The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-25
BOARD WILL ACT ON
. PAVING AWARDS TO-DAY
Prices Quoted VIII Mean Saving to
City of $4,000 From Former
Contract Rates.
BrTuLlrn1c COMPANY LOWEST
City to Purchase Plant for Making
= Tests OF Quality of Street Paving.
s Boiling Favors Block for Heavy
Traffic Streets.

8 Tests of Quality of Street Paving.
: Boiling Favors Block for Heavy
Traffic Streets.
Approximately $4,000 will be saved
by the city on the smooth paving con-
tracts which the Administrative Board
is expected to award this afternoon. as
the result OF Increased competition and
the sluggiShuCss of the paving mar
kct throughout tho United states.
Bids submitted in the present compcti-
ton are uniformly 30 cents on the
square yard cheaper than the price paid
by the city for the smooth paving con-
structcd under the awards OF last
March.
The large amount OF paving on which
the city asked Observation-Disclosures
10000 square yardS-accordiuE to one
member of the Administrative Board
had much to do with tho lowering of
the cost. Financial stTinGcnCieS brought
OH by the unsettled state ot affairs
, III p.urope. have caused many American
cities to abandon extensive paving pro-
jects, with the result that Richmond s
paving contracts were eagerly sought
for by contractors <Iiid manufacturers
OF paving materials.
HAVE HERETOFORE USED
BLOCKS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY
Practically all of the smooth paving
IGiu III lie CITY prior 10 TWO years ago
was of the block variety. The Wash
iHgton Asphalt Bloch and Tile COM
pany exclusively controls the blocks
and contracts FOR this class of paving
wero awarded year after year without
competition The monopoly OF tho
block paving by this company was
SHARPLY emphasized when l. j. Smith
i. ~ Co. of this city, secured tho con-
tract for paving the initial stretch on
Broad Street west of the City Hail.
and had to abandon il because of the
refusal of the Washington company to
supply the blocks except mt it's own
price.
With the letting OF extensive sheet
paving contracts last March the Ncity
departed from it's exclusive asphalt
block policy and began 10 reap the
benefits of competition. Unpatcnted
sheet asphalt paving is approximate
ly 81 II square yard cheaper than
asphalt block. The saving on 100, 900
square yards Is AT once apparent
ATLANTIC BITULITHIC co.
Is LOWEST BIDDER
Nine firms and individuals have bids
before the board for one or moro
classes of smooth paving. The lowest
bid asphnltic concrctc--the paving
laid Allison Street. between Broad
street and Monument Avcnue--iY sl.29
If Aztec asphalt is used AS the binder
and s1.Se II Bermudcz asphalt Is used.
The bid Isl for Il two-inch top and five
inch base. TO this amount must be
added 90 cents square gard for cement,
which the city is required to furnish.
The same paving cost tho city last
March Sl.5S, the city furnishing the
Cement.
The Atlantic Bitulithic Company has
put in the lowest bid for asphaltic con-
crete with either Bcrmudez or Aztec
asphalt binder. The Central Construc-
ton Company, which has laid most OF
the asphaltic concrete paving now in
the city, has admitted a bid slightly
higher. The lowest bid for asphalt
block paviHT, submitted by the com
pany which controls the block. is S2.aS
4 square yard for a two-inch surface
and :; four-inch base.
CONTRA CT MAY UI DIVIDED
TO SECURE, prompt WORK
II the board adhcres strictly 10 It's
implied obligation TO award the work
To the lowest bidder. the Atlantic Btu
lithic Company stands In q fair way TO
receive the bulk OF the contracts for
smooth paving. The point has been
made fhat the company might expert
cnce difficulty in laying 100000 or more
square yards Of paving III a reasOnabl
length Of time, and it has been sug-
gested that the awards hc split. in the
interest of eXpedicncy~ even II II en-
tails n slightly higher expense.
Tho Atlantic Bitulithic Company.
however, has addressed communica-
tion 10 the Administrative Board offer
ing to guarantee that IL viii construct
monthly between $4,000 ana $4,000
wards Of asphaltic concrete. should II
be found necessary 10 do better than
that, the company informed the board,
II would amplIfy the equipment of the
plant Il maintains in This city and in
crease the monthly output.
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
TO DECIDE THIS AFTERNOON
The board viii meet 1T 3:3o O'Clock
this afternoon TO pass upon the paw
ing bias and also upon the question ~
the rival Aztec and Rermude2 asphalts.
Paving using the latter product ms a
binder is quoted by the bidders ~ cent ca
higher on the square yard than paving
laid with Aztec asphalt as n binder.
should the board decide that Aztec AS
phalt fulfls all city requirements. the
adoption OF this product in preference
TO Rernudcz would mean Il saving OF
about $4,000 on the contracts.
City Engineer Boiling has reported
TO the board that in his opinion as
phalt block is the most durable paw
Ing that the city can employ. The
Recommendation, he said, way based on
seventeen years observation of this
paving on tn, streets OF Richmond. lie
was of the opinion. however. that as
phaltic concrete, properly constructed
and laid In accordance with city spcci-
locations. would be satisfactory and
economical.
The board yesterday authorized City
Chemist Whitfield TO purchase asphal,
testing apparatus for use in checking
up on the sheet paving shortly 10 De
contracted FOR. The Same apparatus is
employed by Baltimore. which is now
engaged in the most ambitious pay
ing proEram of it's history