Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-30

Is fsir and with this letter we are willing
10 rest our case in their hands"
The letter follows:
.uo. u,,, July s7th. 1917.
Hon. William s. Twining.
Director Department Of City Transit
Dear Sir:
We beg to acknowledge the receipt OF
your four letters of July 25, advising us
tnat the Public Service Commission of
rennsylvania had Issued the certificate OF
public convenience stipulated in the ad-
aer,,sement for bids for the construction
Vi tne transit facilities authorized by ordi.
nance OF Councils, approved July 20, 1916,
anu hotifying us OF the award TO this
company OF contracts Nos. 201 and 2O3
sor winch we submitted proposals February
., 1917, and OF contracts Nos. 103 and 204
3, 1917 W. '
hou can appreciate that. in view OF the
.olg ueiay In making these awards and the
very unusual conditions now existing in the
lapor ana material markets. these contracts
are neither attractive nor desirable but we
ieel IL Is our duty to do everything In our
power to make 1t possible for the city Of
ihiiadelphia to take advantage of the low
olus received In February and April realiz-
ing that to rcadvertisc this work under
present conditions would undoubtedly mean
an increased cost of several millions of
dollars II is unnecessary to call your at
tention to the enormous advance since Feb
ruary OF the present year in the cost of
labor and materials, particularly the class
or materials entering into subway construc-
tlon. TO say nothing OF the uncertainty of
obtaining deliveries Therefore we feel that
II this company Is willing to proceed with
the work under the proposals as submitted
in February and April, In order that the
city might reap the advantages of the prices
then current. the city should be willing to
make certain concessions to us and we
| should be relieved of any loss occasoned by
conditions over which we have no control
In the prosecution of the work resulting
| from delays
While we were covered, under options.
| for considerable portion of the material
| to be used in the construction of these
| four subway sections where 1t was possible
10 specify definite quantities. under the unit
price items. where the quantities required
| were indefinite and there was no absolute
| assurance as to the amount to be used 1t
was impossible to obtain such options. We
| calculate that the loss to us occasioned by
| the advance in the cost Of materials in
| rolved in these unit-price items will amount
| to not less than 100000. to say nothing
| uf the loss due to the increased cost of
| labor, which at this time cannot be esti-
mated. However, these items we are will
| ing to assume.
| W nat we ask OF the city may be summed
| up briefly as follows
| First, Should these contracts be sus.
| pended after operations are started for
| reasons not under our control we ask the
| city to agree to assume the actual ex.
| penses incurred in the maintenance of the
| work and the protection OF the public dur.
! ing the period of such suspension.
| Second We ask the city to agree to the
| payment of the actual expenses incurred
| should the work he delayed or suspended
| by reason of the city's inability to obtain
right OF way to enter and underpin the
| various properties along the line OF the
| work and to remove the mechanical equip
| ment therein contained. according to the
| plans and specifications.
| Third. We ask the city to agree to per.
| INIT us to prosecute the entire work in Lo.
| Gust street under contract known as No.
| 2O3, and also the work I'm Broad stree,
under contracts known as Nos. 1O3 and 2O4
as far as possible, by the open cut
| method In place OF the "cut and cover
| method described In the specifications, al
| ways with a due regard for the rights of the
| public and using every effort to reduce their
| inconvenience to minimum. The Arch
| street contract. known as No. col would
| be done by the "cut and cover" method
| as required by the specifications
I'VE particularly ask your consideration