New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-05
FACTS ABBOTT CITY iCONTRA CTS.
WHY OUTSIDERS WILL NOT MAKE BIDS.

TOO MUCH POLlTICS-INsPFCTORs IN THE PAY OF
CONTRACTORS.
Mr.. Davies, a well-known Washington con-
tractor who does business In the line OF street paving In
various Cities In reply TO inquiry recently as to why
he did bid contracts In New-York said; 81 have
had contracts NewYork but experience here has
taught avoid On the last tract had the
inspectors extra pay and found that unless
could bring influence bear would be lucky to get
through without losing money. There is too much poll
ties in this business in NewYork to make 1t profitable
for outsiJsr"
Similar remarks have been made by other wellknown
contractors who avoid CITY work An inspection OF the
on file in the Finance Department shows that
the contractors of to-day were the contractors
OF Tweed's time. Matthew Baird, the contractor on
the Fifth pavement, has been doing city work Tor
many years. friend OF his that he has taken unu
sua pains with this particular contract II 1t Is as bad
Q represented by the Controller and the Mayor and
there no reason belis otherwise. the public can
idea Of what OF return the city gets Tor
money What 10 true OF the contractors H. to con-
siderable excnt true OF the put over them to guard
the cty nteTests-the inspectors and surveyors Ihey
hands In the business The surveyor on the
FIfth-sve contract ts brother and business partner
Of the Deputy Commissioner of Public Works. and they
have both been occupied for long time In ooking aiter
always sppoinIsa a. the saion Of politicians
more often of the contractors themselves Mau-
rro'Iss lsrss mart nu O, The contracts IN the
Public Works Department.. have also influenced the
appointment OF the who certify whether or
not the city gets what 1t pays for Moreover Inc IN
spectors are paid In some cases atoge'ner oy tao
tractor-i being part OF the contrscnd In nearly All
they something extra from the CONTRACTOR 10
as against the contractor under such circumstances
expect something that doos not hApp,n An exam
Of the records OF the Finance Department SHOWS
that 10 some cases speetors been for several
months work by contractors wGlle mol called upon 10
appointment, but the Contractor often buds il
lent to wait weeks and months before beginning or
completing the work During that ine ne pays inc III,
speetor four five dollars day for doing nothing or
course the inspector, wnen work does begin Is not
likely to mad fault with so generous an employer.
In connection with tnis subject 1t Is interesting TO
Smith engineer surveyor on The Ffth-ave contract
February 10. and on Aprll he appointed inc Two
he official letter to the Corporation Counsel
asking To the power of the Commissioner OF Publc
work. Engineer Balch, who investigated the sublrct
for the MAY hat the law and the provisions OF tne
desired or securing Kind of pavement. bat IN
his opinion every square foot OF pavement so Tar lat
ought 10 pe taken up and work all begun over
Every UUay will agree that 1t does not matter no" strict
the law and the contracts are providing ths
inspectors and engineer DO Nc insist that The
terms shall he strictly complied with This is the
wny outside contractors, who cannot influence
the appointment OF these suDordast are unAoie TO
compete with the who have influence VITA the de-
parIment heads
There IN this attack on the Ffthave. pave
than appears tbs surface. Last year Mayor
neBts which became Jaw, anu "hleh waterway hiod-
ned powers OF the Pablo Works Coinmi.siOner IL
valid unless tho Controller certified on Its Lace That no
the money required 10 meet the eNpepdl-
ture Under ths OLD Tweed laws, now again Ia FORCE,
the Commissioner OF Pubic Works could entor INTO
contracts for millions OF dollars for lOcal Improve
neuts and tho Controller wOnd DE obliged 10
raise the money TO meet such eXpendii urea
by the issue bonds OF course the construction
given amendment relating 10 the city
prevented unlimited issue OF bond. last year
That traction OF the law Ovcrrdct by the
Court o. Appeals. But the law which the Mayor got
through Legislature asst year stu lied the Commits
soners bonds as, ii BOari OF Estimate ana ppJr-
L iou incl or
issue the contract 1t would not Dc wand. 10
re gain lost power Commissioner squire had III ~
IIoduced mthe LEGISLATURE repeating tne act OF 1880:
The Governor he ped 1t through. Before he signed II
the Mayor Controller and ali ibe members OF tue Board
of Estimate sent him protest against the repea.
giving why the law OF last year sbou
remain In force The Governor dregarded that protest
and signed tho bill, which gives Mr.. squire the
for harm by his predecessor Ihon
lie can big und from for political
purposes Hence the anxiety as 10 tho control OF The
department.
lis not the Mayors newly discovered zeal this sub
ject pecu n" asked OF Squire rlends
yesterday. Z" the department was IN every respect
worse under Thompson than II Is Ali or the
balancedbid ana 1899 frauds were going on when Mr.
Grace was Mayor In 1Ssl-52 Did he expose them. or
Mt up voice them He did not though
more money expended III 1882 for local Improve
than in any since 1876 All OF which true