The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-06

A Remarkable Meeting Lest Evening-rhs Lie
Direct Between Counsel Browns Contract
Done Brown and Laid Over.

The Contract Commissioners held their last meet
|, ing yesterday evening In the chamber OF the As
| sistant Aldermen, Judge Sutherland presiding.
John s. Mastereon was the nrst witness exam
ined. He had received q spe al contract on the
LIST OF September 1871, for the grading and paving
Of 10th street, nom Third to sixth avenue. The
gentleman TO whom the previous contract was
awarded abandoned 1t after having expended
| about five thousand dollars on H. The commis
sioners were satisfied with the present oontract
and allowed IL.
jeremiah Cromwell had contract 70 pave with
stone Twenty-sxth street. nom sixth avenue 70
| East River. The Commissioners were satisfied as
| to this contract and allowed IL.
| Charles II. Greene paved with the Hamar wood
preserved pavement 12sth street, from Second 10
Sixth avenue; Forty-sixth street. from Fourth 10
Fifth avenue, and Fifth avenue, from 12.th street
to lsOth street. question had been raised IN re.
lation to the effect the pavement itslngrcdients
had on the health OF persons living near II. City
Surveyor Foertis, who was ono OF the original OBJ
jectOrs, sent communication respecting II. This
contract was approved.
E. L. Viode Co. paved Eleventh street, between
University place and Sixth avenue, with concrete
pavement. Communications were received from
persons living on the limo, stating that the pave
ment was nuisance The contract was laid over.
The next case called was that OF II. w. Trundy,
WHO was dWurueu D cOntract LOT tne paving OF
7 Fourth and Fifth streets with wood pavement
Robinson's process-lrom Broadway TO Lewis street.
At least an hour and half wss consumed by Mr..
strahan in examining Mr.. TruGdy. The award was
finally approved.
During the debate Mr.. Trowl, one OF the counsel
for Mr.. Trundy, called Mr.. strahan liar, that gen.
tleman having contradicted him natly. Mr.. Trowl
@ EWay Ee%nae no 20 inc S
tagging on Fiftysixth street, between Seventh ave-
nue. and Bro Broadway Mr. Graves the City Engineer
like manner nor were the materials used Of the
quality required in the specification. Mr.. Herman
proved that he had recently relaid great portion
Of the work, and consequently the Commissioners
approved the contract.
The case OF John L. Brown, regulating, grading
and setting curb and gutter stones and tagging
from Manhattan street to 155th street, was next
trying ordeal Of cross-questionlng by Mr.. strahan
and several gentlemen who own property on the
Which instrument, by the way, bears almost innu.
merable erasures and interlineatiOns he was al-
loved SO 80 yard FOR removing rock and 81 90 per
that he used the stone excavated for filling pur.
poses, at least all that portion which he did not sell
to the Harlem Court House Commissioners. Several
eood-sized pieces OF stone we.e shown as samples
Of much OF The material used by Brown for tagging
upwards Of an Inch in thickness, and in many
cases not even so thick, and was in layers and
than the BEST Quality Of HUDSON + River S blu"
Mr.. Rowe, the surveyor who had charge OF the work
Wlllle IL was III progress, teStlned that ne was
In no way In COLLISION with Brown in the matter
OF granting certificates for work done, or In any
other way. He said the work had been done In q
! good, wOrkmanlike manner, but some Of 1t had
been materially injured by the action Of tho
| elements. All this, however, was ordered to
be repaired before the final certificate would be
| granted.
Judge Sutherland at this time eight o'clock
said 1t was evident the could not be finished,
as there were still upwards of twenty witnesses to
! be examined and the action OF the Commission
must cease at twelve o'clock that night august 81.
After a long discussion it was finally concluded to
| examine some OF the witnesses. Accordingly one
was called, but before he had half concluded the
Commissioners again decided to close the case.
Another discussion arose. during which each Of
the commissioners, all the lawyers and some half
dozen citizens talked at one and the same time.
Again the Commissioners det mined to wind up the
case and go home, Judge Sutherland, who was quite
unwell leaving about half past nine. The question
was now raised as TO whether not the Board
should grant certificate in relation to the award
ing Of the contract and say nothing at all about the
way In which the same had been carried out Van
Worst favored this course, but Mr.. Jaques wanted
to hear more evidence, and so the examination of
witnesses was again commenced. Mr.. Strahan
made some most extraordinary statements as to
what he could prove, but when requested to call
his witnesses made several evasive answers, and
finally remembered that he was compelled to leave
town at eleven O'Clock and so hurried out, notwith-
standing Mr.. Jaques requested him officially to
man and assist In the case. The Board finally ad-
journed without finishing Mr.. Browns case.