Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-05-28
CITY COUNCIL
DISCUSSES PAVING
SHALL CITY ALLOW CLAIM OF
PAVING COMPANY!
Two Reports on Subject Engage City
Fathers Observation-Disclosures Of
Paving Discussed-Various Other
Matters Were Considered.

A very interesting meeting Of
the city council was held yesterday
afternoon. The discussion of the
street paving contract and allowance
of the claims of the company for ex-
tras caused some warm discussion.
Communications from Alderman
Cain, chairman of the street and
bridge committee, relative to the al
lowance of claims by the paving COM
pany, and from Alderman Cobolini
lcriticizing the claims and also charg-
ing that specifications had not been
fully complied with were read and
discussed
Recommends Settlement of Paving
Co.'S Claim.
Mr.. Cain of the street and bridge
committee read the following report:
Brownsville, Tex, May 81, 1912.
To the Honorable Mayor and City
Council,
Gentlemen:
In the matter Of adjusting the
claim for the extra work presented
by the Creosoted Wood Block Paving
company and the city's claim for diff
ference in quality of cushion sand
used on pavement, we beg to mako
following report:
We learn from j. W. Davis, city
engineer, that the total amount of
cushion sand to be used on this con-
tract will be 700 cubic yards, of this
approximately one-third of high
grade sand was used Cor about pa
cubic yards) the difference in the
cost Of sand being $lO0 per Gu. yd,
the saving to the contractors on the
sand will amount to approximately
$466.OO.
We have before us an itemized bill
for extras amounting to $712.35.
This bill is approved by our city en-
gineer and must be taken as correct,
| Furthermore the Creosoted Block
Paving company's representative.
Mr. Hudson informs us that there
will be other extras for which he
will present a bill when the work is
put in.
Taking into considera ion that the
Creosoted Wood Block Paving COM
pany is under contract to furnish
| bond guaranteeing the pavement for
| five years, it would not be to their
interest to use a cushion sand that
would in any way effect the durabil-
| ity of the pavement, and being sat
| isfied that the sand used will do as
well for cushion as the high grade
sand, we hereby approve the action
of our city engineer in allowing the
difference in the sand to counter
| balance the extra work and we ap-
preciate Mr. Hudson in giving us
the attched receipt releasing the city
from paying for any extra work or
the whole contract.
We call the councils attention TO
the possibility of a doubt as 10 cor
rectness of the charge for concrete
headers, this matter having been
overlooked in the specifications and
contract, 1t may be considered an
extra but the difference between our
( claim and The contractors bill for
extras to date. justifies your commit
tee in not considering this item
We beg to call your attention to
the following articles in the city's
contract with the paving company
which must be our guide and author
1 ity in accepting work Of contractors:
"The engineer shall at all times
be the interpreter of the intent and
meaning of the plans and specifica-
tions and his Interpretation of same
shall govern in the execution of the
work
Work not mentioned in the pro-
posal and contract. should there be
any, should and will be paid as ex-
ira work, and when so ordered by
the engineer shall be paid for on the
basis of cost of labor and materials
lplus 15 per cent of the cost of same
for use OF tools, superintendent and
profit
Respectfully.
b. l.. CAIN. Chairman.
T. CRIXELL,
JAS. A. BROWNE,