El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-09
THE GRAND JURY
REP0RTS0A PAVING


continued rom rage -
maintenance bonds are OF such insignifi-
cant amounts that they viii not begin
to cover the cost of repairs. and par
ticularly Is this to be condemned when
1t Is remembered that such streets as
are to be maintained under a bond are,
at the expiration OF the period Tor which
they are guaranteed. to be turned over
to the city in first class condition.
Difference in Bonds.
I'VE find the pavement on arizona
street was constructed at the same time
as the pavement on the extension Of
Montana street under the same general
specifications. terms and conditions. but
by different contractors, and that the
maintenance bond on arizona street ap-
pears TO be approximately 25 percent,
whereas the maintenance bond on the
extension Of Montana street appears to
be approximately 10 percent only. This
is condition that should not exist and
since most OF the maintenance bonds
examined by us are entirely Inadequate
IN amount, We recommend and urge
that no maintenance bond be accepted
with penalty less than p percent Of
the cost where the guarantee covers a
period OF five years or less.
w call especial attention to the
TACT that in some cases contracts call
Tor maintenance ponds OF certain
amounts. whereas such bonds are ac-
tuallE OF smaller amounts. And again,
some OF the bonds are not at all in har-
ample, there is a maintenance bond re-
terriEg specifically TO a contract of a
certain date. whereas that contract is
without signature. This is only one OF
q number OF discrepancies that have
come 10 our attention. We therefore
recommend that all contracts and bonds
made by the city be SO thoroughly and
completely sC-uunized that they viii
harmonic IN every detail, and that in
accepting bonds the city should see that
us interests are in all particulars thor
OughlE SaIeguarded
Enough "PetrOiIthic.v
We recommend that no more pave
ment known as 'PeLrOllrniC' pavement
be laid by the city in FL PasO, and We
further recommend that the city en-
cheering department be given such full
and complete authority that the fore
going recommendations, coming within
the jurisdiction of that department,
may be carried out literally
We cenSure IN no uncertain terms
mat department or the city reSpcISl bic
for the confusion in and lack of coop
between contracts and bonds
and luadequacy in amounts OF latter.
w e recommend that pavement laid
in streets for and at the cost of the
railroad companies and the Street Rail-
way company be subject to the same
inspection and authority for repairs as
applies 10 any other pavement.
Repairs Needed.
Contracts and bonds covering con-
stFuction Of pavement on The following
streets have been examined by us The
themselves nave leen examined
the condition of which we report as fol-
lows:
'AIagOffin avenue, from Cotton ave-
nue. to Laurel street-COnditiOn poor.
Was recently repaired, but said repairs
are now going to pieces
'MaEOffln avenue, Octavia street to
Cotton aVenue-COuditiOn good
Montana street extension, Cotton
avenue east-COnditiOn poor. Repairs
temporary only. Pavement should be
entirely rebuilt at contractors expense.
Montana street. Oregon street to Cot
ton aVenUe-COuditiCn good.
Rio Grande street. Oregon street to
Newman street-COnditiOn very poor and
should be entirely rebuilt at contract
or S expense.
'Nuudy avenue, Hillside street TO
East uleyard-COndiJiOn very Door
and should be entirely rebuilt at con-
tractors expense.
Wyoming street. Oregon street to
Williams street-N caring surface in
fair condition but very rough in places
and should be promptly repaired at con-
tractors expense.
Arizona street, Oregon street to Aus
tin street--New- and in good condition.
In addition to the streets just men
toned as requiring repairs or other
there are a number of other
streets complained of, particularly
North Campbell and Alameda streets"