The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-19

surface. at 31.65 per square yard, or
90 cents cheaper than that of thes At
lantic Bitulithic Company. Bitulithic
and asphaltic concrete differ in name
only. The former is composed OF n
mixture of broken stone and Califor-
MIA oil asphalt, and. being patented.
the city is therefore paying IS cents
per yard for name. making total
Increase on the entire contract of
SLS9S in the cost to the city Asphal-
NC concrete is combination OF broken
stone and natural lake asphalt from
either Trinidad or Bermudez Lake.
which are universally recognized ms
standards In the paving industry.
49,. Engineer Not Heard.
me CITY Engineers recommends
.ioh' made last year TO the Street Com
mittee for the paving of Broad Street
as.for asphalt blocks. But IL a sheet
pavement was desired instead of a
piock. he would advise accepting the
oid or the Crawford Paving Company.
OF washington, for asphaltic concrete.
So,nposed OF broken stone and natural
lithic ~ nv"
IT is customary for all boards or
committees In deciding Important
Questions OF this nature TO receive n
report or recommendation from their
city engineer. and In addition to this.
thoroughly to investigate the life ana
wearing Qualities OF the pavements In
competition, this to be either by per
sonai inspection OF the paving or
through inquiries from the municIpali-
TIES that have had experience with
them for at least ten years: after
which the question OF price Is 10 he
considered. IL is also customary To
give the competing contractors an on.
por.uh'tE TO explain the merits OF
'helr respective paveInents
No Statement From Btddcrs
This important matter was decideJ
anu contracts awarded without ask :
ing Tor or receiving the recommenda
tion or the City Engineer, and by n
board that could not possibly be Z,
miiiar with the merits and dement's
OF the different classes of paving
under consideration; and without Civ
ing an opportunity 20 the several bid :
GERS interested to be- heard or furnish
convincing evidence pertaining TO their
paVements; nor did they make any
personal inspection
Thc action OF the board seems Ia
DC inconsistent with the facts. their
reason FOR not awarding additional
yardage being the lack Of available.
iuhus' yet they have awarded this
contract to the bitulithic company nj
an excess of nearly $4,000. or the
Dids received there still remains some
o2,o0o yards of paving which was nor
awarded The question is. will this
work be awarded by the board at some
future time without readvertising. AZ
an increase OF So cents per square
yard?'
Some Contracts Not Awarded.
No awards We're made for the fol-
lowing work. on which bids had been
invited, IT being understood that the
FUNDS at the disposal of the board
would not be sufficient TO do all OF
the work for which proposals have
been advertised:
smooth paving: I.ombardy. Park To
Main (award made from Park 70
Grove; Grove Avenue, Addison to
Boulevard taward made from Addi-
son TO Davis; Twenty ninth Street.
Broad to Grace Street: Harrison street.
Main to Floyd; Floyd Avenue. Morris
TO Lombardy: Allison Street, Broad
TO Monument Avenue: Park Avenue.
Lombardy to Meadow; Hanover Ave-
nue., Lombardy TO Meadow: AlbemarIe
Street, Pine 10 Laurel; Pine Street.
Main TO Cary, and Beverly, Laurel 10
Cherry Street
Granite spall paving: Broad street.
from Allison to Robinson: Marshall
street, from Twenty fourth to Tween
ty-slXth Street: Baker Street. from
First to Brook Avenue. and Williams
burg Avenue, from Tenth to Scott
Street.