New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-15
CONTRACT FOR THE NEW H1RLku BRIDGE
AWARDED YESTERDAY TO THE pass.,c po,,,vo

AWARDED YESTERDAY TO THE PAssAIc BOILING
MILL COMPANY AND Mr.. TERxEY
After weeks and months Of the most unaccount aha
dciay the contract for building the Harlem River
Bridge has at last been awarded The job was given
to the Passaic Rolling Mill Company. of Paterson.
and Miles Iierney yesterday. The former HIS N,
metallic part OF the work aud Mr. Tierney the mason
ry 1t is joint contract between these two and tho
Bridge Commissioners. The Passaic Rolling Mill
Companys bid was $4,000; Mr. Iiernev,.
S1.2lOOOO. that the entiie work will cost 81 O,5
QUO. There were at first ten bidders for the masonry
and five for the iron work. John McOuades estimate
S1.O93, 4O7 go. the lowest bid for the masonry
and for the iron work the Union Bridge Company al
S6o7, 300 was the lowest. Then the Commissioners
conceived the notion of a consolidated award fol tho
entire job, but Mr.. McQusde was unable to make
satisfactory arrangement with any Of the iron men,
Among the other bidders was the New-Jer Steel and
Iron Company which after proposing to build the
work for 1899 155 % made proposal for the
entire work at $2590.750 10. that Is It's PROPOSAL
for tie masonry 1904, 1877 SO higher than
McQuades bid. After celebrating on the matter for
several days the commission decided to reject all tho
bids and receive estimates for the work. The
bids furnished by the iron men, including
bids for masonry. as follows: New Jersey Steel aud
iron Company S2.245.000; Union Bridge Company,
y,
900. The last named being the lowest the work was
awarded TO 1T in connection with NJ Terney. The
lowest separate bids reJected-JOhG NcQusdes for
the masonry and the Union Bridge COmpdnys for too
iron-would have made the total cost ~ ,7sO907 TO-
Mcguade's bid and the PasSaic Companys original
bid would have made the cost 81 $4,000 80 aud the
Passac COmpany's bid and the masonry bid next
above McQuade's would have made II -. 1879 lis 40
Mr.. Tieruey Is the contractor Who built most of tho
foundations for the pillars of the elevated railroads
in this city and has been identihed with several
other important building contracts. The Passaio
Rolling Mil Company supplied large part OF the iron
work of the elevated roads here and in Brooklyn and
built of the largest railroad bridges in North
and South America. The law requires that the II r.
lem Bridge shall he completed by june 1sss and the
contractors think that they will be able to finish by
that lime, unless they are compelled to dig to a
greater depth for foundations than has been est
mated.
1t was at first intended TO have the structure c)nsst
entirely of stone. but this idea abandoned. The
proposed structure will have stone approaches and
pier in the middle of the river. but all the rest
of the work will consist of steel except the flooring.
Tbe two steel arches each 800 feet long will support
the roadways and meet about midsiream on the Stone
der In regard to the action of the Board OF Estimate
In removing the appropriation of SI0O,OOO allowed
the Bridge Commission last winter OF The con-
tractors said Yesterday Ii will make no difference
with u.s. The money we feel sure will be forth
coming when It is needed. 1t lying idle So 10
peak aud the Controller acted naturally in urging
that the should be stricken out of the estI
mates. But you remember he said that when it was
required the city would issue bonds and raise the
money needed showing that there is no hitch at al in
the matter"
The authority of the Commissioners is unlimited.
hey cad if they choose, build twenty million dollar
bridge and do it by the days work.