Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-19
BRIDGE BIDS
ARE REJECTED
State Highway Commission
Throws Out All Estimates
Called Too High
WILL CUT DOWN COST
Matter Will be Taken up With
State Highway Commission
Snare Co. Heard

TRENTON, Sept. 19:-On the
ground that they were too high the
recaut bids received by the State
Highway Commission for the con-
struction of the Amboy bridge over
the Raritan river were yesterday re-
jected by the State Highway Com
mission. This action was taken fol-
lowing the appearance before the
commission of Representatives of the
Frederick Snare Corporation, of New
York, which had submitted the low
est lump estimate, urging that the
/. firm be permitted to have the con-
tract. This concerns bid was $3,
934,000. Stillman, Delahanty Ss Fer
ris, of Jersey City, was second with
$4,444, ,696.34 and Patrick McGovern,
Inc. of New York, third and last
with $4,933, ,011.13.
The Snare company was repre-
sented by Arthur w. Buttenheim and
Edward S. Skillen, vice presidents.
When they appeared before the COM
mission, Chairman Scott advised
them it was the opinion of the COM
mission that the bids received were
all too high and it was the intention
AlOL " 0N al VI lbC IOilLl dNb Oll fAhCiAi-
Z Commissioner Jelin made a similar
statement, saying that Chief Engi-
neer Sloane and the advisory COM
mittee of the board had recommend
ed that the bids be rejected. The
two members expressed the hope
that the Snare corporation would
compete in the next bidding.
MIR. Buttenheim, who was the
@fnain spokesman for the company,
Foubted whether his concern could
4 10 any better in the matter of pre-
s1paring a new estimate. He declared
that the price of materials could not
be materially changed and that the
labor cost was the only one that
might alter the situation when esti-
mates are again presented. His firm
figured to get less than ten per
cent profit, explained the representa-
tive, and was taking some risk in de-
Gliding to try for the contract be-
cause of the difficult problem in
volved in the construction of the
proposed Amboy bridge. He declared
1t to be the most difficult in the vi
cinity of New York because of the
necessity to construct the open Golfer
dams in the silt bed of the Raritan
river.
it would be necessary to have ninety
five foot piling and that this would
have to come from the west coast
making the cost higher and that
freight rates are as low as they are
likely to be. The steel price is also
a factor to be considered in bidding,
said Mr.. Buttenheim, and he said
that later on it is likely to be af-
fected to the extent of about SO a
ton because of the new eight-hour
day for the steel workers.
The corporations spokesman re-
ferred to the action of the Passaic
Sewage Commission in insisting up
on low contract prices for its work
and the resultant failure of the con-
tractors who bid too low to make
good. Mr.. Buttonheim said further
that his company would have to
construct sixteen Golfer dams in the
construction of the Amboy bridge
and that these are filled with doubt
ful possibilities and the wreckage
of one or more is very costly. He
said his firm had figured on the fail
ure of but one in building the Am
boy bridge, If it got the contract
and that If more than one falled,
the company's chances of making
nrofit on the Job would be very
y Nnuch jeopardized.
To this end it was planned to
nut "our best talent" on this con-
tract said the speaker and in addi-
fion it had been planned to give the
contract fullest attention, starting
the construction from both sides OF
the river and in the middle at once.
He referred to various pieces of big
construction handled successfully by
the company, mentioning the
Rrooklyn-Edison contract JUST
completed.
The State Highway Departments
engineers had estimated the work at
$4,000, 900. 1t is understood how
aver. that the commission was Will
inc TO concede that the price might
rasch s3,500,000 From its discus
sion Yesterday the commission in
dicated that it may revise the spec
ifications with War Department ap-
nroval so as to cut the cost about
eaoO 600. Part of this would be
through the substitution of sand
stone for granite In the piers and
,,alxing the estimates on a unite
basis rather than lump sum bid.
The former, it is figured, would re-
snlt in a cut in the cost totalling
s175. 900 and the latter $15O,OOO.
cars lacking r-hevroiet quality and et-
aaiancv NAV sell for less. but cost much
Ave considering upkeep and depreoia-