St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1920-11-27
4, Writes Letter to Farmer
Explaining Reason for
Dissatisfaction.
LETTER WRITTEN BY
COMMISSIONER DAVIS
Who Defends Action and
Tells Why Bids Should
Be Accepted.
slidell, La, Nov. %, 1920.

rditor St. Tammany Farmer:
Referring to resolutions adopted
nv the Police Jury November 18th
1920. authorizing the acceptance OF
"hids for roads A, D and c."
Some of the record, bearing OH
those bids and their acceptance, has
never been published, SO far as l am
aware, and as | want it published,
an that the whole record may be
nearer complete and correct, | ask
that you publish this statement. II
Won do not consider it matter u
sufficient Importance to justify its
publication without charge, you are
at liberty to publish it in your next
issue on the front page of your pape:
At YOUR regular advertising rate, anu
send me your bill, which will be
nromptly paid by me individually.
When the bids referred to were
considered by the Police Jury at their
meeting November 9Th, 1920, let
ter from the St. Tammany Parish
Good Roads Commission was a-so
nyegented to the Police Jury and read
aloud to that body by Mr.. Lewis l..
Morgan. That letter reads as fol-
lows;
To the Honorable Police Jury of st.
Tammany Parish:
Conference.-The to bids
submitted by the State Highway De-
partment for construction of the fo--
lowing Federal Aid roads in ST.
Tammany parish, namely;
Section Observation-Disclosures
road.
road.
Section "D"-Lacombe to Slidell.
Upon examination OF these bids,
dated October 25th, 1920, we find
that even if the State Highway De-
partment will furnish one-nalf Of the
total costs of construction, there Is
not sufficient money in our parish
road fund, after providing for oblt-
cations now outstanding, to pay the
other half of the total on all three
projects: ....-
These bids show a total cost for
all three sections A, G and oi
$443,196.27.
0ne-half to be paid by
St. Tammany parish. 22l,09S.l3
Amt reserved by st.
Tammany for these
projects $4,000
Making deficit for st.
Tammany as against
reserve 5O,04S.13
II only sections c and d be cou-
sidered, the total cost is $309,172.10
0ne-half to be paid by
St. Tammany parish. 154, 4,5S6.oo |
Amt. reserved by St.
Tammany parish for
these projects ..... lib, 3,3OO.Vo
Making a deficit for st.
Tammany as against
reserve 41,2S6.05
1t has been stated that the State |
Highway Engineer has said he would |
furnish the funds to pay one-half the |
total cost, but we have no official in
formation on that point. SO far a
We know, the parish is obligated to |
pay all the costs of these roads In |
excess OF the amounts stipulated as
q portion to be paid by the State |
Highway Department, in the appli- |
cations for Federal Aid originally |
nled by your body. If payment must !
De made by the parish on this basis, |
the deficit which the parish must pay |
Will be increased at least twice as |
much as the figures shown above.
We would further advise that we
nave every reason to believe that II |
new bids are called for, lower prices |
VIII be made. Reductions in cost OF |
construction and materials are being |
reported, and this does not seem TO |
ne the time for rushing into con-
tracts.
In view of the foregoing, we re-
ommend that these bids be rejected, |
ana a new bidding be advertised for |
at least thirty days.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH GOOD
ROADS COMMISSION,
(Signed)
]: 2. GRANT,
2. G. DAVIS,
Eice-Chairman.
+. W. PATHERREE,
Secretary.
~, IN considering these bids at their
Ngovemher 18th meeting, the Police
yuFy aisregarded entirely the recon-
Msaaation of the Coed Roads Com
Mtsslen as embedded in the letter |
auoted above. That is the partieu-
sas point to which | wish to call the |
ss1ention of the citizens and taxpay- |
eEs OF the parish. l do not wish
saaI there shall be left open any |
sause Tor doubt or confusion in the
nus OF the people as to where the
.sponsloility should be placed for
'epeanee of the bids so much high
- enan could have been obtained by |