The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-23
THE GRIN O."
MORE siTIoNs.
Why tho Comptroller Docs Not Attend the
Opening Of Bids for Contracts.

"-J s"S SvAPsAvAsA DooS AsSs 1Ass~ss~ 'AS
Opening Of Bids for Contracts.
Statement Of the CrOton Aque-
duct Board.
&c.
CRoroH AoUsDUcr DKrAmrDr,
NEW YoRK. Oct 10, 1865. J
At 10 cav TO utter In few words Islander which will
.sSe masy pages 70 n the SANDER be couched
in perverted statement Of facts Il is even moro din
quit TO refute by any short explanation than II II
told In . direct falsehood
We therefore ask for the sake Of justice that no one
be deferred by ts length from reading this paper Il
could scarcely be abbreviated and some explanation 70
tho pubic has become necessary.
The public letting Of large amount OF work In the
construction OF and pavemenss By this Board
vas advertised 10 take place the 18Th September last
In consequence of the absence from town or ono Of tho
members Of the Board and Of the refusal of the City
Comptroller Mr. Brennan to attend the opening was
adjourned 70 the lst October The Comptroller s re.
fusng 70 bs present IL has been adjourned from
time TO time TO this date, and win continue TO be
adjourned until he perform the duty required OF him by
law As the law makes his presence necessary at the
opening Of all proposals this adjournment is unavoidable
Meanwhile the Comptroller has given extensive publica
ton 10 the grounds which he seeks TO justify his
action, and ingeniousy attempts TO create injurious i'm
ms on NJ % - ss CIR
the very many who viii suffer by his illegal course true
s,asemsn: Of the case To the Comptroller We have
simply Of gross interference an arbitrary and illegal
attempt 70 dictate and control the operations Of this
himself utterly faacious because founded per-
verted statement Of facts what however, these argu.
, IN sSSc they make up IN anS
tho public TO justify them In looking for some explana
ton To the public we cheerfuily give II and VIC trust
that statement will be such to satisfy every just
person that the general confidence in this department
has not been undeserved nor abused, and will not be
forfeited.
The Comptrolers first ground Of refusal see his letter
Of 26h september B because the list OF jobs embraces
work which cannot legally be done: such as building
where the street IL not opened by law There
is one sewer advertised In 127th street. between Third
and Fourth avenues which street has not been,
been graded curbed gu&ered and tagged for years.
the for such improvements regularly laid
the owners Of the properly on both sides were the app
cnnts for the proposed sewer thcre was 70
suspect that the street had not been regularly opened
do believe that the owners OF property there
would have been SO dshonorabe as to avail themselves
Of this circumstance TO avoid assessment still the
tce OF the withdrawal Of this publicly reported be-
fore bid had been received, and before any commu-
ncaS1 from tho had been made
works from the list advertised has occurred be.
FORE and such Withdrawals have been sometimes
made In tho Comprolers presence on the very Of
opening. No knows better than he the opcnness
and fairness with which everything pertaining to the let
Ter than he that such Withdrawals have been made and
always will be made at the first moment Of the discovery
OF error.
The one sewer mentioned above constitutes the sewers
90 fairly spoken Of by the Comptroller.
The Comptroer's second objection is that he says
de greater part Of the work proposed TO DO let cannot
be performed this season, owing 70 the
OF the same description already let by your board, and
the would have 30
the setting In OF winter weather"
The more important part q the work proposed in
sewers and the assertion that there deficiency OF
material for their construction is simply untrue. There
10 an abundance or material and plenty Of contractors
far q our last lettings and recent indications may be re-
lied upon, the prices which would be bid by contractors
In regard 70 the material for psv.ments, ws have
positive assurances that there would BE- deficiency.
Added 70 this We assert on our own sxperenoe Of work
and personal knowledge Of the capacity OF the
neghboring quarres, that necessary ten times the
quantity required for all the pavemsnts which could be
tho contiguous lodges without visible effect upon the
exhaustess quantity remaining. Az TO the enhanced
during the last Ave years in the price Of trap blocks
BY no means e geas - that Of every other article
But on this point We do not Intend to argue We can
dsprove the Comptrolsrs assertions In this regard but
II "a not necessary to our position.
sole province and our custom 70 obey such orders
when practicable soon - received. Were We dis
Constant sppss q those in whose behalf and On whose
application the work ID ordered would prevent Ill inac
We assume that when citizens apply for an ordinance
for new pavement they wish the work done and when
upon the psssase Of q: ordinance they u,G. The i'm
sooner IL can be done the better.
The pavement being asked for and ordered We have
s, the contract on the most favorable terms and 70 see
thai the work b Immediately commenced and faithfully
Tho iaprsssion sought 10 b. made, that we are now
putting out undue quantity Of work In psvemsns Ia
10 say the least disnsenuous for even Il the amount
action Of the Common Council and BY inference Of The
Wishes Of property ownefBs
work during the winter We simply claim THAI We must
DO governed by our own Judgment In such msfss and
not By the opinion Of the Coptroer however valuable
or other scientific work.
There are comparatively fsw works in pavsmen.s
the city In portion OF their cost, without any
provision for that cost being made by the Com
or or advertised for the present opening. but for
sewers, there upwards OF ninety applications
asn n ~ oup
Many Of these sewers have been ordered a sanitary
necessity by the Board Of Health some are asked for
by persons who wish their cellars freed nom water while
others are demanded by Of blocks Of houses,
the promised tenants Of which will mod occupy them
The plans for large portion Of these ready
and the construction OF all Of them delayed By the
present action of'the Comptroller.
In dilatng upon the two reasons given above, the
Comptroller vaguely 70 the fact that three four
inspectors are placed on one job ns 70 true, but !.
IL uncandidly stated There u an explicit provision
subscribed every contract that the work shall be
carried on IN many different places In the opinion
OF this board may be necessary for ~ timely and proper
completion and that inspector shall be placed al every
point where work II ordered On the same sewer there
FORE sometimes have two inspecton in each instance
NJ 4 oilher the length the
sewer or lateral branchcs aordins opportunity for
the working Of separate ssctons each requiring the
divided attention Of inspector On pavements zach
section In progress requires inspectors super
wise the preparation OF the road bed In advance OF the
pave and the other 70 that the blocks properly
selected and put down fat from liz being practicable
for one man 70 pruperIv ruperyise theee sub-