New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-27
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A BRIDGE BUILT FOR A FEW.
THE COSTLY SPAN OVER THE HARLEM.
MILLIONS OF PUBLIC MONEY TO BE SPENT MED
IFsSIY


The exposure in THE TRIBUNE yesterday of
the details Of the Harlem River Bridge job made stir
in the city, and nowhere than IN the office of the
commission which has the matter in it's complete
troll For best known TO themselves. the
missioners, Jacob Lorillard, Vernon II. Brown and
David James King have chosen to carry on their work
with secrecy which left open opportunity to know
how far they had gone how much the bridge really
going cost what would be done. Their meetings
are held with closed doors and when requests sro made
by note or card to the commissioners or any one OF
them their secretary comes out ana eaboatey Informs
the inquirer OF many things that he knows already
ercising the utmost tell him anything that ho
does know. Tho commissioners supposed that moth
Ing was known outside OF official circle Of tho
contract that was drawn and we're both amazed and
irrtated at It's publication In TIE TRIBUNE.
Jacob Lorilard is the president of the commission.
When TRIBUNE reporter visited him at his office, No.
So souths, yesterday he harshly said: don't wish
to talk to you. sir"
Don't you think tho of THE TRiBUSEs articles
upon the bridge matter calls for statement from
the commissioners r. asked the reporter.
"No, don't" replied Mr.. Lorlllsrd, with evident
anger and If dill shouldn't make IT, You wouldn't
report correctly II did. I've been interviewed be-
fore, and IL never got straight"
The reporter offered to write down Mr.. Loriard's
statement word for word and submit TO him. but Mr..
Lorard said, No, I've nothing TO say except that THE
TRBUNEs article has the city hundreds OF thousands
OF dollars" The reporter respectfully asked for an
PLANTATION OF this statement. Hundreds Of thcusan
of dollars" the commissioner repeated but Is all
being investigated and the Assistant Corporation Cou
sci who gave you the Information will 10 discharged
from his place" The reporter thought that such fate
would be for the Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel, especially IS he dill not give
the information, and asked how TIE TRIBUNE
had caused such wholesale damage on tho GUYS
ave had not fully arranged for the purchase
~ nata taria and tha Ia
caused tue formation OF ring which Will result in un
told expense tho city," was Mr. Lorillards reply.
However" he continued, IL will all come out and bo
made public Repeated visits to the Offices OF the other
co,nmis ssOners Messrs Brown and King were only re-
warded with the information that they were not n"
Mayor Grace said, in to inquiries: Il opposed
this bridge project year IN all believed
then that 1t imposition on the taxpayers as 1t
will not be needed several to have not
changed my mind In that particular. But when
tine bill became law | could do nothing
more The commission is a good one. The Corporation
Counsel gave opinion that the law was mandatory
before the commission appointed any steps taken
by nv colleagues aud myself. The commission first
asked 600 for the present year. bat at the re-
quest of members Of the Board OF Estimate and Ap
portonment reduced this amount 10 S75OOOO, and ths
sum was Appropriated in the tax levy. II anything is
done repeating modifying the act under which
tho Bridge Commissioners appointed it will have 10
be done very at ALL the commission is now
actively at WORK"
An experienced contractor who has looked closely into
the matter made these comments:
Tic bridge that they propose to build is not only not
needed at tins time. is not likely TO be az enduring
and safe structure after is tuisHed. II is mere eN-
pertinent for which the peoples money Is TO be ex-
pended The plan ihas decided upon and which
was proposed by Union Bridge Company with which
contract been araNn IN which the interests or the
city left entirely unprotected provides tOr sruet
partly Of natural stone Dut for the most part TO DO
butt with artificial composed or Portland ceinenG
and sand similar to a5 GsSa % ~ ot so by tbs ~ poe
Department IN OF tina city piers This material
is easily frost and II Is proposed o surround
The bridge is 10 rest three OF the enormous
span or 2S0 feet each Ia the cler the largest span OF
arch among existing bridges Is found IN the stone bridge
arch the proposed bridge Is 10 consist of layer OF
pfotect tile artificial frost. which docs not
| penetrate more than three feet--upOn which the
thriy-one feet thick at the bases OF ths arch
aud Ten feet thek ut tne TOP Above .A' T .s be INC
lt. aad whether II can be made safe and durable
Is quc mat only be decided after tho lapse OF
time In my Iud.laeEt be Done and this say,
although nave learned tha tho sussn-ers, General q
A. Gilmore and Colonel Adams. have approve The pan.
Ths composite Kind 0f structure has neen le, licd on
becase bridge bull! entirely OF stone would ost over
| 50 100000. 20 Irst-a aglrc would have b'ei APP
palg, though the bridge that - proposed may " VI no
to the city tan that. 50 far as any limitation
as to price In the Jaw IS concerned. -. Ann. ..
The manner Of giving the contract and it' terms are
something ugheard ot have had great exp snGe MN IN
contracts Ordinarily before lnau can even Dlu uton
contract he must produce bOnlshau, who must Ds
! fTtP
amount OF the undertaking. IN TN, case ave lenOers
| OF the Union Bridge Company si4n b1h1 GSc.arihg
month by moutn the money f'r tie worH ad materials
| and ouc-hah of ther assured pr0At OK 10
bridge is completed suppose thry get tGreequarters or
the money that they draw amt gel the WORK par
uaty TLaHs ~ nm nreysnt Teye n'i '" "''
The commissioners who have beer appointed know
nothing abou the nature Of their occu-
~, MORN thenseIycs ab,n such matters MI Lorard
| ia n uc crcha = broker
of the Cunard Line. The contractors are builders Oi IRON
bridges and have no experience Win ,,;' stone
| lever bridge at Niagara Falls and is building
trSia, where a SIKH memoer OF the conpany lives
whose docsuot appearon THIS contract Thomas ..
Clark is the leading the concern. Hc was for
merry the hcod OF the Of Clark R,eves Co.. IRON
bridge contractors wh3 iun,hra h' IRON lof t0 SlSsn
Avenue Elevated Railroad "9t Dul1t INC sttue'ure,
| Charles Macdonald, MAO IS 'duadan ".
birth was tGe SS"aS9F ;ron pisr. "f tho compsng
controlling when has Jacob LOrilad for It's president
such an experiment these gentlemen propose to mako
with novel structure aud uniriel material should not
he made with the peoples money ana on s1eh .re,
I'm ali its details an outrage which the people should
not and taxpayers should unite ia exposing aug
Taxpayers Associationsl Have they nothing to cay ex-
cept at times wheu they can mix up IN politics.
The men who are ssddng this jo0 IN the city began
operations in the Park Department IN May. 1884 The
subect WAS then considered by the Park Board the
application of few large owners OF property near High
Bridge. The Park Board then comprised General L. l.
yiee Salem II. Wales, W. NJ. olfe and John d. Grim
Minis by passed In the Tweed Ring times tho
Board was given power to make surveys receive pans
advertise for bids and 10 award contracts TOT Dddihg
such bridge The surveys were made AMI plans we're
invited from General George B. Mcclellan Joseph NJ
Wilson, Buck 4 McNuty, and A. p. Bollar. weil'Anown
engineers ard bridge builders Gsneral Mcclellan sent
in no figures, but the estimates presented Dy
the Others follows Buck MeNaiy'
80 O64 GA; A. p Bollar, 500O00 Joseph NJ wilson,
,ian af Mr. RO In.
were for "A cantilever bridge.
Commissioners Onic and Wales both favored the Will
son plan as costly and presenting all the por
tant advantages of the other plans AT meeting IN
August lssi Mr.. Wales presented aresolutoh adopting
the wilson plans which also acceptable 70 most
81. o.o,ortv.ovnsrs interestad Mr.. Olfe voted with