The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-31
THE RIVERSIDE AVENUE JOB.
CONTRACTORS PRACTISING the SCI
ENCE or HOW NOT TO DO 1T

i've diUcrcnt ulHr'S along tno limo OF tuToo
miles. and all the different kinds OF work were
to be- done simultaneously. as far as practical
bio and the whole undertaking was to be COM
plctod within twelve months after the date Of
the contract These provisions implied the en-
ployment OF n large force OF skilled workmen.
mechanics aud laborors, at the least 500 men,
and from that number up to 1000. II this had
beer done. and II tho necessary materials had
been promptly furnished the avenue would
have been completed in October 1877. Tho
early opening Of the drive to the public would
have been OF tho greatest value to the owners
Of tho property adjacent who are still impa-
tently waiting for its completion. to enable
them to realize some OF the benefit for which
they were so heavily assessed in 1872, when tho
land was taken for the public use as n park.
At tho end OF the first year only about one
quarter OF the work had been done. and that
was work OF the toughest description. such as
the excavation OF rock and earth. the building
OF retaining walls, tho construction OF embank-
ments. and tho laying OF sewers. The occasion
OF this delay in tho prosecution OF the work Is
easily explained The contractors had taken
the contract at very low price for certain parts
OF the work. particularly those parts which
would necessarily DO the last in execution. Nh,
| for instance. the construction OF the roads and
walks. They found that the only way for them
to furnish inferior material and to get the work
done by the employment Of .unskilled men. and
| this they attempted to do. but were checked ut
me OUTSET ov ne Rlerse o, y9S 9ngpeSr IN
| OF the work IL became to tho contractors in
terest to procure the removal OF this engineer.
To do this they found would involve the bronx
| ing down OF the whole organization OF tho
experimenting force Of the Park Department.
| They were not deferred by the difficulties OF the
| situation. Aided by the political machinery 10
| which they were allied. and by their personal
| relations with members OF the Board. they
finally accomplished the removal Of the engi-
| neer and OF MIR. Olmsted. who was advising In
the work: and controlling it With respect 70 its
the close oi the first year. The second wear
opened with new gineer. Mr.. FRANKLIN.
who was not 80 criticnl as his predecessor. The
contractors were allowed TO prosecute the work
pretty much us they pleased, doing great deal
inferior materials and with the certificate OF
the engineer and the acquiescence OF the ma
jority Of the Park Board they procured the pay
ment Of the bills for their deficient perform
hnce OF the contract. Toward the close OF the
year 1873 these facts became known TO the
| public. the payments were stopped by the Comp
| troller and the contractors were again obliged
10 suspend operations, The third year. 1879.
ing observation-disclosures. Mr. FTankiin was 'f re-
moved and Mr.. McAlpino was appointed to sue
owners again revived. especially whom on the
| same date the following action was taken in the
Park Department Mr.. Woman offered this
| resolution:
| Ra-Jr~i, That Mesns Nicholas " Decker ana George
ouinaId be and they are hereby notified and directed
sirucuon Of the Riverside avenue in accordance with
delay and that in case they DO not proceed to DO SO on
or before the ls Of April 1879 that the depsrtmen, WI
thereGpon complete the work. and deduct the expense
tractors AecoOnt Of their contract
Commissioner Lane offered the following rs a
| substitute:
the contractors for the OF Riverside
I contra, w , 10 SS % es he S
visions OF aid contract ~ not procuring and providns
enforced against said eontrseors tst time be made he
essence OF the contract that the said contractors be and
work and to procure and provide all requisite materials
R,ri That, 4 the said contractors neglect 90 so pro.
coed procure and provide said materials Tor thirty DAYS
uon- uron thein said work d, declared abandoned
coed 70 have said work completed As such case Is pro
R.,,d, mat notice Of nj. action 9y The deps5tment
De sven 10 ue san conlfsctors avg m'lr sufcnf. "
on each Them.
The substitute was lost and the resolution
offered by Mr. Wcnman was carried How little
in earnest the three Commissioners were will
appear more clearly by reference 10 the charter
OF 1873, section 81. which provides:
In case any work shall abandoned by any
it shall be rcsdyorused and BY he head the
Vded "" !" ''' manner j" WIS 's'u'" pro-
That Is. the Park Department could not le-
gally do whattheir resolution contemplated. and
|
tho purpose Of making pretence OF being Sc
we're upon the contractors. who; Of course were
not very much alarmed at the PckwiclIian dan
ger that threatened them. On the other hand.
the substitute resolutions offered by Mr.. Lane
are OF an approved form: ana cover NE ground
would have cancelled the contract in thirty days.
The Commissioners were very careful not to
tainly " have had trouble with the contractors. -
As II to furnish convincing proof OF their de-
| sire 10 shield the contractors and prevent the
| further exposure OF their fraudulent work, the
| three Commissioners voted against the follow
ing measure which was proposed by Mr.. Lane
| al tho next meeting after the appointment OF
Mr.. McAlpino:
R,sI,oi THAI the experimenting Engineer Of the Riv
Frst-rhe present condition Of the work under the con
second-what portions q the work II any certified to
BY ne late InsinesT as performed BY the
Iard-Whst material VARIATION. II any have been
Sy m hayf Ges mfSs IN the
to be done under the contract
Tho Engineer. a month previous 10 his ap-
pointment, had examined the work and the
plans and had inquired into the methods OF
construction and had made n certificate VIII ich
which was very brief and guarded in its Ian
guaRe, but which. without in any way meeting
the charges aganstthe Engineer Mr.. Franklin
and the contractors. was considered by him and
the others implicated as q Vndicaton Of the
work from the severe criticism and censure OF
the Commission of Engineers who had made
their report in the previous month Of December
The effect OF the last quoted resolutions would
have been 10 obigo Mr. McAlpine 10 report the
result OF his examinations with more precision
and he would have been forced 10 substantially
the same conclusions to which the Commission
Of Engineers had arrived. But this result
, would have been productive OF moro OF that
disAgreeahe publicity which had been so often
sive and dangerous, and so the resolution was
duly killed by the usual to vote but, passed
. or not passed II became part OF the record o
the Department II Parks, whence il comes &c
the light in the columns Of THE sun.
Here II IL pertinent to show how by the subse
quent acts Of the Engineer and the contractors
they have confessed Judgment in respect TO the
charges made by the Commission Of Engineers
. | During the past two months the force mployed
by the contractors has been engaged princi.
pally In rectifying the errors and the Imperfect
work which had been passed upon by Mr.
Franklin. but which was so manifestly bad thai
It could not be passed as good by his successor
The most notable Of these corrections arc the
following; The cutters. which were SO poorly
laid that they would not carry of the water, and
which are now being reaid; also the curhs
edgings. and tagging. which were most eXten,
sivcy out Of line. horizontally and vertically
; because they We're not we'll set in " clean sandy
material free from clay or loan" as indicated
by the contract also the sewer pipes which are
, being cleaned and reset and broken ones re-
placed, the damage having been occasioned By
the washing OF the Improperly constructed en-.
bankments, and also the foundation for the