Imperial Valley press., 1920-03-10
TO FRUSTRATE
ATTEMPT At
GOUG|NG
COUNTY
Other Communities Build
Their Roads at Prices Far
Less Than Those Offered
This County; Here Is
Sample of Concrete Prices

THE board Of supervisors will
tomorrow again take Up the
question Of construction Of I'M
perial county roads. 1t is expect
ed that the board will either reject
bids and prepare to g ahead and
build the roads ON force account,
or else accept at least q portion Of
the bids.
The fact that there were several pc
culiar things about the bids which
were opened Monday is being taken
into account by the board.
In the first place, it is pointed out
that, some OF the board and q large
portion Of the public believe the bids
We're too. high. The fact that George
Oswald who last week bid 80 cents a
squart foot in Holtville, this week bid
40 cents on the Brawlsy Holtvills, ia
causing a large amount of somment
masmuch as the specifications were
practically the same. On top of that
40 cents, embankments and exeavating
is extra.
The lowest price on cement was 81
ing extra.
Others Build Read
Other communities are constructing
roads much cheaper than this and
with the best grade of cement. For
instance there are the Long Beach
boulevard and El Monte roads in Los
Angeles county, the first being con-
structed for IA cents per square foot
and the second at a reasonable eest.
Arizona has recently constructed reads
at price far less than that which the
contractors ask of Imperial Valley.
Here are the detailed costs sn the
Los Angeles county road
Long Beach boulevard job just ssm-
pleted less than 4 mile long but 6
inches thick, including shut down for
rain and breaking in new crew cost
complete. including charge for rent
of county's equipment, hauling same
to job, and return; every item: 17.4c
per square foot. LAborers receive 81.
finishers $3.50 mixed men $s.Se, grade
boss S., roller man $605. pump nan
for water outfit 81. Foreman size per
month Rock costs county $1.5o per
ton, sand $125, cement $2.3e per barrel.
The charge for hauling materials from
railway to job is included in labor
cost.
Low Csst
Below Is sample:
FL Monte road Section 3.
Total labor cost las above. pumping
water stringing pipe line, haul mater
ials, clean street. etc. etc., $4,4l2.ss.
Incidentals which NAV come in as
job is just finished, $1ss.
Total, $4.512.0s.
323S7 tons sand 0.......,.-.................$125 25
527.76 tons rock D .........-............... l.5o
1892 90 barrels cement 0.,-..,.-..... 2.3o
This road is 2o2e feet long by "A feet
wide and six inches thick.
1t is the general concensus Of opin-
ion that the present county highway
commission be prevented from apsnd-
ing the county money. The Valley has
lost confidence in the personnel Of the
commission and is not willing to ahow
expenditure of 80 large sum in the
hands Of the present commission.
BY securing a new commission. a
commission which stands uaquestioh-
ed by the county composed of business
men and not politicians, the county
can go ahead and construct trial sec
tions OF highways, with a cost OF de-
and ascertain accurately the cost OF
constructing its own highways.
Concrete Popular
More than twice the total Of any
previous year, and equivalent 70 ever
5 .O08 miles Of 1S-foot concrete pave
ment.
! States in which contracts for more
than 30 miles OF concrete read were let
during 1913.
Arkansas 81 miles. California alO
miles, Delaware IS miles, Georgia 80
miles, Illinois $40 miles. Indiana ESQ
miles, Kansas 50 miles, Maryland sa
miles, Massachusetts, 81 niles. Aichi.
gan 16S miles. Minnesota - nailes, Mis-
sissippi 3s miles, New Jersey ~ niles,
New York 32s milcs, ohis 23s niles,
Oklahoma 50 miles. Oregon ~ niles
Pennsylvania 4sl miles, Texas - niles
Utah s4 miles, VirRinja 81 ailes. wash
In utNn 161 uaiIna Wat Wn0nia ~