Evening star., 1951-10-24
100000 Saving
Seen on County
Single Road Bid
BeItsviIIe-BrunchviIIe
Highway Cost Held
Below Estimates

COIlInlSSlO1eTS To-Day were con-
sidering an unorthodox contract
for construction of the new Belts
INTERCHANGEABLE road, which they
said might save the county about
100000.
The contract would be unortho-
dox because it would be awarded
without competitive bids. Also
both the engineering and con-
struction work would be handled
by one contractor, instead of split
ting the p, oject between an en-
gineering and a construction firm.
as is generally done.
The commissioners yesterday
tentatively accepted a proposal
from the General Excavating Co.
Of Beltsville to draw up the plans
and build the 3.2-mile road for a
total of s35O,OO0.
Bid Less Than Estimates.
That bid. according to the COM
missioners. is from $4,000 to
$150,000 less than estimates they
have had on the job so far. A
total of $450,000 was allocated for
the project in a recent bond issue.
The Beltsville firms proposal,
made informally by letter, will be
considered tonight by the COM
missions special advisory COM
mlttee on road projects. That
committee, however, has only ad-
visory powers and could only rec
ommend that the commissioners
reject or adopt the proposal.
Argue For Acceptance.
The commissioners gave these
two main arguments for accept
ing the General Excavating Co.'S
one-package offer:
l. 1t would cost less. Not only
would the hiring of a separate
engineering firm at almost $4,000
be unnecessary, but the overall
proposed cost would be $50,000
under the county engineers origi-
nal estimate.
2. Work could begin almost i'm
mediately. If the usual procedure
OF first having an engineering
firm draw up plans and specifica-
tions and then putting the con-
tract up for bid is followed, actual
construction probably wouldn't
get underway until next spring.
Adrian Fisher, counsel to the
commissioners, said competitive
bidding is not legally required on
this project.
ZOning Rehearing Granted.
In another action yesterday, the
commissioners granted a rehear-
ing on an application by David
M. PEBBLES to rezone 100 acres of
land in Ardwick Park from rural
residential to light industrial.
The commissioners approved
the rezontng last week, but de-
clded to reconsider their decision
after delegation from five COM
munities in the area protested that
they did not know of last weeks
hearing until they read an ac-I
count OF it in The Star.
The delegation, led by Mrs. Tha-l
liza D. Thomas of Ardwick, argued
that signs announcing the hearingI
were posted on the property butt
that they were put along seldom
used roads and few people saw
them.
A date for the new hearing will
be announced later.
$4,000 for School Site.
The commissioners, in another
action, authorized the Board of
Education to pay a record high
price of s55.000 for a 12-acreI
school site. School Supt. William
S. Schmidt said the board has
never in its history paid that much
an acre for school land.
The site, located on the Old
Talbert farm on the west side of
Indianhead highway, between For
est Heights and the District line.
will be for the new Forest Heights
Elementary School, which is on
next years building program.
Both the Board of Education
and the citizens groups of the
area had urged that the site be
purchased because it is by far the
most suitable for the school.
The land owner, w. w. Ward,
had asked $50, 900 for the IL acres,
but Mr.. Fisher got him to agree to
$55,000 on the grounds that Mr..
Wards adjoining properties will
benefit by road which the county
will have to build to the school.
The commissioners also received
a delegation from the Accokeek
Citizens Association and the Ac-
cokeek Elementary School PTA
urging a new six-room school to