Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-06-13
ASK CONTRACTOR TO DO
WORK At PRESENT COST:
IF NOT CITY TO ACT
Street Committee to Act in
Case Contractors Refuse
to Continue
VOTE IS FOUR TO THEE
Low Bid of Graham & Nc
Keen is Considered Too
High by the Aldermen

The aldermen last night, after
prolonged debate on the subjec.
passed by a vote of four to three
a motion instructing the street COM
mittee TO prepare to collect the ga.-
bage in this city if the present con-
tractors, Graham * Mckeon refuss
to continue collections under the
present rate of pay.
Prior to the passage of this mo-
ton, a measure was put through re-
geeting the bid of Graham 4 Nc
keon received at a recent meeting
OF the board, on the grounds that
the ngures were too high. The bids
OF the other contractors Offering f1g-
ures o. the work had been rejected
by the aldermen prior to last nights
meeting the only bid retained by them
being that of Graham & McKeon
which was lower than the rest. This
ngure, however, was about $40. 900
higher than the 1919 figures or
three-year contract, an increase of
about. $4,000 a year which INC
aldermen believe was unwarra nfad
There was a difference OF opinion
as to the advisa bility of the CITY nm
dertaking the collection and dispos-
al of its garbadge. The motion 10
reject all of the bids of the garbage
contractors was unanimously passed
Alderman John z. Sofield then de-
clared he was in favor of readver-
Using in hopes of getting lower fig
ures but was not willing to see the
city attempt TO do the work itself
Judge the future by the past" he
said. None of the municipal on
Grated plants have proven profitable
in the past and ! don't think this
will" Alderman Benjamin A. Riedy
spoke along similar lines, objecting
TO the city's taking over the work
He maintained the additional work
OF collecting and disposing of gar
bage would interfere with the regu-
lar street departments work
The streets on the outskirts of
the city are in poor enough
condition now, without adding gar
bage collection to the work of the
department" Alderman Riedy ex-
claimed.
About the only time these streets
have been repaired in the past has
been just before election" Alderman
Waters replied.
Alderman-at-Large Richard j.
Calvin stopped this discussion and
asked for any more remarks on the
motion of Alderman Waters which
was TO give Graham & McKeon a
CHdnCe 10 commune cOlecuOnS at the
present rates. refusal of which would
mean the city would do the work
The motion 10 reject the low ga--
bage bid and give the present con-
tractor an opportunity 10 continps
under present rates was made by
Alderman Albert G. Waters. Alder
man Thomas Patten declared that
the city is not anxious to take over
its own garbage collection. but il the
contractor, Graham & McKeon. IL
not willing 10 continue under pres
ent prevailing rate the city $ street
department Is willing 10 do the
work.
Alderman John = Clark opposed
the project of the city collecting its
own garbage, claiming that it is a
far reaching question which should
be figured out after long study from
all angles.
''It will require thousands OF dol
lars for equipment" Alderman Clark
said. And You can't get it in five
minutes. You will need an organi-
zation that you cannot perfect in
dav or two. You cannot rush a
thing like this through and win not
vote in favor of il now"
CONTINUED on page %