The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-17
A REQUEST FOR INTELLIGENT
 REASONS FOR A STRANGE SONTERSAULT

IL OF THE daily newspapers of Bridge -7 "A port joined in telling the public that the Warrenite contracts were not what they should be- Three of these newspapers made out such a case against these contracts as would point conclusively to the idea that they should not be ratified
 Suddenly two of these newspapers launch ed. in one case a suggestion, and in the other case very elaborate and lengthy editorial ar g1mnent favoring the legalization of the whole expenditure.
 We cannot be mistaken in supposing that fzhis new position was a complete somersault. There may be good reasons for making it. but those reasons should be explained.
 Our esteemed contemporary, The Post has assumed certain duty of explanation Its ex- planafion as we read it. is that this newspaper acquires dislixes for certain politicians and cannot overcome those dislikes, but that it, The Post, only does what it deems for the good. of fheecity.
 We hope that is so. Indeed, we have no disposition to doubt that it is so We shall as suEne then, that in changing it's position The Post desires the best good of the city,
 Under this theory contemporarys at- tItude is fairly represented in this statement; .sThe Warrenite contracts are all that have said they were but for the good of the city we think they ought to be Iegalized, and that the Warrenite Company ought to do the work and ought to be paid for doing it.''
 Then our contemporary should explain WHY it's plan will be good for the city
 
 would not be good for the city for many req sons among which are the following:
 The Warrenite paving has involved in investigations in Connecticut and in New York state
 It has been tried in New Haven, but it's use has not been continued there.
 The contracts made with Warrenite in Bridgeport have twice been attended with high lv suspicious circumstances of a most unfor- tunate nature.
 There is a marked anxiety to lay this pave ment upon the part of certain gentlemen, some of whom are chiefly noted for their faith in the political maxim Whats in it for us.''
 The letting and supervision of the contracts has been taken from the paving board and giv- en substantially to the committee on streets and sidewalks a body which does not possess in any remarkable degree the confidence of the pub lie for such purpose
 The contracts were let without bidding or eompetition-
 The city attorney says the contracts so let were and are illegal.
 The paving commission has refused to raHfy the contracts, giving reasons that it will not affirm any contracts for paving unless they are made in competition, nor unless the people on the several streets to be paved are heard as to the pavement they prefer
 Because in assigning streets to be paved the wishes of the people have not been con suited 1t is proposed to pave some streets whose citizens have not asked for it, and some streets arc not to be paved, where pavement is asked for.
 Because some streets are to be paved which are not much travelled and other streets, which want the pavement and are more travelled, are not to receive it.
 Because the city engineeri says that War renite is not suitable pavement to lay on streets where there are trolley tracks.
 There are pavements which can be laid on trolley tracks, and as between such pavement and Warrenite, the former must be best for any street whether there is trolley track on it or not
 Because the price to be paid for the pave nent, at least S1 36 per square yard, is too high for pavement of this type
 Because no city. that wants it's money hon estly and discreetly expended can afford to toll crate the methods used to create these con- tracts. If such methods do not immediately re- suit in extravaganza and graft they would ul- finatelY result in both
 All of these reasons are general reasons There are several reasons why these contracts should not be ratified, which internal to the instruments themselves. That is if these con- tracts had been made in legal and honorable way, they would not be good for the city. Some Of these reasons are as follows: -4ra The contract is not standard contract for paving That is, it is not form. endorsed or ap- proved by any body of engineers or by any civic association.