Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-23

OF governor S1lZer'S' address to the
legislature yesterday on the state
road situation follows:
To the Legislature:
| 1 have referred to the subject
of roads in my inaugural address,
l now desire to call your attention
to certain specific phases of prob
lem and to certain facts as well es-
pectally concerning the proper ex-
penditure Of state funds
AS with SO many of our public
affairs. We have drifted in the mat
ter of road construction expendi-
lures Expanding our program, We
have not kept pace in protecting
public expenditures. We have con-
tinued to dole out the funds 10
build roads,. but have not properly
s~afeguarded the disbursement IF
those funds. Now is the time for
US to look over the situation.
Even a mere scratching of the
surface discloses the fact that our
funds are used extravagantly. and
that there Is corruption and a great
deal of waste
The principal elements entering
into the problem are cement. as
phalt and labor.
Patent Paving
The greatest abuse has been in the
use of so-called patent" paving.
am told that the original patent, if it
ever was worth anything, has expir-
ed, and that later claims have little
or no value, and that the type of
pavement is no better and no worse
than others of similar character
easily obtained.
The evils have grown out Of the
use of closed Specifications; that is,
specifications in which only patent
pavement may be used. This meth
cd enables the favored contractor to
get the contract at an excessive
price.
To illustrate, where a patent pavc-
ment is called for, the price Of such
patent surfacing would be $2.35 a
square yard, while that of other
sheet asphalt Of just as good quality
would be $3.50, making a difference
in cost of IS cents {. square yard.
In addition to this, the patent sur
facing would be 2 inches deep, while
the other asphalt surfacing would be
8 inches deep, goving SO per cent
more material for the surface Of the
road at a less cost.
Considering the difference in price
and in material, there is a distinct
loss of $1.00 per square yard in cost.
When we have clearly in mind
that the taxpayers are losing a dol
lar on each square yard of road, we
can see that something must be done
at once.
Results of last year show what
this excess was on state roads in the
following counties, not including
roads constructed under state aid:
In Cumberland county 100,165
square yards laid; excess per yard
$1.00; total loss $100,165. Atlantic
county, square yards laid, 1898;
excess per yard, $1.0O; total loss,
$119,S23; Morris county, 116,600
square yards laid at $1.00 excess per
yard shows total loss of $116,600; in
Middlesex county 82,566 square
yards were laid, showing a total loss
of $S2,566, and in other counties
100000 square yards laid with a
were 559,160 square yards laid and
with an excess of $1.00 per yard
shows the total loss as $559,160.
I am referring to these specific
counties because I am informed that
in them the greater part of the pat
ent pavements were laid.
My information is that during the
last year patent paving surfaces,
amounting to n million yards,
we're laid on state roads or roads re-
ceiving state aid.
1 believe that most taxpayers Will
be surprised to learn hat in the
building of a road having a 6-inch
concrete base, it costs about 50 to
lay that 6 inches of concrete, and
s2.35 to lay 2 inches of surfacing;
The 2 inches of patent surfacing cost
ing 35c moro than 6 inches of con-
crete. OF course, 81 of the latter
should never have been paid.
One dollar on a excess cost of
$4.S5, or nearly rs per cent, is too
much tribute to pay to those who
participate in these contracts.
Let me give you a concrete illus
tration:
The road from New Brunswick to
Metuchen vas built under closed
specifications. A patent pavement
was specified. Contractors could not
bid on anything else. There were in
the road S2,566 So. yards. The cost
then at 81 a yard eXces was $751;
566 more than it should have been
$S2,5e6 more than it would have
been if sheet asphalt had been speci-
fed.
Out of a total cost for the road OF
approximately $3.50, 900 there will be
laid unnecessarily yer $4,000 by
reason of the use OF patent pave
ments.
We are nov about to spend about
$40, 900, 900 through a bond issue.
These figures given to me by COM
petent engineers, thoroughly familiar
with this kind of work, are stagger-
ing but true.
They say that upon the expendi-
ture of $40, O0O, 900 there will be
paid 5000, 900 in excess il patent
paving is used under closed specifi-
cations. In other WORDS. Is per cent
of the total cost of $40.000,0O0 will
be wasted money-money expended
unnecessarily. In many cases 1t
would be money used to corrupt
public officials and to encourage fur
Their road building of this character.
Shall we sit quietly by and permit
this waste of public funds when we
know that it is going on?
I would therefore recommend that
laws be passed at once to provide
tor open specifications in the broad
est possible fashion, 50 as to prevent
Il repetition of these abuses. There
should be no difficulty in doing this.
We should repeal our county reim-
bursement acts, which permit the
county boards of freeholders to
share in this practice. Let us place
the full responsibility for spending
state funds upon the State Highway
Commission, for the state must see
that it's money is properly spent.
The fixing of routes should be left TIC
tho State Highway Commission. we