Evening journal., 1916-06-06

unimproved or dirt roads Of the va
rious rural hundreds. the sum Of
SS3,555.55. I wish to call attention
TO the fact that this amount is very
materially reduced by the allowance
as errors Of all assessments, so far
as the levy for roads purposes is con-
cerned of property located within
the limits Of the various incorpor-
ated towns and cities, not including
Wilmington, within this county,
which are exempt from taxation for
road purposes. This would reduce
the amount available for the main
tenance of unimproved or dirt roads
OF the various rural hundreds, by at
least $4,000 to $4,000.
Recommendation by Commission Of
Engineers.
at is recommended that the State
appropriations shall be used only for
the construction OF inter and intra-
State trunk highways"
Comment by Attorney for Levy Court
Chapter 55 of the Revised Code Of
the State Of Delaware A. d. 1915.
provides that
AFTER any road is constructed by
the Levy Court under the provisions
Of said section 81 thereof, it is for
ever thereafter a county road and
the duty of keeping the same i'm re-
pair, except within the limits OF any
city. deyOlves upon the Levy Court Of
New Castle county"
The recommendation of the com
mission of engineers cannot be adop-
ted in respect to the so-called inter
and intrastate trunk highways re-
ferred TO in its report which have
already been constructed under the
provisions Of said section 81 Sub
stantially all the roads designated by
tho commission OF engineers as in
ter and intrastate trunk highways
have been constructed under the pro-
visions Of said section 81, with tho
exception Of the Philadelphia Pike
and the Kennett Pike, the latter OF
which is privately owned The rec
ommendation could be adopted in re-
spect TO the Philadelphia Pike.
Taking up the statement OF the
| Commission OF Engineers as to pre-
liminary investigation, surveys. de-
! sign and Office practice. and the analy
sis Of cost Of certain roads, Highway
| Commissioner Wilson comments:
Comment BY Highway Commissioner
The amount of S2.S22.31 which is
charged as extras on the Kennett Road
was made up largely by an extension
| OF the work as authorized in the con
tract consisting of additional square
yardage of macadam of two intersect
/ ing roads. some additional yardage o.
/ cutters which were found necessary in
an extra cut and fill. and retaining
wall built to protect an adjacent prop
erty owner for all of which bids were
invited and received and contrac
awarded to the lowest responsible
/ bidder
The amount charged as extras OF
the West Chester road was largely
made up by an extension of the wOrl
as authorized in the contract, consist
ing of additional yardage for macsd
am on three intersecting roads, anC
in draining many springs and muci
quick sand which developed in sid'
hill cuttings. for all Of which bids
were received and work done pursuan
thereto. There was also some adjust
ment of damages done to property.
The extras charged on the Black
bird Station Road were largely caused
by an extension of the work as author
led by the contract and consisted o
extra yardage of macadam in two ad
iacent approaching roads, and extra
yardage in cutters in and near the vii
I lage of Blackbird. Some OF the eX
! ira macadam on the adjacent roads
was in return for donation of lands
to eliminate a sharp and dangerous
curve. These additions, or so called
extras we're all done pursuant to con
1 tract after bids were invited.
Much of the increased cost Of the
/ Appoquinimink Hundred Stone RoaC
was caused by an unfortunate error il
the first field survey which was cor
rected after the contract had beI
awarded. Another part of the addi
tional cost was in eliminating two re
versed curves from the road by chang
/ ing the course thereof.
In the contract used i'm the State o
Maryland the Commissioner reserves
the right to increase the quantities t
an amount not exceeding twenty pc
cent. of the contract price, and il
the event OF any increase of the esti
mated quantities of more than 20 pc
cent. then such excess over twent,
per cent. is paid for under the head o
extra work" If the contract in us
in this State in respect to extras con
tanned a provision similaT to the on
used in Maryland the charge for eN
tras on none of these roads would
excepting the Appoquinimink Hundred
State Road, amount TO more than nv
hundred dollars, and under most o
the contracts for the construction o
roads there would be no charge a
all under the head of extras.
The practice of allowing contraC
tors to bid on different combination
of rock or broken stone and in som
cases on different details of construC
ton is considered hereafter in thi
report. The designs and plans nov
in use have generally received favor
able comment from engineers. bidder
and road contractors. The small seal
of diagram Of the cross-sections show
on the design and plans is set forth o
the same page as the grade line o
tn road and Is not given TO the cor
tractor to make the calculation
upon. but is simply a guide Tor IN
contractor.
All calculations Of the quantity O
excavations and entertainments an
square yardage of the road are cleal
" set forth in a separate table on th
same design and plans. and the cut
and fills of the actual road work ar
marked on the road stakes as set ,
the engineer. All estimates OF quar-
titles on which to base payments {
the contractor are made from actus
, measurement on the ground and no
from the diagrams or cross-sections.