Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-11-23
COMMISSIONERS
in HlDALCO LET
ROAD CONTRACT
Fourteen Miles Of Highway
With Rock Asphalt Top
Contracted For by Coun-
ty Court


Contracts for the construction of Ia
miles of the Hidalgo county 81 miles OF
improved highway were awarded yes
terday by the Hidalgo county commits
sioners' court. W. L. Pearson Of Hous-
ton being awarded the contract for the
sand. gravel and crushed stone base,
and Smith Brothers of Dallas receiving
the contract for the Pinch rock asphal:
topping. The cost of the fourteen miles
OF highway will be approximately
S452. 900.
State and federal engineers who W .rc
present at the opening and considor.-
tion of the bids. approved them, and
work on the nev highway. which w!i.
extend from Edinburg 10 the main
road and thence TO Val Verde between
Donna and Alamo, will be sta:'-I a.
soon as material can be secured. The
contract calls for the compl etion o. the
IL miles by August l, 1928.
Among the federal and state engin-
eers present at Edinburg ~ cpnnrc ion
with the bidding were r. ". Johnson,
general division engineer o: .hs f-.eT-
al bureau of roads; Captain J. ID.
Fauntleroy, state highway engineer;
and t. X. Spencer, division engineer
Of the state highway department Bid
ders were Potts & Prentiss If Waco;
Southwest Bitulithic COMPANY of San
Antonio: Pearson Construction Compa-
ny Of Houston; +. p. McElwrath, who
has the contract for the Cameron coun.
~ highway; and Smith Bros, of Dal-
las.
Ii is reported that bids for the re-
niainder of the Hidalgo county high
way program will be opened in about a
month. Efforts will be made 20 rush
all work. and have the entire high
way construction completed within a
year. "A report from Edinburg this NOR
ming stated. Among the first construc-
tion work planned by the county will
be the connection with the Cameron.
county highway near La Feria.
Rain Holds Up Work.
+. p. McElwra,h, contractor for the
paving of the remainder OF State High
wEy No. l2 in Cameron county. and
Tyree l.. Bell arrived in Brownsville
today at noon from Edinburg. where
they were present at the letting Of the
of road in Hidalgo county.
Mr. McElwrath has been in CorSicana
and other parts of the state on bust
ness in connection with the paving COZ
tract here. Mr.. Bell has made his head
quarters at Harlingen and j. superin-
tending the paving of the road.
Work is being held up on the road
Mr.. Bell stated. on account of rain.
Also the shipment of gravel from the
gravel pits at Sam .Fordyce has been
held up due to the rais there. At pres
ent three culyerts have been completed
and two more are practically ready for
the cement. A strip of road . mile and
onc-half long has been graded up,
ready for the concrete.
II is expected that paving material
for the job will be here by December
and concrete work will start some
time in December. Two paving outfits
are TO be used. one on each paving pro
ject. and the machines will average 500
feet day in good weather
in regard 10 the roads in Hidalco
county. Mr.. McElwrath said today.
they were in bad condition and could
hardly be travelled in many cases Mr.
McElwrath submitted bids for the paw
ing project in liidalgo county. and was
low bidder on most grades of paving,
bat lost out when the commissioners
decided 10 construct gravel base roads
with asphalt top. his bid on this type
of construction not being the lowest
Oran Midcalf formerly county en-
gineer of Travis county. with head
quarters at Austin. has been employed
by Mr.. McElwrath 10 take charge OF the
gravel supply for the road and has mo
we'd To Mission with his family. where
he will make his home.