The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-05-02
HIGHEST BIDDERS GOT JOBS
County Road Commission Gave Work at
costliest Figures

costiest Figures
A storm of protest has arisen on both
sides of the county over the action of
the county road commission last Satur-
day in awarding the contract on the
Beechwood road to the McGrath Con-
struction company and the Amasa cut
off TO b. w. Hicks although in the case
of the Beeohwood road three other
firms under bid McGrath and in the
case OF the Amasa road one other un-
derbid Hicks. Both McGrath and
Hicks are outside contractors while
in the list were A. ID. MoRae, ID. +.
Boyle IL Go. and o. T. Olson. all Iron
county contractors who are just now
without any work. In addition lot
of Iron county labor that has been en-
ployed by the local men is lying about
with nothing to do while outside men
are imported TO take. at least the better
class of jobs.
The county road commissioners just
ify their position by saying that they
gave the jobs to those whom they con-
sidered best qualified to do the woik
and TO complete ii within the time
specified in the contract In the case
of the Beechwood road the work covers
section with not single resident
along its entire length and the COM
pletion of which don't make much
difference as to time while the Am
as a cutoff covers piece of road ON
which not one foot covers piece of
road already existing.
In the past years, when labor was
scarce and high in price these outside
contractors wouldn't bid on Iron
county road work and local contractors
were given the work at very low prices
and because. in some cases, they would
mt use more expensive methods to
complete their contracts in "A hurry,
although in not one instance was an
offer Of any incentive made to local
contractors to take more expensive
methods the board arbitrarily
decided that now, when labor is plenti-
full and low in price, outside contrac-
tors shall have the jobs at figures
that are lust about right for tight
times and on jobs that don't make
much difference whether they are
finished this year or next.
On the first eight miles of the Beech
wood road THAT portion between Iron
River and Beechwood) there was bid
in 1919 for earth Ss cents by Payne /;
33 cents by A. ID. McRse and "a cents
10y Boyle a. Co and the commission
rejected all of those bids because the
prices were too high and re-advertised
when the work went 60 the McGrath
Construction Go. at 27-cents Mr..
McGrath gave very good satisfaction.
so the boaru says, and in order to com.
plete his work on time he bought
teams and put them at work on the
road at an extra cost Of from A TO g.
cents per yard and with all OF this
extra expense Mr.. McGrath cleared.
according 10 his own statement on
the job 81. 200. This year the job goes
TO McGrath at accents per yard.
The aggregate figures Of the several
bids were AS follows Beechwood
road Mc(9rath Construction Go. $iS,
805 30 ; A. ID. McRae sl7. 0so. 90 Blom-
greD 10. s95. so; Hicks 10. e6f 80 Boyle
S13, 43s. 40 In addition Boyle a. 20
made an offer with their bid OF So per
thousand feet for the timber, the
aggregate amount of the timber to
be deducted from their bid. The other
contractors do not want the timber.
The estimate Of merchantable timber
Is 800, 600 feet and unless this timber
is marketed soon after II is cut IL will
b. almost worthless for lumber and
veneer purposes and the baeswood will
be utterly worthless 50 that another
thousand dollars may be added TO the