Atlanta Georgian., 1913-03-12
COUNTY ASPHALT
EXPENSIVE, CITY
B|DSD|SCLOSE
Battle for Paving Material Con-
tracts Shows Illogical Differ
ence in Prices.

Illogical differences in the prices
charged the city and county for as
,,.art were brought to light today as a
result of the bitter fight between va
.ious companies for the 1913 asphalt
contracts of the city and county
The fact that the sewer and streets
committee. in joint session, refused TO
occert the lowest asphalt bid and post
roned action over the protest of Chief
of construction r. M. Clayton has
started many wild reports.
majority of the joint committees
soer,ed to favor the lake asphalt of the
Il Rarber Asphalt Company, regardless of
i 5,s higher cost. They postponed action,
4 was stated. to get the benefit of the
Il odvice of an asphalt expert which
Il county Commissioners W. T. Winn and
Turman have gone North to hire.
Greer Advocates Delay.
Councilman j. ]. Greer was the prin-
final advocate of postponement, stat
Ing that he had been informed that
lake asphalt made a more durable pave
r0pOt IMAM lllt llhNlcll ciSPiiellSi CA
though it did not analyze as we'll.
The bid of the Barber Company, a
branch of the lake asphalt trust. was
$3.50 per ton, the highest submitted.
The lowest bid was that of the Texas
Company, $21.75. The Texas product
analvzed better, also. The bids of the
Standard Oil and other companies were
between these.
The surprising fact made known to-
dav. though is that the county paid
s9S.40 per ton for the Barber asphalt
used in paving part of Marietta street
from North avenue to the Howell Mill
road In addition, the county is paying
Warren Bros. Of Boston, $l5 per ton
ROYALTY for their mixing recipe. This
makes the county's asphalt cost $59.40
per ton.
City Pays Ne Royalty.
Captain Clayton said today that the
city paid 10 royalty for any mixing
recipe. The county's price per ton for
asphalt is, therefore, more than twice
as much as that paid by the city.
Constant efforts have been made
10 influence me to draw specifications
favorng lake asphalt for 25 years" de-
clared Captain Clayton. But I'll quit
my lob before I'll be guilty of such dis
elimination"
Chairman Shelby Smith. of the coun-
ty commission, is an earnest advocate
Of lake asphalt. 1t is said that the
whole public works committee of the
county commission favors it over other
asphaltic materials The action of
the council committees in delaying ac-
tion was to wait on the advice of the
county officials. The fact of the ex-
pressed preference of the county Of
lciaIs and the great differences in the
cost Of materials; in fact, the differ
ences in the prices paid for the same
materials by the city and county, have
Intensified the bitterness of the fight
Of the various asphalt companies and
stimulated rumors.
Clayton Urges Action.
Captain Clayton told the committee
there was no reason to delay action at
all. He said the bids had been submit
ted under standard specifications and
that the samples had been analyzed by
the Pratt laboratory, which he con-
sidered as capable an authority as any,
He denounced the theory that some
materials were better than Others,
though they won't analyze as well.
Thomas II. Goodwin, the lawyer,
made speech in favor of delaying the
acceutance Of a hid for lake asphalt.
When Councilman Claude l.. Ashley
asked him whom he represented, he said
he appeared only as a citizen.
The lowest bids on all other mate
riaIe yUoro oooeptad