The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-01
Fargo Will Be Highly Honored by Visit of Paderewki--
Only Town of Its Size in Nation to Hear the Great Pole

, ~ 81 :
it would seem as If, the inspector, as
well as the contractor, required in
spection, judging from the complaints
made by property owners, and the re-
suits obtained
From the experience of 1912, it was
clear that a regular, close inspection
of sidewalk work during the actual
construction was impracticable be-
cause of it's cost, the number Of con-
tractors and the numerous points at
which work was carried on at the
same time. It is absolutely necessary
that the contractor should do the
work according to specifications
without having IN inspector with him
all the time.
InexPerienee Again,
This year, the city was again I'M
fortunate in letting the city contract
for sidewalks to a firm lacking expert
ence, ability n other qualities nee
essary to make a good municipal con-
tractor. though these facts were not
clear at the time Of the letting.
"The results were all that could be
expected. The walks have been out
Of line, off grade, and the concrete so
poor In many cases as to frttter away
under the light summer rains.
Those that became hard on the
surface crumbled to sand and gravel
at the touch when examined under
meath.
Would Not Stand Up.
"The last straw seemed to be reach
ed when the wearing surface, other
wise apparently good, did not adhere
to the concrete base. OF course, such
a top would quickly break up under
our extremes Of heat and cold, and
d~1sintegrate, leaving a walk composed
of loose sane and gravel.
Under these conditions about
1000 lineal feet Of walk was torn up
and replaced by the contractor under
orders from this department.
There have. been such delays in
getting this reconstruction work done
that all remaining estimates will have
to go over until next spring in order
that an inspection may be made under
proper conditions, precedent to paw
ment.
Different Laws,
"Those who framed the laws spec
flying how sidewalks should be con-
structed, no doubt, gave due consid-
Grafton to the information they had at
hand, and with the thought Of proper
protection to the property owner.
How much better this work could
have been done if they had followed
the example of other states and cities
n created sidewalk districts. In
such a case, the proceedings would
have been comparable to that Of our
paving proceedings.
THE cost per square yard for walk
construction would have been less
for the exact conditions under which
the work was to be done would have
been known to the contractor; the
contract would have been on a large
scale and concentrated in one locality
instead of being scattered over the
whole city in small pieces. Under our
present method. most Of the walks are
put down in sections fifty feet long,
or thereabouts.
! contractors have been known to
make many moves during a season
from one extreme. of the city to the
other to put in a short length Of walk
with the accompanying delays and
losses. Consider, If you please. what
this means. There is no none for the
contractor in moving his apparatus
and as the number of moves during
the eason and their distance are un-
certain quantities, he must bid against
a condition that is more or less I'M
known.
N one can give him even an idea
of the number of moves he will have
to make, This condition will then ex-
list. $780,.
eff he is experienced, he will bid
high. in order to. cover the uncertain
conditions and thus the property own
er will pay more than should be nee
essary for the work. If the contract
or is inexperienced and bids such a
price that will allow good walks to be
put in only at a loss. it Is to be ex-
pected that good work will not obtain.
"The complaints Of walks being off
line and grade. that at one time were
very common, would have never been
heard if walks had been put in by dis
tricts. The loss in value Of wood
| walks taken out under the district
method would eve nave equaled the
saving accomplished by lower bids on
a large concentrated contract put in