The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-28
THE RIVERSIDE AVENUE JOB
uRETCHED UORK DONEIN CONSTRUCT
mo THE NEW BOULETARD.

PInn Altered md MARRIED In some of Its |
Best Features Illegal Violations OF Con- |
tract mud Dishonesty In the Work Done.
The contractors for the Improvement and
construction Of Riverside avenue have resumed
work under thor contract. 1t had been generally
supposed by those who have kept themselves in
formed Of the progress Of the work that the con-
tractors intended to abandon their undertaking.
This supposition was consequence OF the ro-
ccntrcport Of n commission Of expert engineers
who condemned a large part Of the work that
had been done during the past year. because it
clearly failed TO comply with the requirements
OF the contract. and to remedy these shortcom-
ings 1t was estimated would cost more than the
total Of the reserve from the several monthly
estimates which was held by the city as secu
rity for the faithful completion OF the contract.
The contractors therefore had been consid-
ering the question whether they had not
better throw up the contract and trust
to tho technicalitics OF the law to re-
lievo them and their bondsmen. But 1t
seems now that having recovered their spirits
after the storm that beat upon them last winter.
and finding that nobody was hurt much after
oil the row" they have concluded to so on with
the work again. They may well be encouraged
by their success in getting rid Of the engineer.
who had trouble with the contractors" and
the facilities which have boon afforded them by
his accommodating successor. They have be-
sides an assurance that the Park Commission
ors will not make any very serious cfrortto COM
pei them to replace their fraudulent work with
that which is honest and In accordance with their
contract Their resources at the Produce
Bank were exhausted last fall. but II is now re-
ported that they have presented their contract
TO a capitalist OF this city in such Il rosy color
that they have at their disposal a fund upon
which they can draw to start them in their
spring work
Riverside Park and avenue were laid out
under the law Of 1867. known as tho West Side
act. Together they form n strip OF land
averaging 400 feet in width along the slope on
the Hudson River from Seventy second street
to 130th street. about three miles in length.
The avenue was originally intended TO be 100
feet wide and TO skirt this strip on its eastcrly
border. or the upper side OF the slope. which
was some seventy-nve feet higher on an
average than the westerly line on Twelfth ave-
nue.. When this park and avenue were under
consideration by Mr.. Olmsted as long ago as
1872. that capable landscape architect found
that TO construct the avenue rs laid out would
involve an enormous expenditure. besides
containing grades so steep rs to be almost i'm
practicable. and that tho narrow ribbon Of land
which would remain as a park would lie far be-
low the level Of the avenue. and be separated
from II by lofty retaining wall.
Mr.. Olmsted avoided these difficulties in great
measure in the plan. now under construction,
ofwhich he is the author. He treated the park
and avenue us one interest. and diverted the
avenue from its original lines. carrying It at
certain points further westward into the park
grounds. This produced easier grades. admit
ted Of more economical construction. lessened
the height OF the unavoidable retaining wall OF
the avenue, and greatly extended the prospect
up and down the river. He also widened
the avenue bringing to one level the walks.
drives, and bride roads, forming magnificent
promenade. the outer walk of which Is spacious
terrace. the views from which across and ny
and down the river. IRE Of very great beauty
The new design commended Itself to every
one. and the owners OF property adjacent
20 the avenue were impatient Of delay in
having i put in exec,ution-s0 much So
~ from tho Legislature TO mike the neces-
sary expenditures. an effort was made TO have
road. Some progress had been made in this
project. when tho Legislature at the close
Of the session in June 1876, passed the law en-
aiding the Department OF Parks to act. The
ulnns were ready. and necessary measures were
Immediately adopted TO prosecute the work
1876. with Nicholas II. Decker and George W.
Quintard, NJ price which was about 500 200
below the average Of tho fourteen other genu-
inc bids. and more than that below the
calculations o. tho engineers OF the Park
Department This bid was made the lowest
one. and consequently the award OF the con-
tract was obtained by the process that has
become so lhnlllhI from inc exposures Of
the canal frauds. where, liberal rates were hld
for the work that would have to be- done ~ the
beginning, and for work that might possibly be
made to exceed the estimated quantities. while
low rates were bid for that part Of the work the
execution OF which could be postponed. or in
which there might be an opportunity OF subsil-
tuting poor construction By unskilled labor for
that wh'h was good and workmanllke. In ms
forming embellishments and building walls.
high rates were bid. while ior the item OF pave
varl hid for 90 900 yards OF
such pavement as would have been cheap NJ
fl3O, the average OF tho other bids on ms item
This item alone makes difference OF $4,000
and. with other items like IT, brought the
bid OF these contractors below that OF others
who were making fairer bids Tor the contract
As IL TO verify the suspicion created by their
unbalanced bid the contractors associated with
them third person. who had had considerable
experience as contractor upon the canals and
who at once assumed the superintendent OF
the work on the avenue.
on their first attempt to furnish inferior ma.
terial or to do dishonest work, they were imme,
diately stopped by Mr.. Aldrich the engineer Of
the Department OF Parks, who was IN charge
the objections OF the engineer finally taking the
form OF refusal to certify such Inferior work
This soon brought about suspension OF
questions between them TO the President
tient examination Of the whole subject came
q the conclusion that IL was the duty Of tho do
partment n every instance 10 sustain their en-
gineer. This brought them tgthc close Of the
season in December. 1871. Tho contractors
had been wishing 10 eiIe Il the dismissal Of The
iuconvenient engineer. and the opportunity was
soon afforded by the termination Of tho Office OF
Mr.. WIN, H. Martin the President of the Depart
mont. who had sustained the engineer, and By
the election in January. 1878. OF n Pres deut whC
Was ready 70 sustain inc fontTngioIs, u Mn ,
appointed In his place By the Department o.
Parks. The advantage OF this to the eontrmaet
new engineer in n few days brough
u an estimate awarding them nearll
$1,000 on a state Of the work for which his Pre-
CpraggOr had awarded them less than tlO. Ills