Bisbee daily review., 1918-11-01

|
 Washington, D. C.,
 September 26, 1918. State Highway Department,
 Phoenix, Arizona.
 "I have the following letter. l at tach hereto ruling made by the prior [ ity commissioner winch covers the continuance of the work on streets, payements and roadways substantial 1 ly under way until November l with out g permit. Will you kindly see that widest publicity is given to this l presume that you will communicate this information to the various state highway engineers immediately. (Signed) RICHARD L. HUMPHREY, Chief. Building Materials Section
 War Industries Board"
 Text of Ruling
 Following is the text of the ruling:
 The following ruling supplement- ing Circular No. 21, issued September 3. 1918, has on this 26th day of Sep tember. 1918, been promulgated by the priorities commissioner. Contractors and others engaged in the eOnstrue. tiOn of streets, payements and road ways now substantially under way are authorized to continue such cOnstruc- tion and manufacturers and distribu- tors of and dealers in materials useG in connection herewith may continue to furnish same for such construction work up to November l, 1918. Appli- cations for permits should be promptly made to the United States high cOun- cil through the state highway depart ment for the completion of all work now under contract and construction, which cannot be completed prior to November 1. No new contracts for the maintenance, construction or recon structiOn of streets, pavements and highways shall be entered into or no new construction not now in progress undertaken either prior or subsequent to November 1 without first obtaining permit from the United States high way council through the state high way department,
 (Signed) "L- w. PAGE,
 Chairman U. s. Highway Council"
 Omitted Important Clause
 On October 30, one week after the state highway department had sup piled the Cochise county highway commission with the above ruling, the highway commission received another copy of the same ruling through an other source, and discovered that Mir. Atwood's office had omitted the most important clauses from the copy which he had furnished. This is the final paragraph, which provided those with applications pending an oppor- tunity to secure necessary materials for construction prior to November 1. The paragraph which was omitted from the copy prepared for the Co chise county highway commission by MT. AtwOod's office follows:
 You understand of course that the foregoing amendment will apply to such of the applications already sub mitted through your department to the united States highway council as conform to the terms of the amend ment as well as to such projects of this character not yet submitted. I suggest that you go over the list of ap- plications submitted and that you take steps to notify such of the applicants as are entitled to the benefit of this I shall write you in greater detail little later on.
 "Very truly yours,
 "L. w. PAGE, Chairman
 A Pertinent Question
 It can be very readily seen that the Cochise county work was entitled to the benefit of this amendment, had
 
 in force. Why did the state engineer omit the last paragraph from the copies of the telegram that he furnish ed Cochise county highway commis- sion one month after receipt and then | only upon request?
 As a consequence, the highway com misisOn of Cochise county will be tied after November l, as no materials 1 can be delivered although contracts for the same have been awarded for some time. In other words, all of the work that is well under way has been arbitrarily held up by the state engi- ] neeT. If MT. Atwood had fulfilled his duties as the Arizona representative of the United States highway council and notified the Cochise county high l way commission that materials could ! be purchased after September 12, and ! prior to November 1, without an order from the United States highway coun- l cfl, the Cochise county highway com 1 mission could have ordered materials | shipped that contracts had been let | for and received same prior to Novem- | ber 1, and the work on roads com ! menced could have continued after | that date as per telegram from Sen ator Ashurst
 Purposely NegIectful?
 It appears to interested parties that the state engineer as representative of the United States highway council, ] has purposely neglected his duty as l federal representative in failing to notify those engaged in highway con | of the orders of the United | States highway council. Is not MT. Atwood using his posi- | ton as a federal representative of the | United States highway council as | club over the Cochise county highway | to force them to acknow' ledge his direction of this construc- .