The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-20
Experience and Competency


 such as Mir. W. s. Kellar, state high way engineer; Julian Kendrick, city engineer; R. 10. Meade, consulting en- gineerS also refer to public speech of Hugh mcGeever at Short Creek on Au- gust 21 and at Crocker Junction in re- gard to the Brookside and Crocker Junction Toad where he stater, referr- 1 ing to the county highway engineer: We have the best, etc, etc., etc. As 1 to being politician, I deny the charge and demand the proof.
 Not being able to get costs, esti- mates and other information, will say in reply 10 this that I went to the board of revenue just after they start ed the convict system and asked them to give me a. man to keep cost of each different Job that I might be able to give them the exact cost per cubic yard on each job as 1t was finished. I have repeatedly asked MT. Pattie, the con vict superintendent, the man who gets daily reports from each camp. to give me the number of convict days with men and with team that I might be able to give board of revenue an es- innate on the cost of 12 different jobs which I have the exact yardage class filed, but have never been able to ge. this information and therefore was not able to give board of revenue cost of same work.
 Not New Precedent
 Maybe they did not set a new pre- cedent in letting contracts but I say they did in clear profit to the con- tractor. As to other contracts let, Kim berly bridge or any other. I am willing to stand or fall on the record as far as my estimates and recommendations are concerned, and if 1t can be shown any contractor on the jobs referred to or any other job sublet any part of the work at 50 per cent of the original contract price and left the subcon- tractor profit will forever hold my peace. If the public interest Is consid- cred of first importance a private con tract may be as advantageous as any.
 "This statement that former contracts are in excess Is not true. You notice he said average haul in figuring Wallace Bros and Young's contract, and that is w4iat he left out of Newel Bros con- tract that cost the county $2671.S0. Fig uring both contracts alike, the first mile cherted on Young and Wallace's contract was a three-m mile haul and they received N.15 per cubic yard for the three-mile haul, while Newell received $1.50 or this contract. Also notice that the first contract made with Wallace Bros & Young was for grading three miles of road and cherting one mile. If you will read the contract. you see where Youngs price on earth was IS cents loose rock 37 cents and solid rock 64 cents which Is very low; also you notice MT Stubbs' price, the man next to Wallace Bros. & Young on this contract, was & cents for earth and 20 cents for chert So you see Wallace Bros. & Young losi money on the grade work, but made money on the chert to make the contract average. You also notice that we lei Wallace Bros. & Young have the sec. ond mile of cherting on this job at 2 cents per cubic yard per mile above the previous mile-haul which was let under competitive bids. The third mile of thii work was let under competitive bids or nve-mile haul for $1.s4. According ts Newelps contract he received $2.60 pel yard for the same haul.
 Comparing cost of flve-mile haul 2405 cubic yards chert at $1.s4 per cubic yard for hauling ..........$4. 426. 3 Preparing sub-grade .............. 1000 | 2405 cubic yards chert at cents 1 per cubic yard, drilling and snootlng ............-........... ID.1 2405 cubic yard chert, at cents 1 per cubic yard. scarifying and l rolling ..........--......... .......... lb4.S
 Wallace Bros & Young's total. .$4,8Oo. q 24o5 cubic yard chert, s2.50 per cu-
 bic yard. Newell's contract...... 6.012. 5l Total saving to county on tho one 1 mile in favorso of Wallace Bros. & Young, per mile .$1. .21 n
 You notice Mir. Pennington quotes m' at 10 cents per cubic yard for rolling ant
 scarifying on Newell's job. If he hat read the contract he would have seen i
 calledE my figures did not call for cents per cubic yard. Was this an erro ! or did he dc| it Intentionally? For thu past IS montHs the county has been scar flying and 40lling roads and surely MT