The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-18
CITY HELDIAx
N WAY PAVING
JOBS ARE DONE
*. Rhoads, and G. NJ. Babcock
Declare Specifications do Not
Protect Citizens.

FIX. Rhoads and George M. Bah
.oct appeared at the city hall this
snorning and protested against what
M claimed are lax methods in
outiiuing specifications for paving
work.
..reet between Ninth and Twelfth
svernes. Proceedings are up pro-
,tding for the resurfacing of the old
hrick having with asphaltic con-
c,ete. and the complaints charged
,hs, specifica tons filed in county
eonrt preliminary to the confirma-
tion Of assessment rolls by the court
are in reality not specifications at
all.
Mr.. Babcock further charged that
the CITY engineer had promised to
submit the specification to him and
e ] Searle, another property hold
or on the street, for inspection be-
fore fling. That promise was not
kept, he said
il was claimed that the specifca-
tons for the resurfacing work set
forth that crushed stone to be used
shall be of a size that would pass
through a 1-inch ring, and this was
especially objected to.
Dust will pass through a 1-inch
ring, and if dust is used the prop
erty holders have no recourse, as
the specifications set forth that
crushed rock can be used of a size
that will pass through a 1-inch
ring" the DIRECTORS stated.
Another point objected to in the
specifications was that regarding
catch basins. The specifications on
the Twentieth street job set forth
that catch basins are to be of the
standard city. pattern. Objection
there is that cost of the basins is
fully covered. but nothing specifies
what the property holders receive,
as claim is made that the city has
no standard pattern.
"Ciaims He Was "Stung.7
Mr.. Rhoads, agent for the Robin
son estate, declared that he was
'stung' when Eighteenth street was
resurfaced this summer" and that
this experience prompts him to OBJ
ject to the specifications for resur-
facing Twentieth street under
specifications now in court.
Discussing probable reasons why
the resurfacing on Eighteenth street
is so poor at the Robinson building
and seems to hold up at the Central
Trust building, Mr. Babcock de-
clared a belief that under the Il
inch ring" specification, crushed
rock of fair size just happened to
be used in the mixture that was
laid down at the Central Trust
building, while more or less rock
dust was in the mixture that was
laid farther north in the block. City
officials informed the DIRECTORS that
there was a five-year guarantee on
he work.
The DIRECTORS relieved them
selves of a conviction also that
paving costs are too high and that
he city should not advertise for
bids on paving work until there is
such a large letting that outside
firms would compete for the work.
Ask Three Weeks Delay.
The DIRECTORS asked for three
weeks delay before court proceed
Ings on the Twentieth street job,
he confirmation on assessment rolls
having been set for tomorrow.
Mayor Harry NJ. Schriver in
structed City Attorney J. K. Scott
to take the proper steps to hold off
the confirmation proceedings.
During the delay the directors
say that they want to get together
with the city officials and set forth
more thoroughly their objections to
the present paving specifications,
and to ask for changes that they
say will be satisfactory.