Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-02
MAYOR ASKED TO
VETO B|TUL|TH|C
Commissioner Gillen Makes Re-
quest, Saying Contracts Were
Awarded to Monopoly.

Following the action of the Board
of Works. in awarding contracts for
several bitulithic streets on Thursday
last, Commissioner Charles P. Gillen,
who has been a strong opponent OF
that kind of pavement, has written
to Mayor Haussling asking the latter
to veto the awards.
Mr.. Gillen contends that the btu
lithic pavement is patented one
controlled by monopoly. In asking
the mayor to veto the award Mr.. Gll-
len cites the action of the mayor last
week in vetoing a resolution for the
paving of Oakland terrace with as
phalt block on the same grounds,
viz. that 1t is a patented pavement
and controlled by monopoly.
The Gillen Letter.
Mr. Gillen's letter in full is as fol-
lows;
Last week you refused to approve
a resolution passed by the Board Of
Street and Water Commissioners TOT
tbe having of Oakland terrace with
asphalt block on the ground that that
material is controlled by monopoly.
] had the honor of voting at that time
=. favor of your vote. l heartily agree
with you that no pavement shoulo ne
laid which is controlled by a monop-
oily. ,
'.At the present time an effort is
being made to lay a pavement when
is known as bitulithic, on dozen OF
more streets of our city. Thls is d
patented pavement No contractor
can successfully bid against the com
pany which controls this pavement,
because in order to bid he would De
obliged to purchase the material from
the bitulithic company, at prohipt-
~, there can DE,
no doubt as to this pavement being a
monopoly. If there Is any doubt In
your mind. | will be glad to submit
all proofs in my possession for your
consideration.
Bitulithic Petitions Illegal.
I'm order to lay a patented pave
ment in Newark it is necessary to
procure petition scigned by the
owners of majority of the frontage
of the street or portion of the street
to be paved. In regard to the streets
on which it is proposed to lay bitu-
lithic, petitions have been flled with
the Board of Street and Water Com
misioners which l have examined,
and find that all but two are irregu-
lar. and therefore invalid and illegal.
l call your attention to another fea-
ture of the case. If q petition calling
for a patented pavement is Illegal.
and the pavement is laid notwith-
standing the fact that the petition
is illegal and is known to be Illegal,
then the property-owners of the street
thus paved can refuse to pay thes as
sessment and the total cost of the
Improvement will have to be borne
by the city at large. / have also In
spected bitulithic pavements laid in
this city during the past year by
the bitulithic company, and after cut
ting pieces of the pavement out and
making measurements of the same,
I find that in a majority of the
streets examined there is a serious
shortage in the depth of the pave
ment as required by the specifica-
tions. / called these facts to the at
tention of my colleagues of the
board but they have paid no heed
to my charges. | have applied to the
Supreme Court for a writ to prevent
the awarding of contracts othe Bit
ulithic company. for the reasons
stated. At yesterdays meeting Of the
board final awards were made to the
bitulithic company on several streets,
and tentative awards were made on
others Notwithstanding the fact that
] notified my colleagues of having
started suit in the Supreme Court.
because you have gone on record
publicly as being opposed to pave
ment controlled by a monopoly, and
for the further reasons given, there
fore ask you to veto the bitulithic
awards"