New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-28

nrIce should have paid Such an increase OF cst
nv itself shows nothing unless 1t resulted from tne oIs
pToportionate increase OF item in the WORK
originally estimated The wrongdoing charged IN INC
Statement of quantities in the preliminary
give opportunity for such % cate
CORY of those upon which the assaults are maae 49, Fam
Inc Fz Jonn Porter who employ T. 81
Slater city surveyors, to make the only Yars ner
gsy a1d ts ssiI %Srk and furnished p
that there would be required so !os VI 80 rock ex-
lion 900 wards OF earth filing 2S40 yaris OF TOE 600
cayton $50 feet OF curb gutter stones ana o9oU
feet of tagging. Prom the fact taat Win IhS n, eT
blamed the actual results showed variations OF S ao
three per cent and those by way OF ~ nrvcvors
reason TO doubt the substantial accuracy oI INC
fSve times in succession four years namely upon
1nne Ia76 August Is 1873 May 7,1S79 september o.
1870 and october % 1879. the contract %
aGr pnblie cOmTetition lowest bidder VINO III eU
instance failed 70 make good his bid or to carry out his
Immediately after taking Office assisted IN procuring procuring
the MESSAGE OF an act chapter 147 OF lSSl requiring
eyerv bidder deposit certified cheeK 10 seeuo I'm
ecutiOn of his contract ana aieI"lu al,adv
To LET this cOntra upon the preliminary estimates
prepared and which had no reason 70 dsuS tG n
hqng opened in August, 1882 1t was lOuhd lhat ~ n
Gallagher was the lowest Of three bidders. -, III.
MIR Gallagher proceeded with the performance OF hs
contract and com the work. and upon the maj sur
view il appeared that as compared with the preliminary
estimate the actual quantities had valed as ohoMs'
The earth excavation had increased l,9oO yards; me
rock excavation hal decreased seventy-he yarhs ~
Seemed 70 mistaken distribution OF the relative guam
titles earth and rock for not hve per GEM OF 'e III
earth could thus he accounted iOr upon hNeS
gaon il found that during the seven years lhIen
between the first survey and the hna contract ere st
been distributed ouer the OF this contemplated street.
about one thousand ie"t long, than two houIld
yards Of earth, unknown private persons VINO haq nere
found a convenient dumping ground NO Information as
TO this fact had come to the Department and any system
OF inspection of all the unopened streets OF ,s h C,y
would cost than the expense OccaSloned ny suc u
lawful deposits in the comparatively few cases where they
6Se Seeh T 10 use Yards 'of the earth deposit
2.-Regu,ating Ni,ey-eiGhIS., from Hhd-are 10
F0tTItdre
mary estimates prepared by Mr.. Frank f. Towlc City
Surveyor, under the employment OF my predecessor;
. Upon the completion Of the contract u reSulteu
that the actual quantities 3l20 yards of earth ex
caya,on, increase 1920 yards and 44so yards OF
cavatiOn having shrunk 1,5i5 yards ,,.,,...,...-,
nv himself and that his tests revealed the existence be
meath the surface OF considerable masses OF rock when
he was justified assuming to he parts or ledge me
actual extent OF rock shown by the result TO De
much greater than that OF earth, but not so mucn
moi ledge, but in detached masses and Doui-
ders and soft rock which could be removed win
pick and which, therefore, had 10 bereturned under me
contract earth and not rock The shTlnkage III th
entire quantity resulted from the failure OF rocE y
below the grade and the space hed in Win earn
There being less rock, this extra excavation was unnecs
sary II therefore resulted that the actual cost OF the
work was S27,571 25 which was much more thah snou
have been the case and the Board OF Assessors reduced
the mount TO S6OG0 25 It is said that this detached
rock had been deposited there and buried ID EARN along
ave yiaduct If this be so Is than probable that
some of the bidders had personal acquaintance with the
locality and this fact The ia an unfortunate one
tbouc have no reason dsrust the good faith Of the
engineer and to-day there Is no evidence OF i3n
which would have permitted the rejection Oh Ine Oiu al
the time IL was opened.
3-Reguati,,g FOurt-Are, Ninstystr" 10 0ne-"H""e0-
This contract having been let before took Office is one
for which have no occasion to offer expina0n h h9
the CITY Surveyor William V. Smith. 1t was executed
Oc ober l, 1880 with Thomas f. Kane, the lowest OF
twenty-six bidders. Upon completion, II was tonnd
that the actual quantities were, of earth excavation
$40 yards excess of 1896 Yards ana Of rock e1
cavaon 9,2ll yards, dlinlnutIoh OF lo''oo !"iuS'
while the actual cost Y33,3SG -,
The surveyor, though almost exactly right In ms e'tl
of total excavation, had overe'llihdiei lle T,cS
than 100 per cent Being called npon 10 Ea pam,
showed al the surface III Two places on tne %ts ~ III.
in five places the east side OF the avenue IN te SIX
blocks over which the work to be done From TINS
and other manifestations Of the nature O the proposed
excavations, aud from the contour OF the aU",nlhg
ground, he believed and estimated that about t"0tlld-
OF the total excavation would prove TO DE rock The &C
ual excavation. however disclosed avery different ana
unusual formation, resulting In this unfortunate loss
There is nothing IN the circumstance OF thS Gonracl
which requires any dstrust OF TIE snr'ey2I wno ma IN
| Of his capacity aud ildentY. ,
Sereah and EiJLib-ares.
This contract like all others for sewers was based upon
RTeey e' Ta9S harse Of Secr Il
was let Is, ISL upon this estimate to John Saitcr
! the lowest OF nine bidders. Upon completion It was
found that the actual quantities were of rock excavation
12l yards being an excess OF II yards ana OF unHF
LIS feet b. NJ. being reduction Of 3,2s2 iret B NJ
The actual S57sl 81, being aore than tie nigh
| Mr. Towle was promptly called upon to explain this
Discrepancy and gave an entirely credible explanation
The line Of the ,ewcr-seyen hundred l"ct III ichgh-
had divided into fourteen cross sections OF my et
each, aud at each point boring hhd been naic 10 u
line excavation varying from zero 10 fifteen feet ana
eight inches below me surface IN an ., tne h -
ccpt last at the Seventhaye extremity, BON e
last two borngs drill strnck stone at consid rabs
distance below the surface The surface indications ye-
stone thus struck consisted of bOudcrs rather than
ledge Accordingly the engineer disposed To estimate
yards If
probable cOntingenc 1t IS almost certain mat te
Bidders had special knowledge on the subject but took
their chances the item the estimated quantity being 80
small that price affixed thereto was likely to raise the
bid higher than any competitor who was not very low on
other items slaery might have Cid 800 per y ana uo
still would have gained thG contract; 3, trood ON,
that nj the eastern extremity Of the course and in
its last section the edge of rocky ledge protected
channel Of the ve instead Of ten yards OF rock
II yards not very large quantity but enough To bring
T gi IN err was AMY Samccs. in this matter and
the contract could been withheld from Mr Stat
! terry, who the lowest bidder.
5-Scceri WeSiEtd dre betreeH Ntcttrst md Ninety
The contract for this sewer was let September s. 1891
upon estimates furnished by the Engineer OF sewers tc
! Abram Dowdney as the lowest OF seven uudei ,
were observer 1885 incal feet an ncrease Of hve feet
cul,ert PIP neal feet decrease Of feet; 81 rocl
excavation 1876 yards an excess OF 776 yards ana 81
timber 500 feet, being dimlnutlou 0f 6,l3l iect Ih'
actual cost $l44l9 &c. being lower than three 81 Tho
In view of all the facts this transaction was entirely
|
unbalanced That H. high cost work ia offered al
price than that proposed for low cost work The
prices for several bear 10 each other relation
SIMILAR 10 their respective cost The prices Offered
in the accepted bid reasonable and fair the price bio
for rock excayatlOnS4 per yard-beng that which ha
for years been regarded reasonable Tor sewer T0cs
excavation, and very reasonable for cXcaV ltDI
to such unusual depth necessary III this case
Even according 10 the result the accepted bd was within
500 Of that which To II upon the opening The
final variation OF quantities entirely consistent
with the competent, careful and Considerations
! procedure on the part OF the engineer.
Seser IA Tentare betiCeen fourteenth
and ae-htadTed-ajtd- SIR teentt SIS.
This contract let October 49, 1882, upon estimates
furnished by the Engineer Of Sewers 10 =. MulbOuand
! the lowest OF ten bidders.
Upon completion IL was found that the actual quaint
ties 500 feet Of sewer OF nine feet loo
yards OF rock OF thousand yards, and
timber. The actual cost was S0,S47.
Here the fOrlner case, Nh TOwle repOrtod that