The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-08
CONTRACT SIGNED
FOR ROAD PAVING
Bid of Speed Parker Company of
Louisville Accepted by Commits
sioners for Beach Highway.

4
That it was to be hard shedding for
the Speed Parker Company, lowest
bidders for the construction of the
Gulf Beach Highway, seemed appar-
ent yesterday afternoon, on the OPEN
ing Of the meeting of the county COM
missioners, but on the contrary, after
some preliminary skirmishing, the
Louisville company came off with fly
| Ing colors, with the Turner Construc-
ton Company leading the parade, and
roofing for its competitors. The
Speed Parker bid was $403, 12125.
Mr.. Turner was called into the con-
ference. to give his opinion as to what
decision he, as a. contractor, felt
should be made in the matter and he
declared, unequivocally, that he
thought that right was right and
wrong was wrong and that the con-
tract should go to the lowest bidder
Speed Parker & Company which un-
derbid any other company thousands
of dollars.
On the opening of the meeting, Mr..
Ewing, representing the second lowest
bidders, Doullut- Williams Company, of
New Orleans, urged reconsideration of
his bid, declaring that on the face of
the matter the Speed-Parker bid
| would seem to be $20,000.0O cheaper
than any other bid But, said he,
there were other things to be taken
into consideration, than the amount
of the bid" He declared that owing
to the fact that the Speed-Parker
Company had made it's estimate for
completion of the work at 800 days
eight months longer than the time
mentioned by the Doullut- Williams
Company-and that inasmuch as time
was "the essence of the contract" he
felt that his company should he chos-
en- TO do the work.
"As 1 understand it," he said, .tthis
contract is for development" He said
that, according to the contract, the
road would not be completed until Jan
uary, 1924, and that in the meantime
the county would be losing not only
through the failure of completion of
the road and the expected development,
but also in the interest on the bonds,
and in the fact that the assessment
value of the property must continue
low, until after its improvement.
Mr.. Ewing was followed by Paul F.
Stewart, of the Chamber Of Com
merce, who said that he had no inter-
est whatever in the matter, except
as citizen, but that he believed that
what the people Of Escambia county
wanted was not only the lowest bid but
the best. He said that while it is true
that the Speed Parker Company was
more than $4,000 lower than the other
bids made on the road, there was also
difference of 600 days and 365 days
or eight months.
Mr.. Stewart said that he believed
that the completion of the road would
be worth $50,000.00 to the county, and
he pointed out the amount of interest
which must be paid in the event that
the work was extended over a period
of 900 days.
Mr.. Stewart said that he believed |
that, considering all these points. that
the bid of the Doullut- Williams Com |
pany was the best bid
Harry Thompson, attorney -at-law |
made a plea for the Doullut- Williams |
Company.
Charles E. Parker, of the Speed
Parker Company, spoke for himself
Mr.. Parker, who had previously
given every assurance of financial
ability. equipment and reliability.
stated that in other contracts which
his company had made they had not
been in the habit of placing a time
limit on the work, but that he felt
certain that his company could COM
p1ete the work in 365 days, and that it,
would certainly be to the interest of
his company to do so.
Il am asking for a fair deal, gentle
men," said Mr.. Parker. and am willing Il
for other contractors to be called in to
help in this decision"
At the conference which followed
this discussion, the county commits K
sioners. board Of bond trustees, and a
number of contractors conferred to- (
gether on the matter.
When the announcement was made
that the Speed Parker Company was
TO receive the contract, there was a
round of applause. showing that there ,
was a general sentiment that a fair
decision had been made.
The motion for awarding the bid TO
The Speed Parker Company was made
by Commissioner T. T. Wentworth,
by Commissioner Gus Solder /,
ind.
1t was stated yesterday afternoon
BY one OF the commissioners that most
Of the deeds to right of-way for the
Gulf Beach Highway had been re-
,eived, only two or three yet to be Sc
cured, and it was hoped that this
might be done without either paying {
'or property rights or having recourse s
10 legal proceedings IL