The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-12

Is basins at Sl10 each ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ,43O 10
SO feet OF sheetIng at 81 a loot .......... 90 O0
IT'S yards OF rock AZ 81 75............... 2136 90
Repairing cstern, broken near Hayes street 2Ol As
Total. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1885 SO
Ii has been the custom for the city TO make pay
ments to the contractor as the work progressed.
At stated periods in the construction estimates OF
how much work had been done would be made Out
seventy five per cent OF the value paid over On
the I'd Of December, 1870, the first estimate
Tor this sewer was made OUT ana 1t called
for credit for 400 feet three manholes, ana
13l cubic feet OF rock excavated. This
was between Howard and Broome stteets, and per-
haps as much as half way to Prince street, The
money was paid on this without murmur. Now
note the swindle. The ground where rock excava-
ton was charged and paid for was what Is called
''made" ground 1t had been swamp or s0me-
thing Of that sort many years BEFORE and Of
not an inch OF rock INSTRUCTED way OF the sewer
maker. The only obstruction met with was
AN OLD WOODEN PUMP
which had been thrown III to dill up by some early
predecessor OF UarlIn, IN days when contractors
characters could not be impugned rne pump
had to be cue away with axes in order to make the
sewer bed. The sewer was Ia three foot one, ana
according to the contract required cutting oil Jour
feet eight inches wide, whereas the rock charged
Tor would make the opening six feet wide. inc
second estimate represented work accomplished as
rock and three manholes. Again, without q muir.
muir from the city authorities. was tins phi
Tor IL is declared that not twenty yards
w %roun ai'I naynS Su been Besides only two
| mannoles were constructed, whereas three were
charged and paid for In January, 1871, the author
| tiles began TO discover That something wrong.
They found that the sewer was being constructed
| OF one layer OF brick whereas the CONTRACT called
for two. Here It is proper 10 note that no one ex.
cept contractors themselves can tell how much
swindlng has for years been going on IN TINS mat
"A
| was contracted and paid Tor. The same remark
applies all the other materials used IN sewer
| slruction. AS soon AS the lack Of brick was dis
| covered courier discharged. and 1t Is possible
that the balance OF the job was completed with
THE WALNUT STREET SEWER
was another OF Carlin's Jobs. It extended
1900 feet from JEFFERSON TO Adams street. Ia some
| instances 1t was allowable TO leave the wooden
sneathing used In Keeping open the ground In pro-
| cess OF construction standing when The sewer
completed. In the estimate made out Ior TINS sewer
there was set down $3.50 Tor $50 Iee OF sneathing.
ne csa or the
| who was to pront by this little sheathing dodge
was one Captain McClar. Carlln got lis cash all
right, but wnen McUlair applied Tor his whacK he
was, IN effect, told 10
The unfortunate man, too had q family In a des,
titute and starving condition. put Carln declared,
In language neither mild nor choice, that he didn't
ANOTHER CASE oE BOGUS QUARRYING.
In the construction oil the Murray and High street
sewer by this same contractor the contract called
Tor one barrel Of cement To every three barrels OF
sand used and mat no 'bats" or "spalls'' should
be used. Bats and spals are hair bricks and rag
ments. person who paid some attention to tue
work Is ready to prove tnat on one occasion seven
teen sh0ves OF sand were thrown IN to one shovel
OF cement At this rate saving TO the contractor
IN cement alone would be effected 10 The value OF
$500 or 5000 In the job The same person says that
the manner IN winch bats ana ..spalls'' were
used was a caution. III the final estimate Tor THIS
sewer there was charged and paid Tor l, 900 yards
OF rock al SIS so per yard, making bill Tor rock "
So 500 All the rock III this NATTER III the Others
was the rOckr procured at the city treasury.
THE WEST KINNEY AND HIGH STREET SEWER.
This job, too constructed In 1870, appears TO have
Its little rock history. The contractors Messrs
Ward n Reilly whose fame Ii already great In con-
hcction with their gigantic Tenth ward ditch JOB,
which cost the city $40 900, which sum Is now sought
to be recovered by suit Instituted Dy the city
th0rlties. 1t IL reliably slated that money was paid
them Tor 600 yards OF rock, whereas not an inch was
really excavated. Seven hundred yards was paid
Tor but to do inc contractors justice there were be-
tween fifty and one hundred yards actually encOun-
tered The late oil the Inspector was the III
THIS case IN mat OF the wretcned McC!air. Not
cent OF "whack' dld he receive, either.
Is TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.
There Is not the slightest doubt but that this whole
matter or sewer swlndies wii be Drought before the
Grand Jury ut the next session. The legal representa-
tves OF city already talking about preparing
lor tnls but, as lar Known nothing has vet been
done towards bringing me rogues 10 Justice. Since
the last article in the HERALD the City fathers nave
been looking up sewers, and a lew days since
ordered work suspended on the Mlllbrook sewer,
which was being constructed In q shameruly n-
perfect manner. Instead OF being a strong, mas
slve structure such as Is absolutely necessary here.
the construction was only or double brick, lad iat
and not edgeways as required. In some places the
brick Is soft and poor In quality that 1t mas
menced to crumbie away. BY the time the work Is
resumed In the spring IL doubtful If any OF that
already finished Will DE OF use except as eartny I'LL
ing IN.
swnde SUBJECT Is exhausted by the HERALDS lnves-
tigaLlng committee some startling revelations re-
Meeting on some oil the City Fathers and notorious
local newspaper attacne VIII be brought TO light III
| paint. s.f.'i.s. ~