The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-10-16
FORMER COMMISSIONER EVANS GIVES SOME SPECIFIC REASONS
OPPOSING ROAD BOND ISSUE TO BE VOTED ON NOVEMBER IS

III DOAD AOOOA ~ LII
approved by the consulting engineer
and no alterations or changes shall be
made excepting on the written appro-
val of said consulting engineer advis.
ing such change.
Session Laws 1916, Chapter 80,
Page g.. Section 8
when any culvert or bridge is to he
constructed or piece Of tiling or repair
work is to be done or material for
any of them is to be purchased. when
the engineers total estimated cost for
( material and construction is $500 or
more. it shall be advertised and let at
public letting or it may be built by
| day labor If the bids can be wisely re-
/ jected.
I'm letting 4 contract, the board
| shall award to the lowest or best bidder
any or all bids, in which event they
and shall have the power to reject
may re-advertise or build by day
any or all bids, in which event they
labor at a cost not to exceed the low
est responsible bid received, and
other sections therein contained.
1t would appear from the quoted
statutes that the board of county
commissioners have the option to let
the building of public roads in two
ways
First: BY advertising for bids
and letting the same at a public let
ting to the lowest and best bidder,
on competitive sealed bids, and the
contractor securing the same to make
bond payable to ne county for the
faithful performance of his contract
Second: To build public roads by
day labor, that is, hire men and their
teams Mt so much per day and have
u foreman or overseer TO superintend
the work
Two Arguments Advanced
"Those urging that the $500 900 road
bonds carry. advance two arguments
First: That we need the roads as il
will enhance the value of our prop.
erty. Second: The farmers in Car
ter county have not made a money
crop in the last two years and there
fore need this money to support them
selves and family and pay their debts,
and cause large sums Of money to be
in circulation, and thereby lessen the
financial stringency throughout the
county.
IF the board of county commission
ers let the building of these roads at a
public letting, that is, by contract
it will require a contractor with ample
machinery and road facilities, and one
that is able to make a bond commen'
surate with his contract bid. To get a
contract Of this magnitude, and having
bid on the contract only for the pur-
pose of making money out Of it; he
would only hire the men and teams
that are able and have had the exper'
ience to do this kind and character of
road work, and the farmers and other
men with teams in the county, cannot
and would not stand a chance with
the hundreds of oil field teams that
are now standing idle, and have been
idle since the first of January and
hundreds of team contractors, with
their large oil field teams, that are
now out of work in the Hewitt
Healdton, Graham and Fox oil fields
and they would get their teams on this
road work in preference TO the farm
ers teams. Now, Mr.. Voter, how
would this condition help the farmer
and their families, and yet the bonds
are voted largely for the benefit Of
the farmers living in Carter county.
A Difficult Task
IF the board of county commission.
ers should decide that it is better to
build the public roads by the day
and exclude all that offer to work
except the farmers that live in Car
ter county. they would be confronted
with a difficult task; that is, give each
farmer in every part of Carter county
an opportunity TO work his teams on
the public roads in spending this $780,
600 bond issue. In the first place
under the law It would take from
three to four months to get the teams
at work, by reason of getting the
bonds voted, sold and getting the en-
gineers plans and specifications on the
roads TO be built, the grades, etc. and
by that time it would be their farming
time. and their teams should be in the
field for the 1922 crop. and in the
next place, is it reasonable TO think
that this huge project can be carried
on successfully with unskilled labor
and the majority Of men and team.
not having done this kind or charac