New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-17
THE AQUEDUCT CHARGES.
WHAT MIR. RIDGwAY THINKS ABOUT THEM.
KEENAN, CLARK MAKES A sTATFMENT-How THE
WORK Is MANAGED BY his FIRM.

KEENAN, CLARK MAKES sTATFMENT-now THE
WORK Is MANAGED BY his FIRM
The attention of Aqueduct Commissioner Ridg-
Wav was called to the published charges that the
Kqueduct was being worked for all 1t was worth
That combinations exist for the purchase of cheap
supplies, that the contractors, OBrien & Clark IN
And that the work of construction is being poorly
done. Mr.. kidgway said that If he should spend
his time denying all the false and stupid stores Y
that were from time TO time circulated about the
Aauciuct he should have little time for other
labors. He continued:
The ablest engineers in America. Newton. Gilmore
ara Green, have Just made a complete examination Oh
the work as far as 1t has been done. and oeIeve
they know more about i than the persons who who
dence, coming principay from soreheads who cannon
sSSusers is now IN TSsy de co That
foot OF the Aqueduct 10 we'll built. IL anything were
vcys have taken the works. than supplied
In his report rhey discuss the stone. the borngs the
fully vindicate the wisdom OF the commission. The
contractors receiving all they earn and no more.
respects somewhat cheaply and am giving now al
possibe attention TO the subject OF getting as &
that is not right and clear All this talk OF conspiracy
Claiming on the sreetcorners that they honest men
and ref0rmers, while attempting To- prostu.o VIC puo
lie service in every way they can It's poi''o'i 'rioA'
that Is all
Heman Clark. of O'Br1en & Clark. the Aqueduct
contractors, said TO a Tribune reporter:
Iw,sb tn make abatement and set myself right before
20 sia,s nv own position This my first contract
WORK Touching New-York CITY built 900 miles of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, S200OOO0O job and got
along with ease compared with my experience on this
Aoneduci. When went into the enterprise told Mr..
O'Brien that this work should 20 on without any con-
Decon with politics took and sti take great pride
I'm the work. and said that should stand fall by the
good quality OF the work done still abide IN that opin-
on The work Is not complicated one 1t Is simply TO
dig hole and line IT, II 1t Is TO 10 lined Tho men en-
ployed on this work are not more than onetepth OF all
IN my employ. have 10000 laborers at work for me-
As to the claim that there are from S40.OOO,OOO TO
S50oOOOOO in this contract II is all sense There
100000 less than tho engineering estimates As to
the char about subcontracts wish to positively
that there is nothing IN these assertions that we are
making money out of sub-contracts. / have adopted
what may call the competitive and reward system iu
my work. extending 1t even to the day laborers. We
give 5000 month as prize TO the shift making the
greatest heading We thus make 1t an object to all to
Of thi. is that we take set of
we say to them: I'VE will furnish you money and you
length OF time we will give you certain sum as mar
gin on what make" We thus interest all IN
the work. even down to the laborers.
regard TO this commissary matter In which we are
which such a fuss Ia made take the case OF Allston
Gerry Co They do not buy over onetentb of our sup
plies and have doubt that they get that covered by
small commissions from those OF whom they buy the
goods. That is acusiom In NewYork and don't know
that 1t is desirable to get rid of To illustrate the
sdvapaSe which ,oo. an agent may Tss Se ,r
drlll firms which get the largest percentage on
supplies. one agent starts Ia with buying drills, say
Ingers0 drills at $3.50 each another agent takes Rand
drills $3.50 each. Rand he must have his big
drills advertised because this aqueduct work Is the
largest of the kind the world. ThoreupOn-1n ger
soil reduces his price to $500 and Rand straightway
drops 10 $780, There an instance where two agents
reduce prices by which they may lose, but itsa gain
to the work.