New-York tribune., 1886-01-30
THE HARLEM RIVER SCHEME
NO CHANGE MADE IN THE CONTRACT,

OF the Harlem River Bridge Commission were totally
prepared for the information contained only in Tns
TRIBUNE yesterday that the Commissioners In the face
Of loud and general public protest and despite the
exposures OF their reckless and unusual conduct, had
actually gone ahead and committed the city to the
amazing contract which has been fully described In
these columns II has not been altered to any material
degree If at ALL The conditions far they refer "a
the Sordnary favorism shown to the contractors
and 10 q immens OF money to be expended are
all as they 1t Is known that since TIE TRIBUNE
began its exposures tie Commissioners have been
personally warned and advised by lettef 10y many
ersons against the step they boldly took Assurances
we're given by engineers and contractors that oppor
tnny TO bid on the work would bring out responsible
offers at q much lower figure for precisely the sams
work Their stubborn refusal to listen to either public
or prIvae protest is regarded showing determina
ton TO forestall any adverse legislative action.
Read in the light OF the undsputed fact that these
three Commissioners when they were appointed
pledged their word to Mayor Grace to join him ir
effort TO have the Punktt act amended as to define
their powers and make them conform to the general
provisions Of the city charter to public expenditures
this defiant action easily understood Said an old
official Of the city who has been In public life for dozen
wears: at lust takes "A business man inexperienced In
public affairs tell the community at large TO go 10 inc
devil. Why there isl't man who ever nat year f"
public life and who understood the power OF pooc sen
tment who would have dared to do what those men dS
Yesterday after THE TRIBUNE's exposures. NO one
would have thought OF it. just fancy what inerrreta'
tons will be placed on their conduct and what else eau
anybody think when they will not listen to argument,
cal or anything elsei Aud the way they act beats
ANYTHING ever heard Of They will live to learn thst
the public officer who will not deign to answer civ ques
tions addressed him with regard 10 MS own oHeI
oonduct Is "A doomed man in this country. We live In
land where the people, when they want to Know VIII
know aud when they want thing stopped VIII nave
stopped But said il just takes the business han
who has held Office to take the view of his respoh
,l.fabs sha auuuli li.2l mar
taken"
Whether the bridge bnilt not, the bold step taken
by the Commissioners will cost the city great deal oil
money The Union Bridge Company has now positive
hold on them. The company appears to have carried
on its part OF the business with much skill ana by no
possible exigency 1t be out OF pocket dollar II"
does not eet the work time. 1t can claim tat the
delay was its fault, but was due 10 circumstances
over which it had control; in which case the time
must be extended II experts say that the quahty oi
he work not what II should be- that the company Is
charging 80 900 or bridge that being buit fo
81 900 OOO the company that the engineei
IA the only man it caleiupon in the
Mr. Clark OF the Bridge Company, says that he thinks
these arrangements only fail The COMMISSIONER
he said had the very best engineering and ieSa a'ce
to be Obtained. Their own engineer, Mr. McAIpine VINO
has reputation equal to any, was assisted III
IN. plans submitted by Colonel Julius Adams aud en'
eraI O. ~ Gilmore. The plans submitted rs Result oi
their adv ersements all unsstsaetory' None OF
them up ihe Commissioners IDEAS Il e
structure they desired build. Ne put IN our plhn ana
IL was just what they wanted 1t is customary every
here to nay an engineer per cent Of tue total eO o.
the work for designs But then lie guarantees hO'
ing; lie simply furnishes designs We offered Iof an
additional 10 per cent to guarantee everyte' 'hd "
shall not $26S0.00O; that shall be ot ms
most superior quality: it snail be finished In three
years and We supply only skill aud experience,
but we undertake to employ the labor. iurni'h the
material aud 40 the work AMI Tor tle iai'Iim i per,
| fnrrnance O5 undertaking We give poAd VI
. RUS Is to be q stone bridgel'
Yes stone and betGn cOiguet when 10 mixture vi
sand cement and rock most duraOe material. 49,.
Have you ever built stone orids, rf'se' Is no'
Well, yes. 1t is; aud We never nave ~
Of oar aoy to carry out or contract it vii NOT
cost tine cty dollar more than our estimate In fa;t
"s Sn eminent contract lawyer asked about tho
city's liability In case this unnecessary ana eAlS"ea
schemc abandoned where no" Is, ne % iii ira
contract and was thofoushy e3Fc.s'us S1 ;nr % ia
provisions am not qu'te certain nc sau' LOT h L9
contract peculiar an ms rument Tue courts mtn'
hold the city va aoe to the GaUn h Tas hys sS sSn
that Is their designs. cts aud for 10 er cent on s
committed bridge. THIS woulf be- take II, about
Sl50 900 or it might hold that the cy would nave
In either event the city would have to Iay tnem also
a of damages as might he agreed pHn OK "' s
materials which they may have assumed me ssnIhs
; OF the contract ty the mmi,sioners on Ihirsay
plunged tue city into mess from WHICH II eau Uo "a
ricated only u; heavy cost ooo - bo continued
1
1t OF piece with the Whole busiIess never law
Ike Il In an affair OF this KIND before o ~ Sv o c
tho bond. Nobody guarantees them. They smlH
M M general ans on contracts ihe Tor not DOM
IL does hasize taeir IihDiuty put u in ~
enect it Is limit it, Unless the coarts should hna
that the bond part Of the contract ana cohSidet
that there is some dount ABOUT thal / Is 80 n!uCh %
paper. But il Is cart o' the contract thsy ar H. @
In tho Of 100000 and no more And yet II tners
nt WSTs no as SoI their nre or had faith might
Ihe city Suppose they abandoned the work when me
Si350 900 to complete it, Now, II tho TON is worh
anything oy liable only to the extent OF ronHOD
n there were no they would be liable for the whoe
sum Taken all in ALL 1t Is the qacerest piece OF Ousn
to which my attention was ever directed sror,lv on
posed TO this bridge contract II Ia all wronI Evey
nae that Tan T@qSt s has RF9sa y @SG3 tS
great contract this without Offering II at plpnc
knew reputable thoroughly responsible firm who who
would be glad to build this bridge for noL more @ sna
S2O0O0O0, and instead o' exastlng 10 per cen, '
mission would be entirely satisfied with zig per cent
much surprised that ms comhsslo @ S1a y. 20 "a
} acted in this manner certainly thonsh' ri ~ ,s
carefully look after the interests OF the city rue LIS
the bridge scheme will convince
the public that It's interests vii oe properly oare' 'o'
cOyyP.DICrIyG MRS DOWLINGS STORY.
: The second day $ proceedings in the trial OF
Thomas A. Bowling for shooting Lawyer H. ~ Ward At
tracted another large throng to the courtroom IN F
erson yesterday Dr. Thomas OGrady for the defence
testified that he thought Dowllns insane when hes""
i him on the evening following the shooting Alderman
Michael Lawlor a cousin Of the accused man. desetioa
tho exoed condition Downing after the discovery VI
mis- wifes perhdy and testified that he thought Hu ~"
: sane The Rev. William McNulty. offs Johns Rom u
Catholic Church. testified TO DowiLgs excitement WIZ"
y he revealed the priest his domestic disgrace
Dowlng ths father OF the prisoner, also gave eV"e
q ohout bis sons excitement Dr. Preston JOreN Nho
Il keeps private lunatic asylum at Merchantre -
= testified to his thirty five year, experience WIZ 's
e of insanity lie had by arrangement with counSe o
/ Bowling had the latter in his asylum for week !" ~
o December following the shooting Dr. Jones "ii'"e,,
hypothetical questions tending TO establish tne 'ue0''
70 OF temporary insanity. ,.
!. Tho stato in rebnttal placed LAWYER warn on Wv Wv