vin, a, 2 Reibling: Portland Cement 109 



to furnish cement for less money which would meet all of the 

 requirements of the specifications; and, finally, the engineer 

 was forced against his best judgment to use other and cheaper 

 material. The products then obtained often failed to pass, and 

 much of the cement barely passed, the specified requirements. 

 At times, workmen and inspectors complained about their setting 

 and hardening properties ; and, at all times, their use was accom- 

 panied by considerable controversy, uncertainty, and confusion, 

 which involved considerable expense and vexatious delays. 



In 1908 a special committee was appointed to improve these 

 conditions. They advised the adoption of specifications similar 

 to those of the American Society for Testing Materials, but 

 slightly modified so as to be practicable under tropical conditions. 

 These specifications went into effect in April, 1908, but they 

 failed to secure the desired improvement. 



About this time another attempt was made to purchase cement 

 on a basis of quality. The purchasing agent inserted on his 

 bids the words "selection and award of this contract will be 

 made on a basis of the quality of the cement offered." This 

 brought forth the criticism that a personal equation of opinion 

 and prejudice had been introduced, which defeated the purpose 

 of the specifications; and the action of the purchasing agent 

 was not approved. In 1912, he again inserted the same clause, 

 and again merchants entered a vigorous protest. The matter 

 was referred to a special committee, which reported as follows : 



After careful consideration, the committee fails to find any just cause for 

 criticizing the Purchasing Agent for inserting in his request for bids the 

 words "selection and award of this contract will be made on a basis of 

 quality of cement offered." However, as the specifications themselves fix 

 the minimum requirements, and as it is impossible to determine in advance 

 the quality of cement which may be delivered, we believe that this clause 

 should apply to the rejection of cements which have previously proven 

 unsatisfactory, or, to cements which have not yet established for themselves 

 a reputation for general reliability and soundness. Interpreted in this 

 manner, the clause above referred to is neither unusual nor unreasonable. 



In support of this conclusion, the committee quoted from 

 paragraph 11, page 8, of the 1912 Government Specifications, 

 which reads as follows: 



Bids for furnishing cement, or for doing work in which cement is to be 

 used, shall state the brand of cement proposed to be furnished and mill by 

 which made. The right is reserved to reject any cement which has not 

 established itself as high-grade Portland cement and has not been made by 

 the same mill for two years and given satisfaction in use for at least one 

 year under climatic and other conditions at least equal in sevei-ity to those 

 of the work proposed. 



