Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15
BELL ASKS THAT BUSES PAY
SHARE OF UPkEEPINC STREETS
Tells Gibson Subcommittee He Will Send Bill to Con.
gress-Recortls Submitted Showing Rudolph &
West Co. Awarded Largest Hardware Contracts.

auditor adverse to Mr.. F'enning was
rendered.
Mr.. Rlanton then put in the record
the certificates. copies of letters ana
other documents furnished him under
official departmental seal by Winfield
Scott. commissioner of pensions. GOV
erinc tho salient correspondence he
tween Mr. t'enninC. the Pension Ru-
reau and the Interior Depa rtment. in
confirmation Of the fact that FenninG
had been prohibited from practice he
fore that bureau and was cognizant
of the fact soon after he became COM
missioner.
Mr.. Rlanton read into the record
an opinion rendered by q former
auditor for the District. AlOnZo o..
Tweedale to the effect that the ms
trict of Columbia is not part of the
Fedora Government and a disagree
ing opinion by the controller OF the
Treasury, and he cited supreme Court
decisions that this municipality is
merely an agent or inStrumentaliE or
the Federal Government.
Chairman Gibson then called upon
Col. Bell to identify a certain docn-
ment, which contained list of awards
in the District. showing the contrac-
tors and prices for hardware and
metals for the fiscal year 1925. Out
of this report MIR Gibson drew that
Rudolph 4 West Co, Inc. had re-
ceived contracts totaling $Il.425.8l;
the Barber & Ross Co. Inc, S13 $3.50:
+. f. May & CO.. $l0.355.0l; Dulin y
Martin. $t4,713.10, and George r.
Newton. $4,000.
Mr.. Gibson questioned Col. Bell as
to whether the specifications called
for a particular material for which
one concern in the District IL sole
agent. and the Engineer Commits
sioner is to report later after care
full study of the awards.
Condition OF Streets Questioned.
Mr.. Blanton questioned Col. Bell
regarding informa ton contained in
the letter from Col. J. Edward Cas-
sidy. civil engineer. who stated that
the Washington streets are in a de-
plorable condition and are getting
worse in spite of increased approprai-
tions. Mr.. Cassidy blamed this on
the cutting down of the construction
guarantee from Ave years to one
year. Col. Bell pointed out that a
five-year guarantee has been put back
i'm the apprOpria ton bill for the next
fiscal year. Representative Gilbert
mt into the record "A quotation from
a series of articles in The Star COW
ering the condition of the streets;
thai the cutting down to II one-year
arantee was not an administrative
act. but was done by Congress itself
in the District appropriation bill for
the fiscal year 1917 in order to save
a considerable sum which would 9TH
erwise be added by the contractors
to protect themselves, which saving
was reflected in increased resurfacing.
To- nAA
the economy OF the five-year provision,
and Col. Bell said that it is a moot
question among engineers, and that
he himself doubts whether, under the
five.vear guarantee provision, the city
will get benefits equal to the damages.
Mr.. Houston stated that 1t was i'm
portant to know whether there Is a
real saving. because 1t means a cost
of MANY thousands of dollars each
wear to the District.
Looks Ten Years Ahead.
In reply to questions from Mr. Blan-
ton as to whether from now on the
cost of Washinston's streets ought not
TO decrease, Col. Bell stated that with
In 10 wears the District of Columbia
probably will be built up to its boun-
daries and that new work will fall
off but that in the meantime replace
ment work is piling up, and that at
the end of 10 years there will be a
much larger total surface, one-twen-
tieth Of which should be replaced an
nually in order to maintain the entire
surface/at the average life of 20 years.
Mr.. Gibson questioned Col. Bell in
detail regarding the funds available
for street work from the gasoline tax,
and the colonel quoted the figures
carried in the appropriation bill for
the last three years, as follows: 1925
600. $4,000 and s1.200,000. He said
that this will increase somewhat and
he augmented by repayments by ahut
ting property owners under the Bor.
land amendment. Mr.. Gibson then
brought In his contention that there
should 10 camtnR IN approximately