Evening star., 1927-03-20
STREET-W|DEN|NG
BIDS ARE REJECTED
Commissioners Action to
Delay Projects; Award Some
/ Repaving Contracts.

A delay in carrying out the Dis
tricts 1927 street widening program
appeared Inevitable yesterday when
the Commissioners rejected all bids
on the projects. New bids will be aa'
vertised
Rejection of the bids was recon-
mended by Capt. II. c. Whitehurst,
assistant engineer commissioner In
charge of the highway department, on
the ground that the District did not
receive proper competition for work
of the volume contained in the con-
tract. Although four bids were re-
ceived, three were not in accordance
with specifications. Capt. Whitehurst
advised the Commissioners that. in his
opinion, new bids would produce prop
er competition, and that a price ad-
vantRgeous to the District would be
submitted.
The streets which are slated for
widening are Connecticut avenue
from Dupont Circle 10 Florida avenue,
Twelfth street from f street to Penn
sylvania avenue, Thirteenth street
from / street TO Massa chusetts avenue
and Fifteenth street on the west side
of Mcpherson Square. from / street
to Massachusetts, avenue.
Also Reject Resurfacing Bids.
The Commissioners, acting upon the
recommendation of Capt. Whitehurst,
also rejected all bids received for the
resurfacing and renewing of num-
Der of streets for the same reason
that the STRENGTHENING bids were
turned down. Four bids were received
,lNy N n.
corIiance with the specifications.
The Commissioners, however, award
ed a number OF other contracts for
street improvements. Among them
were a contract for the resurfacing of
streets by the heater method, which
went to the firm Of MEG uire & Rolfe,
Inc, of Richmond; contract for lay
ing a number of cement roadways,
which was awarded to G. b. Mullin
Co.; a contract for laying cement side
walks. awarded to the Warren F.
Brenizer Co., and a contract for lay
ing concrete alleys, given to the same
firm.
Other Paving Contracts.
Another contract for resurfacing six
streets also was awarded by the Com
missioners to Corson & Gruman Co.,
Inc. These streets follow: Gales street
northeast from Fifteenth to Sixteenth
streets, Quincy street from Seventh
street to Georgia avenue, Thirty-fifth
street from Prospect to Wisconsin ave-
nue.. Pennsylvania avenue tsouth
side) from Washington Circle to
Twenty-f1fth street, Pennsylvania ave-
nue. north side) from Washington Cir
Gle to Twenty sixth street and X street
from Twelfth to Fourteenth streets.
The widening Of II street between
Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets to
so feet and the repaving of the road
way, as provided in the appropriation
act for the next fiscal year, will be
delayed because OF the lack of suf-
ficient funds, In accordance with an.
action yesterday by the Board OF Dis.
trict Commissioners.
The appropriation act limits the
cost OF the work to $4,000 and pro.
vides that 1t shall be assessed against
abutting property. The estimated
cost is $4,000.
Overrulcd BY Donovan.
c. B. Hunt, engineer OF highways,
sought to have the additional amount
needed supplemented by unexpended
balances from other paving items
authorized under the gasoline tax
fund, but Auditor Daniel J. Donovan
ruled that the Commissioners have no
authority to order such a procedure.
The language Of the appropria-
ton item is clear that the entire cost
OF the paving shall be assessed against
and collected from the owners of abut-
ting property" said the auditor. land
it is very clear that the $1,000 is to
represent the entire cost. In these
circumstances, II the actual cost
should exceed $40 0,0o8, no more than
that sum could be assessed, and the
law would be violated in not assessing
the entire cost
The Commissioners voted to include
an item for the additional sum needed
in the urgent deficiency appropriation
bill to be submitted to the next
Congress.