Show CARBON COUNTY MAKES SELECTION 11 N pron provo post the post has watched with interest the paving controversy of where a hard surface recent occurs enec in carbon county ka s project c w u under tion the various vari ct paving types come in for more or less analytical discus aoi apon the part of those taxpayers who contribute toward its ultimate construe construction tion this is as it should be for the disposition of public funds is a matter in which all good are interested and public of ficialA who are honest and conscientious ious ions in their iti orte should welcome elcome ii such action upon the part of their constituents it seems that in the caon county case two types of pavement of entirely different dit ferent construction construe tion were to be placed in competition with little thought upon the part of the public as to the relative merits or adaptability of the type desired for the particular traffic conditions with which they would havo to contend As is 11 quite natural m here thi the public io concerned little attention was given the matter by the carbon county people until the time came for its final consideration by the proper officials then the storm broke and the battle waged with more or less uncertainty as to the results until a final decision was reached wherein bids would be called for on one tape only to colue tins this would appear as if competition had been eliminated and undue advantage 0 given gien the type favored such however was not the case rase as inches of bituminous surfacing on a four inch base of crushed rock or gravel upon a u bub base of four inches more of gravel mas placed in competition with nith a solid cement concrete pavement six inches thick on the sides and eight inches in the center I 1 one does not have to be especially versed in modern highway con st ruction to readily see these arc are neither campara comparable ble m cost of construction cost of maintenance or general efficiency this being true the frio irig of these e types in competition would not only b be e an injustice justice iii to the superior or most mort costly type but it would also place the hanpa tai er tt it a disadvantage for the reason that he might very easily be found in in a position wherein he would pay tor for the lesa less costly type a price just under that of the more expensive form of con eon bt ruction in other words the parties bidding on that type which appears to be the least could easily inflate their prices to an extent that would be just under that of their competitors and thus I 1 secure the ton contract tract to their own enrichment and to the great financial disadvantage of 0 the taxpaying public it would be just as consistent stent if one contemplating the erection of a home or buhichi bu blok blo should call for bids on both wood and stone construction with the understanding witt the lowest bid would secure the cont contract all roads are roads all automobiles are automobiles all houses arc are houses all clothes are clothes but it is generally conceded that it is good judgment upon the part of a prospective aureba purchaser se r to thoroughly make up hia his mind as to just what type or quality he desires then go out in the open market and get the be best beit it price on that particular article or commodity that 1 is 1 1 possible there i is s then a possibility for good honorable ith full justice to everyone and a josith e assurance that the purchaser will get the best value possible for his money the decision of 0 the carbon county off officials trials to select belc ct in tin this particular instance the Aur i surfaced faced portland cement construction for the proposed work in their county not only appears to us its to be a matter of sound judg mcp so fo far a as determining value is concerned but also establishes a pre precedent adent that it would be well for other officials to follow that of first finding out just what they want and then purchase it to the best adv antao possible so far aa as paving matteri mat ers are concerned prove provo has already adopted this policy and has thus far found no reabon to regret its action in the matter |