Evening star., 1941-08-24
Hearings on Charges
OF Improper Paving
Awards Planned
Officiols Let Contracts
For Low-Cost' Roods
TotoIine $ll6.455

Public hearings will be held before
members of the Senate District
Committee on complaints made to
Congress by Controller General
Lindsay c. Warren regarding i'm
proprieties" in the Districts system
Of awarding paving contracts, 1t was
announced yesterday. The hearings
probably will Aart September Is.
Plans for the hearings were an
nounced by Renah r. CamAlier. spe-
cial adviser to the Senate District
Committee, after he had conferred
for about two and q half hours with
District officials to get their side of
the story.
Meanwhile; activatine the public
declaration Of confidence in the
Districts system Of awarding paving
contracts. the Commissioners yester-
day awarded another miscellaneous
street work contract. calling for ex-
penditure Of $l16,455 for construc-
ton of q number of low cost" roads
In various sections of the District,
as may be listed by the Commits
sioners, using the unit price" sys-
tenn of contract awards.
Conference Held.
Mr.. Camalier, invited earlier to
confer with District ofncials and to
look over the entire record OF Dis
trict paving contracts and the sys-
tenn Of specifications and awards,
after they had declared they found
the controller generals criticisms
were absolutely nwarranted," met
with Corporation Counsel Richmond
B. Keech, Highway Director H. c..
Whitehurst and Vernon E. West,
principal assistant corporation
counsel.
They went over the Warren
charges, the answers made by Capt.
Whitehurst and had before them
also records Of the Highway Depart
ment and the Commissioners per-
tanning to highway york and con-
tracts.
The contract awarded yesterday
went to the Corson 81 Gruman Co..
OF this city. for a price said to be
s16.ll0, or II per cent. lower than
estimates OF cost made privately by
District ofdcials before bids were
received. The Arm getting the award
submitted the lowest of five sealed
bids received by the Commissioners.
The second lowest bid came from
the Highway Engineering 6s Con-
struction Co.. with q price Of $l17.-
9l7.50; the next from Mcguire &
Rolfe, with $12o175 being asked;
the next from Wilmoth Paving Co.,
with price Of $I22,s45 requested,
and the highest from Donaldson
Paving Co, for $l3l,1135o.
Large Variance in Bids.
There were "a specific unit prices
listed in the bids and the offers
from the five bidders on individual
items varied. in some cases by rela-
lively large percentages. One ON
cial voiced his personal belief that
the low bidder, Corson G Gruman,
was able to submit the lowest price
for the reason that this firm has a
plant close by the Smoot Sand and
Gravel Co.. from which he would
obtain crushed gravel.
The work to be done calls for
construction of asphaltic concrete
base course and laying of bituminous
surface course, or alternate, at vari-
Gus locations in the District. Capt.
Whitehurst explained this was q
cleanup" contract for the variety
Of low cost" roads projects ordered
for this year to meet emergencies
caused primarily by mushroom ex-
pansion of some District areas by
the influx of defense workers.
Since this project was for "low
cost" roads. it was explained. the
Commissioners have a list of the
proposed work but did not list this
in the contract call, as they do in
other cases.