The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-29
THE RIVERSIDE CONTRACT.
Commissioner Lane Explains the True
Inwardness of the Trouble.
PITY THE POOR NORWEGIAN
Money Intended for the laborers Re-
tanned by a Bank

The report of the commission of civil engineers,
published in yesterdays HERALD, the condition
Of the contract work performed Riverside avenue
has by no been calculated to heal the dissen-
sons tho Board OF the Department of Public Parks
Commissioner Lane congratulates himself on having
performed signal service to the community in ex-
posing the indifferent manner in which the
tractors have carried out the provisions of their
tract. On the other hand. Commissioners Wcnman
and Conovcr affect to receive the report damaging
to the professional enterprise of the superintcnd
ing engineer, in philosophic spirit. While
this official satisfaction, to the work acs
complished. apparently prevails. there is no deny
ing the fact that the hostility which has been
brewing for long time in the Board has now
reached eliminating point and makes tho difficulty
"a very pretty quarrel as it stands" Commissioner
Lane plants himself firmly upon the record lie has
earned in being the sole Of bringing about the
investigation which has led to the exposure of the
siipshod work Of the delinquent contractors He
claims that but for his action in the Board these
terprising gentlemen would have gone violating
the specifications as laid down in their contract. to
the lasting injury of the Riverside avenue improve
ment and the taxpayers who have to foot the bills.
PUBLIC GOOD.
Commissioner Lane stated to HERALD reporter
yesterday that his opposition to the auditing OF the
bills of Mcssrs. Decker Il Quntard, contractors was
conceived in no factious spirit. Before taking this
step he had fully convinced himself that the work
was being improperly performed. Accompanied by
. competent engineer he had examined the visible
features Of the work. such the parspet WALL the
Of the drive the curb at tree plots and the
street corners. 1t was impossible for him to look
into the underground work, such the sewers and
drainage; but, judging what he didn't by what
he did see, lie had come to the conclusion that
portion of the work badly constructed the
other Acting upon this conviction he found that it
his duty to take the decided steps which culmi
mated in the appointing of the commission of civil
engineers to investigate the character of the work.
On the 3Oth of October estimate was sent in to
the Finance Department by the contractors for
$l5125 %. Endorsed by the experimenting engineer
and by Commissioners Conover and Wenman. Com
missioner Lane sent in protest refusing to audit the
BILL ION the grounds that my personal examination of
the work SATISFIES that 1t has not been performed
according the contract and that the certificate of
Engineer Franklin that it has been performed. is
Kelly responded thai "the estimates having been
tined to by your associates, its payment would be in
cumbent upon me. and will thank you to point
out wherein your associates are in error,
and in what particulars the specifications
have not been complied with" Mr. Lane
replied to this request on the 10Th Of November,
by an exhaustive survey of the work performed,
comparing 1t with the contract and pointing out its
defects. subsequently, while the warrant still
Mr. Lane alleges that Mr.. Conover requested Mr.
Lane to withdraw his objection against its payment
Mr.. Conover said that while the deadlock remained
the laborers and mechanics would be kept out of
their wages. For this reason he lMr. Conover) was
anxious that Mr. Lane should give his consent to the
payment OF the contractors claim, to enable the
latter to discharge thsir Indebtedness to their
Upon these solicitations Mr.. Lane Withdrew his pro-
test and urged the Mayor to sign the warrant and the
comptroler to pay 1t, which these officials accord
ingly did.
GETTING on THE SAFE SIDE.
:, The warrant, when signed, was placed by Mr. Me-
Eneroe, sub-contractor. in the Produce Bank, of
which Mr.. Conover is president and absorbed by
that institution to pay loans they had advanced to
the contractors Messrs. Decker Quintard In this
way, It is claimed, the laborers and mechanics
deprived of the money which would go to pay them
their wages. and the stipnlatons entered into with
Mr.. Lane q condition OF his Withdrawing his pro-
test disregarded and ignored 1t is further asserted
that the Produce Bank had two separate occasions
amount Of S2S,0Oo and s3s 600 On, this account
the bank took the fret opportunity afforded.
the occasion Of receiving the ndorsed warrant for
$l5.l25 %, of partly reimbursing itself for having
previously accommodated the contractors i'll much
heavier amount. Commissioner Conovcr, in
cent interview, acknowledged that the Produce Bank
had had some monetary transactions with the con-
tractors for the Riverside but this he said.
was an entirely "private affair"
More recently, on the 18th inst. another monthly
estimate Of S5099 was sent in to the Board by the
contractors to be audited. This time Mr.. Lane put
his foot down and refused to be responsible for its
payment Remembering, however, the prolonged
suffering OF the workmcn. he alleges that he waited
on the Mayor and Comptroller and represented his
position to them and the nature OF the diff
Guilty. He said he could not consistently
Mr.. wenman would put their signatures to it he
would offer no objection, II 1t was guaranteed that
the money would 90 to pay the mechanics and labor
the workmen, waited upon Mr. Lane and represented
their grievances. He accompanied them to the
Mayors office, where they were joined by the Comp
troller. and then conference had to determine
the most feasible manner If having the money repre-
ing the wages OF the contractors employees Ii was
then and there ascertaned that prior liens had been
filed by business houses who had furnished sundry
materials to the contractors, whose claims would
take precedence of the laborers IL was, therefore,
discovered that another obstacle presented itself and
that IL the warrant was regularly audited the pro-
ceeds would reach other hands than those the money
was intended for.
III conclusion. Mr.. Lane proclaimed that Decker
a Quiiitard would have to go and finish their
tract and also to satisfactorily complete that portion
OF the work which has been improperly done. should
they fail in doing this and decide to throw mp their
contract the department would be Obliged to adver-
tise for bids to finish the work. To provide against
this contingency the city was secured by retaining
thirty per cent reserve fund Of the total OF
the contract which Il about $4,000 The city is
further protected by the two surcties John Roach
and Harvey Kennedy, who have each Justified in
$25o,ooo "ovcr all debts and liabilities"
AN AsToNIsHED OFFICIAL.
Commissioner Wenman found at his Office, in
Pearl street, yesterday. He said that he was SUR.
prsed to see the report of the commissioners
riverside avenue IN the morning papers as that
document has not been officially submitted to the
Board. 1T appears to me unusual proceeding,"
said Mr. Wcnnan, 'that important report that
description would be given to the press before IL
submitted to the Board for consdv ration. do not
therefore consider 10 proper to discuss the
raised therein At the present time have doubt
that the commission did its work fairly and thor
oughly. but that Is no reason should take their
conclusions final until such time my colleagues
Of the Board and myself have. in regular Official
form. concluded what disposition to make Of that
port. This much will say, however. that Mr..
Lanes pretcnsions and assumptions must not be
taken as final or conclusive"
Concerning the point raised by Commissioner
Lane that he always solicitous in protecting the
claims Of the laborers and mechanics, President
wcnman said he did not desire to enter into pcrso-
nal controversy of that nature. II Mr.. Lane
sctuated, hc took singular measures to accomplish
his ends When the last estimate OF the contractors