El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-09
SAYS BITULITHIC
BID IS TOO HIGH
j. U. Sweeney Asks County
Why Not Build All Con-
crete Road, Cheaper.

Asking the county commissioners
for information regarding the bids on
the road to Ysleta. on which the low
est bid was made by the Texas Btu
1.-THE company, urginS that the speci-
fications be changed and concrete
adopted for the entire width Of the
road and Directing to leaving the
bridges at their present width when
/ the road is widened, J. U. Sweeney ad-
~-~Ssed a letter to that body Satur-
day.
I body on this week opened bids for
I the construction of a paved road lead
| ing from the city OF FL Paso to the
town of YsIeta, in this county, and
that II is contemplated that the court
will award the bids on Monday says
the letter.
Il have before me what purports to
be commissioners specifications and
the bids submitted by the Bitulithic
company. I heartily concur in the
many assertions emanating from the
courthouse to the effect that during
the tendency Of the world war the
greatest caution and care should be
exercised in the expenditure OF money
not only by the individual citizen. but
by all departments OF county and mu-
nicipal government We all appreci-
ate the fact that the taxpayer is
confronted now with greater financial
{ obligations than he was prior to our
entry into the war and that we shoald
conserve the resources OF the county
and government so as TO enable the
Individual citizen 10 support the ma
fional government in the purchase OF
Liberty bonds and war savings stamps
instead OF paying his money in the
form OF city and county taxes for ir-
regular expenditures I naturally as
sumo and anticipate that you gentle
this sentiment
Would Be Very Costly.
'In looking over the specifications
and the bids submitted under same.
find that the county contemplates
building a q foot roadway: the cen
ter Is feet OF which will be construct
ed Of bituminous surface and four
feet on each side to be constructed OF
concrete and designated as a con-
crete shoulder The Bitulithic COM
pany submitted a bid to put in these
concrete shoulders, ( feet in width
and eight inches In thickness Tor
S1.37 a square yard The same COM
Dany also offers to build the bitumi-
nous surface Is feet in width and two
inches in thickness for S1.47 a square
yard. OF 10 cents a square yard in ex-
cess OF the concrete work. which SAID
concrete work is six inches thicker
than the bituminous- These two bids,
I figure, will make the cost of the
concrete and bituminous surface
alone cost the county about $4,000
ner mile: then. in addition thereto. is
the eVnense of grading. lengthening
and widening bridges and other extra
work will run the cost OF this
road up to about $4,000 to $4,000
per mile. Grading. I figure. will
average from $500 TO $500 per mile.
varying according to necessity at the
particular points on the road As
suming that you only have ten miles
Of roadway to build. this will cost the
and not $4,000 as I understand the
commissioners estimate OF the cost OF
the road.
Bridges Too Narrow.
The royalty you pay the Bitulitnle
company per mile on the road VIII
amount to s2346. Assuming that you
have Il miles OF road to build. you
viii pay the Bitulithic company a
royalty OF S28.I52. You have planned
TO run a "a foot road which you are
going to run up 20 is foot bridges,
which said road will project at least
four feet on each side Of the bridges.
and at night, when the road IS not
observable. will prove death traps to
the occupants OF vehicles traversing
the road.
your honorable body constructed
a concrete road IN the upper valley
above the smelter at an approximate
cost. 7 am advised, Of about $4,000
per mile. which road is approved by
the foremost road builders and gov
eminent experts OF the country. If
SO, why pay double that amount for
a bitulithic road leading to Ysleta2
The Bitulithic company has submitted
TO you the difference in price on the
bitulithic and concrete surface; IL OIL
fers TO build shoulders four feet wide
and eight inches IN thickness out Of
concrete for s1.57 a square yard and
have offered to put in its bituminous
surface Two inches in thickness at
s1.47 a square yard. a difference Of
10 cents a square yard in favor of
he concrete and a difference Of six
inches in thickness again in favor Of
the concrete II this is a fact. save
money for the taxpayers and put in
81 feet OF concrete surface road
straight across the road eight inches
thick. approved by the leading gov
eminent experts and road experts OF
the world.
T feel. as q citizen. II is my duty to 1
call these glazing differences TO the 1
attention of you gentlemen. and feel /
that You viii take these matters IN 1
der consideration and conserve the in /
terests OF the people. Respectfully /
submitted los L Sweeney"