Evening star., 1961-07-02
WRECKERs.
WRECKERS @s.e ~-as. N e. s@.s,*..e~.
Firms Protest City's Reversal
Of Bon Against On-Site Burning

adoption by the District of new
air pollution control regula-
tions.
The regulating was adopted
ip April. Wreckers working on
Contracts signed before that
date may continue to burn on
the site, however.
Herbert Himelfarb, president
pf Cornell Wrecking Co., de-
clared that he believes political
pressure was involved in the
contract and the granting of the
permit.
THE fact that Representa-
tive Rabaut called Commits
Sioner Tobriner and Commits
sioner Tobriner then called the
Health Department and the.
permit was issued after Dis
trict officials had previously
refuse to grant such a permit
is evidence of this" he said.
II feel the other wrecking
contractors were wronged," he
added.
Two Inquiries Being Made
Commissioner Tobriner and
Representative Rabuat both
denied that they had attempt
ed to give Liberty Wrecking
any special favors.
Meanwhile, both John Searles,
RIA director, and 1t. Col.
Charles S. MacVeigh, assistant
engineer commissioner of the
District, said they are making
a thorough inquiry into the
contract and burning permit.
Disgruntled wrecking COM
pany officials say that the
economic significance in grant,
ing of the permit to Liberty is
that it will enable this COM
pany to make a large profit by
cutting the costs of its wreck
ing operation in half.
They say that after being
told by RIA and District Of
ficials that no burning would
be permitted at the site they
boosted their bid prices sub
stantially before submitting
them to RIA to compensate
for the additional cost of hav-
ing to truck away combustible
material.
New Bidding Proposed u
These wrecking company Of c 9
ficials contend that since the :
no-burning policy has been =
changed. the job should be re- q
advertised so that the public =
would get the benefit of a much T.
lower price on the wrecking
project. 6
However, Paul loren, presi- t
dent Of Liberty, who got the job f
on a low bid of $83,969, has de- g
MED that the burning permit j
will have a substantial effect
on his company's costs. f
Commissioner Tobriner. when h
asked about the burning per- u
NIT, said nothing was done in =,
this case that wouldn't have h
been done for any other con-
tractor under similar circum- B
stances.
Asked if Representative Ra-
baut had interceded on behalf :.
Of Liberty Wrecking, Commits - -
sioner Tobriner declined to an a a
swer the question. . .
Representative Rabaut said Il
he had received some COM
plants about sanitary condi- Il
tions because of an accumula- "
ton Of refuse and trash at b
this site. o
II thought it was a good idea n
to burn up this stuff, "he added. e
"Fire, properly used. is one Of a
the greatest blessings we have.
"Not to Burn-That's Nuts" - -
IT called Commissioner To- a
briner and asked who was hold Ii
ing this up. Not to burn-that's h
nuts. Tobriner said he would cC
look into the matter. He let me c.
know later that the policy on
burning had been changed. tt
II am interested in treating Il
this town as if it were my own n
backyard. If this stuff was in O
my backyard I would burn it. II
I wouldn't carry it around to j
the front porch and spread bugs IL
all around.
They're letting burning go d
on in Southwest. I think what b
is gravy for one should be c'
gravy for another" VI
Representative Rabaut said
he had no interest in Liberty
Wrecking, but they weren't
treating these fellows right. I II
didn't know these fellows, but tt
I had them come up-two "
clean-cut young fellows-their p
competition is trying to make n
things tough on them" p
Letter to Searles Cited d
Mr.. Himelfarb said his attor- a. :.
rey had sent a registered letter Il
to RIA before the agency I"
awarded the contract to Liberty n
stating that Cornell Wrecking =,
officials had heard rumors that y, "
burning might be permitted. =, =,
This letter. dated May %, y, =,
1861. and addressed to the RIA, " "
in care of John Searles, said, u
in part: -.
"In figuring their bid. my y
client felt that no burning 81
would be permitted but now r
has heard rumors that burn G.
ing may be permitted. =,
THE mere fact that burning u
may be permitted would have c.
altered my clients bid figure ic
considerably. knowledge Of the D
possibility of burning or assum- 1
ing of same by other competi-
tors definitely gave them an
unfair bidding advantage over
my client" n
The letter asked that the con- n
tract not be awarded to Liberty Il