Evening journal., 1916-06-06

carried out that a definite type suita-
bic for each location is determined
upon prior to the advertisement for
bids. In this county the amount of
extras has been reduced to 2 minimum
and with the exception of the four
roads referred to above by the Com
mission of Engineers, the amount of
extras is not large. Comment has
been made by the highway commits
sioner in respect to the organization
heretofore recommended by the Com
mission of Engineers.
Recommendation by Commission Of
Engineers.
in general it is recommended that
the unlimited policy of constructing
pipe culverts with concrete headwalls
at the entrances nof all fields should
be abolished. ."
Recommendation by Highway Com
missioner.
Il is recommended that, so far as
practicable pipe culverts with con-
crete head walls at the entrances of
all fields be confined to cases where
the expense of keeping the cutters
open would be greater than the CON
struction of such pipe culverts. In
many cases is much more ecOnomi-
cal TO construct pipe culverts at the
time of the construction Of a road
than it is to be continually at the ex-
rense of keeping open the cutters at
The entrance of fields.
Recommendation by Commission Of
Engineers.
Advertisements. II is recommend
ed that, under the provision of the
law giving the commissioner author
ity to advertise in such other papers
as he shall deem of advantage for Sc
curing fair competition advertise
ments be inserted in at least two or
three of the following technical peri
odicals: Engineering and Contracting,
Engineering News. Engineering Rec
ord, Good Roads, Municipal Engineer
ing and Municipal Journal. 9"
Comment and Recommendation by
Highway Commissioner.
In the past the highway commits
eioners have advertised for BIDS for
highway work in papers published out
side OF this State, including several
of the engineering papers mentioned
by the Commissioner of Engineers,
and nearly every year reference has
been made in Good Roads Magazine,
published monthly. of the amount of
road work contemplated i'm New Castle
county. State of Delaware From these
advertisements no adequate return
for the money invested was received
the amount of money being spent here
apparently being too small to attract
the attention OF the large contractors
of New York or other places at a
distance. Tho highway commissioner
however. has a number of names OF
contractors in Delaware, Pennsyl
vania and New Jersey on a mailing
/ list. The present practice is to ad
vertise according to law in our local
| papers, and to mail copies Of said ad
vertisement to those on the mailing
list. This seems to have given very
good results. At times as high as
I sixteen competitive bids have been re
ceived for one piece of work. This is
custom followed in many other
States and counties.
! It is recommended however. fOI
/ the purpose of ascertaining results
! that the recommendation of the Com
mission of Engineers be adopted, al
least temporarily.
| Statement and Recommendation By
Commission Of Engineers.
Bid. Present conditions. The cur
rent practice of the Levy Court al
lows bidders to submit prices for types
of construction which are not com
parable. $"
Commend and Recommendation by At
torney for Levy Court.
The current practice of the Levy
Court does not allow bidders to sub
init prices for types of construction
in respect to the stone which are
not comparable.
If the current practice of the Levy
Court allows bidders to submit prices
/ for types of construction in respect
to other materials than stone which
are not comparable. the practice
should be changed.
/ A change. however, would not be
recommended which would restrict the
| bidder to the use of one kind of stone
cement, bitulithic material or Other
material used i'm the construction o.
roads where the production of the
stone, cement. bitulithic material Ol
/ other material is controlled i'm It's
production by reason of location o.
quarries. or by patents or otherwise
/ by one or by a very few persons In
such cases alternative bids should bS
/ invited. Unless this were done il
would not secure maximum competi
ton and equitable bidding, but il would
restrict the competition and bidding
TO those persons who would be in q
/ position to obtain the stone. cement
bitulithic material or other material
and II would also permit the producer
Of said stone. cement bitulithic ma
terial or other material to ar
bitrarily fix any price however unres
sonable which he desired for his ma
terial.
Il is recommended that for all ma
i terials, a standard be adopted anG
that if such standard is unavoidabl.
elastic embracing two or more kindl
of materials that when tho contrac
I is awarded the quality of materials L
be furnished. as well as the price bid
be taken into consideration in determ
/ ining which Of several bids is the low
est This practice is recognized anl
approved in a large number OF adjudi
Gated cases
Comment by Highway Engineer.
i For the purpose of ascertaininl
whether the stone named by the bid
der is equally as good IN every par
ticular as that shown i'm the highwa.
commissioner Office the comparison
Of tests of. stone by the Bureau o
Good Roads, Agricultural Department
Washington. d. c., OF which l.. w
Page is director. is used. The follow
ing table made by the Agriculture
Department shows the results Of sal,
tests: table accompanie, reporh)
I Reror,rae ndafiop hv Conanaiesion n