Omaha daily bee., 1920-03-07

WORD is as good as their bond. We
expect this agreement to be carried
/ Oft.
Contract is Illegal.
Further, it was this signed pledge
sof the commissioners which made
possible the holding Of the special
,election. Had it not been for this
spledRe. 80 progressive property
.owners of the county would not
fIhaye agreed to bear the expense OF
the special election in case the
bonds failed to carry. You couldn.:.
!. have voted on paving bonds until
/, the regular election OF November,
County Commissioner Unit, in
defending his action, declared that
he didn't think a spirit OF contro-
yersv ought to prevail over a few
miles OF "bitulithic"
"This is only 10 miles out OF to-
tai Of us" he argued. "a man said
Ito me today, IF this contract goes
Through we will get some new eourl
Nv commissioners am at your
service, gentlemen. But don't
think this spirit ought to prevail.
\ The county commissioners reserve
(. the right to act on their own lnitia,
tive sometimes and this is one OF
those times"
"Oh on Wrong Foot"
George WoIz of Fremont declared
.;that Douglas county has gotten OFT
on the wrong foot Oh this paving
deal"
ain Dodge county" he said, "the
sowners of the abutting property pay
t'one-third of the total cost OF the
paving. This is only right because
they receive the greatest benefit.
%rhere are other counties in which
this system prevails. II you had such
rule in Douglas county your paw.
ing problem would be sinplifcd
greatly"
8 The meeting continued from 10:30
in the morning until nearly 2:3O in
the afternoon. It was nearly 5 when
the county commissioners placed
their signatures to the contracts and
bond approvals.
Early in the meeting w. B. Cheek,
president Of the Omaha Automobile
club. read telegram from the Pur-
ington Paving Brick Co, Calesburg,
III, bearing on the alleged shortage
aof brick. II said: d Il.
"Hayc contracts for 100000
s!brick. Providing we can get the
empty cars, will be able to deliver
*, ,000, 900 this year.
Janlin B. Root of the South Side
y declared that, brick. was the only
lpaving even discussed prior to the
t-bond election. -.
II am one of the taxpayers who
signed the bond for the special
" election" he said, "and / hope God
will withcr my right arm if ! knew
on the day / signed it that you
shad anything in mind but brick.
rNo man can put up an argument
Eagainst brick. Such a paving would
he = monument to this generation
slongs after we have passed on"
Towie Defends Stand.
John w. Towle, president of the
Allied Contractors, INC, the concern
which secured the contract for the
sl2 miles of "bitulithic" paving in
eontroversy, declared that in his
Nudgment bitulithic asphaltic con-
crete will last longer than brick paw
Ans
/, He referred to the "self-consti-
tutcd committee"
"This committee represents only
IA small proportion OF the taxpay-
ers." he said, "and has no more
fright to come in here demanding
brick than some other committee
might have to come in and demand
/. sbitulithic.
4 s "The people of this county have
Srlected five men to transact their
abusiness. These men have acted in
n ygOod Judgment as well as III good
sisith in awarding this contract for
sbitulithic paving.
II County Commissioner c. ]. Unit,
Ewho offered the motion at the time
tof the award OF the bituhthic con-
tract. defended ms recession from
brick, asserting that it is time to
show the brick men that they do not
hold Douglas county by the throat,
and he added that the county board
gwas confronted by taN situation of
shrick bids being boosted from $685.
200 to $4,000, as originally estima-
sted, to $ss,000 to 10000 per mile.
Convinced OF Combine.
Il Sophus Neble. county commits
Ssioner, in an impassioned statement,
explained that he broke his signed
pledge for brick only when he was
convinced OF brick combine.
Il am going to protect the tax
payers Of Douglas county" he said.
"'Why was.,'t there specifications
\ siur asphal. pavement except the
q Warfchite, which is patent" F. A.
Bfogan, president of the Chamber of
Commerce, asked State Engineer
JonnSon.
q n specified sheet asphalt the en-
ginGer replied.
why didn't you specify asphaltic
sseoncseteS" was Mr.. Brosian's next
z inquiry.
SAsphaltic concrete won't stand up
under truck traffic" Mr.. Johnson re-
piled.
vt 10 nothing in, the world but q
brick trust and they make nothing
hut slaves OF the contractors. and we
refuse to be > slave Of this brick
trust" said John w. Towle. to
whose company was awarded the
bitulithic contract The brick peo-
pie viii not keep their promise. We
made our bid in good faith. We
CEN build for this county only five
rniles Of brick foads this year."
Referring to . statement made by
John A. Bruce, city engineer, that
asnhaltic concrete could be laid for
n about 81 per yard less than the