of that township.
providing the road is to connect with
township-line road or another gravel
road at either of it's terminals; and
the road may be established and built
if the township is not already over
bonded, and If the bonds for the new
road can be sold.
This is very elastic law and per
mits of the dissipating of very large
amount of county money, because OF
the fact that the work is let to con-
tractors.
OF course the construction work of
the roads is let to the lowest bidders:
but there are so many hooks and
crooks-mostly crooks-in connection
| with the work, when placed in the
hands of a contractor that the cost OF
constructing the roads is greatly in ex-
cess of the benefits.
After the county commissioners.
have established the road for which
the fifty freeholders of the township
have petitioned, they appoint super
intendent whose duty is to see that
the proper grade is made for the road.
and also to see that the right kind OF
gravel is used and applied according
to specifications.
The one who usually gets the job
of being superintendent is some one
to whom the commissioners owe pOliti-
cal obligations, and in many instances
he is not in the least competent to SUI
pervise the work.
| had an opportunity recently to OBJ
serve how some of the road work was
handled. | was one of the gravel haul
ers employed. The gravel-or what
was supposed to be gravel-was
hauled from cars, distance of about
a mile during the time | was working.
=
the gravel pits belonging to the con-
tractors. The superintendent, who
was employed by the county to see
that the contractors carried out the
work according to specifications. engf-
neered all of the work, with the excep-
ton of managing the teams and keep
ing the time. He did the contractors
work while the contractors loafed
around the saloons in town making
themselves good fellows with whoever
thew thought would play into their
hands.
Although the superintendent was
employed and paid by the county. he
asked the contractors for compensa-
ton for the work he did of setting
grade boards and helping level the
gravel.
The contractors were nothing more
than figureheads. The county was
having them a good, round profit
merely for their signature on the con-
tract; the county was doing the work
for them. and net the contractors do
ing the work for the county. A pref
ty way to work 1t!
Why cannot this kind OF work be
handled direct by the county. state
or national government and 30 elimi-
nate the contractors? 1t would save
millions OF dollars
One contractor told of how the bid
game" was worked when bids were
,,racod nm a certain piece OF work. He
said that the contractors usually got
together and arranged their bids, and
the one who wanted the job would
Give the others bonus and have
them put their bids in higher than his
Of course they were high enough to
Give him a chance to SO place his bid
as to bring in sum large enough
70 nav the bonus and besides that
h.rdeoma urofit for himself.