Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-02
RAILWAY ELIZABETH
ROAD BIDS REJECTED
Bids on Warrenite on Con-
crete Base Turned Back by
State Highway Board.

BY Special Correspondent.
TRENTON, Sept. BY unani-
nous vote the State Highway COM
mission late yesterday afternoon re-
jected all bids for the reconstruc-
tion Of the Railway Elizabeth stretch
OF the state highway system with a
patented pavement. Bids were
opened this week for the repair
work which was to be of concrete as
a base with a bituminous surface. 1t
was estimated that the cost of repair
would be $4,000 mile, or $4,000
more than a straight out and out
concrete job.
When state Engineer Thomas j.
Wasser brought the bids before the
commission for action. Commissioner
David Young. of Morris, opened up
barrage on the Warrenite propo-
sails, which was Joined in by other
commissioners. resulting in the
throwing out of the bids as excessive.
Young said no other action than re-
lection would suit him. On roll call
the motion to reject the first War
renite job was UNANIMOUSLY carried.
The action of the commission cre-
ated distinct surprise in view of the
decision to use Warrenite on this re-
pair job by the new highway board
sometime. ago The policy OF the
highway board kicked out of Office
by Governor Edwards was for con-
crete roads. When the new board
came into office no time was lost in
permitting it to be known that War
renite roads would have a chance.
Rejection of the bids means that
this road will not be repaired this
year. The Warrenite bidders receiv-
ed their certified checks which they
had put up as security in bidding.
Engineer Wasser continued to
hand out "pink- slips" to old high
way employees. Robert H. Exton, of
Trenton, a Republican. was dismiss
ed, when his job. paying $4,000 a
year, as business agent, was absorb
ed. The requested resignation of h.
Nj. Vail of Plainfield. head of the
maintenance bureau, was received
and accepted.
In approving the. proceedings of
an executive session, the commission
outlined its building program for
1921. Completion of through routes
of travel between Newark and At
Iantic City and Newark and Trenton,
was the program agreed upon, rath-
er than placing highway money on
piece-meaI sections of the state.
In adopting the policy OF COM
pleting through routes, the commls-
sioners are carrying out the ideas
of Governor Edwards.
The Railway Elizabeth work was
bid for in three sections. G. II.
Winans Company, of Elizabeth, put
in the low bid for 1.492 miles to be
built between Linden and Roselle,
s214,296.45. The low bid for 1881
sniles between Roselle and Eliza
beth, was that of John Dorer, OF
lrvington,. S237,4S9.5e. The low bid
for 1.47s miles to be built between
Railway and Linden was that OF NJ
l. Demarest. of sewaren. s204,4s5:-
"a. The difference between the mgr
and low bids for each section to be
built was about $1,000.
Bids have also been received for
the construction of two bridges on
the Bordentown- Burlington state
highway route. In each instance
the low bid was that of the East
Jersey Bridge Company, which bid
S49,S9S.42 for one of the bridges,
and s21,192.S0 for the other.
A motion was adopted that the
commission proceed with the COM
pletion of state highway routes NO.
i from Elizabeth to Trenton; No.
from Trenton to Camden and No.
from Camden to Atlantic City and
Route No. 4 from Absecon to RAN
way.
The commission also decided to
have it's agents check up on motor
truck corporations carrying greater
loads than sanctioned on the. state
highways. 1t was decided to install
four truck scales in Newark. Pater-
son, Trenton and Camden to weigh
trucks supposed to be loaded to
more than the weight authorized by
law. -