Evening star., 1954-10-15
|McKeIdinHits
Back at Byrd
On Road Fees
Defends Consuftont.
As Necessary on
New Highway Work
BY the Associated Press

BALTIMORE, Oct. 15.-Gov.
McKeldin today said the employ
ment of consulting engineers on
highway construction in Mary
land is not new and has been "a
necessity since the increase in
highway construction after the
second World War;"
The Governors statement was
a reply to criticism from H. c..
Byrd, Democratic aspirant to the
governorship.
DR.. Byrd has been critical Of
consultants' fees to be paid out
in connection with the building
a tunnel across Baltimore harbor.
"Proud"'of New Method.
The Republican Governor said
he was proud" that his admin
istration has discarded "the i'm
practical and very, very expen-
sive cost plus method of paying
consulting engineers" which he
said prevailed during the preced-
ing Democratic administration.
Said the Governor:
"Under that unwieldly system,
the consultant was paid a fixed
fee but was reimbursed
for direct cost of services; sup
plies and other necessary pur-
chases; for payroll costs, travel
ing and living expenses while on
the job and a variety of other
miscellaneous items that were
ruled chargeable."
Casting No AspersiOns.
Gov. McKeldin said, however,
he was casting no aspersions on
those who participated in the
contracts, either in the State
government or in the engineering
firms"
He said he was assuming that
the firms involved were "re-
liable and ethical" and refused
to Indulge in the desperate
slander that now is employed by
those who are seeking to dis
credit our highway construc-
tion program"
He said that since his admin
istration took over, only two en-
gineering contracts were let on
the "cost plus" basis.
He said all others were let on
the method recommended by the
American Society of Civil En-
gineers-"a percentage fee based
on actual construction COSTS"
Used Widely by Lane.
The Governor also remarked
that the Democratic administra-
ton of Gov. Lane which preceded
his own administration made
wide use of consulting engineers.
He said during 1947 to 1850
while Lane was in Office, fifty
contracts were negotiated with
consulting engineers for road
work other than the Bay Bridge.
They were paid fees totaling
$1.342,916.77.
"The engineering contract
negotiated in my predecessors
term for the Bay Bridge called
for fee of $2,563 .345.18-mak-
ing a total of $3,906,2 paid
in engineering fees during that
period"
DR.. Byrd has called "exorbi-
tant" the fees of some $3.50, 900
to be paid out in connection with
the building of the harbor tun-
nel
Hits Ocean City Jetties.
Yesterday, DR.. Byrd said the
State Roads Commission was
building jetties north of Ocean
City ito enhance the value of
large tracts of speculative real
estate owned by a former men,
ber of the commission" Avery
w. Hall.
Mr.. Hall, a Salisbury business
man, resigned from the commits
sion about a year ago.
'The State is also furnishing
prison labor to do this work
and the project is being super
vised by several engineering en-
ployes of the State Roads Com
mission" said DR.. Byrd.
The candidate added that the
jetties are not necessary to pro-
tect a State highway paralleling
the coastline but make Halls
unimproved and speculative land
holdings much more valuable as
beachfront property"