New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-10
THE PAVEME IN FIFTH-AVE
VILLA BOARD OF ARBITRATIoNBE CHosEN'

GENERAL NEwroN's VIEWS on THE WORK DONE BY
CONTRACTOR BAIRD.
Cornoratiop Counsel LacOmbe said yesterday
that he thought there would be no trouble In obtaining
the consent OF all the parties Interested In having
Board Of Arbitration appointed to decide between tho
city and Contractor Baird relative TO the work that
he Is doing in Fifth ave- lie saio
,he plan suggested would naturally
commend itself to minded persons as being the best
under the circumstances and one hstwoud prevent
long and costly litigation. lie had not heard from Cen
era Newton. the Mayor or Controller on the SUBJECT
General Newton said: "The plan proposed by
the Controller meets with my entire ap
prevail He sugges" thst appoint y"
engineer not connected with tho city government to
represent tho Department OF Public Works. that the
counsel for the contractor appoint another and these
two shall select third These three engineers are 70
compose board Of examiners who shall pass upon the
character OF tho work in question. and mako their
report 10 me. II the work Is not properly dono
then the Corporation Counsel advises that the
contract shall be promptly annued. II 1t s done In ac-
cordance with the then Mr. Lacombe advises
that the city pay bills without more delay Nothing
could be fairer than this
"Iappreciato the an rety OF the residents along the
avenue and its vicinity to have the pavement COM
pleted. 1t is a serious inconvenience to them and
to those persons who wish to drive into the
Central PARK by the Fftnave. entrance. But 1t Is I'm
portan that the specifications OF this contract sha DC
enforced on the The Department OF Public
Works is not asking that he shall perform impossibi
ties It simply demands that his work shall
come up to the requirements OF tho con-
tract with which OF course, he 10 familiar.
Our inspection OF the pavement during the time that
the work was suspended led to curious discovery
On the lower end OF the work the large blocks havc
been used Some OF these are above tho maximum size
prescribed by the contract At the upper end
OF the avenue the blocks are considerably
than below
mum size called by the specifications OF The CON
Apparently the contractor Thought tnat ss me
heaytest travel would the lower part or the ave-
nue. the largest blocks should be used there The con-
tract calls for pavement uniform In chaac'er through
"As said before am glad that this Board Of Arbl-
ira,ion has been propTssu nspsctsd the WORK
have preudiced against him. anu that tneir re-
port. nave been unfair aud unjust The proposed board:
COMPOSED of expert. readily determine this, and
their report would have great weleht Win tne
may be brought 1t alleged that the gaugng
and inspecting Of the individual blocks OF granite ussd
for the pavement have unnecessarily greatly ueaye
the work The contrao does not make any suen
charge can put the OF , ms" the
blocks without delaying the work at all ordered inc
contractor TO suspend worH 0o 70 scSuapt myself with
the details OF the Tue delay was not long one
70 snsnend work on the pavement time without
rendering The city liable for damages tn,nx me MAJ
will be settled in such way that 'he oos'
Controller Loew left his Office early in the day with
ment said that he felt sure that inc Con
troller would heartily concur in the suggestion
made by Corporation Counsel Lacom6e to
arbrate the matter Payment had been withheld oy the
Controller the frat part 1.-THE work because Engineer
Mclean. in whom the Controller had great confidence,
bad certified after careful examination that many
parts OF the work being done In gross VOCATION
OF tho terms of tho contract the later payments
were made because Engineer Mclean certified that
the work was then fairy wen done, tnat
the pavement being laid substantially
in compliance with the terms OF the contract ana tns
the pavement undoubtedly the best pavement lald
in this city The Controller took the ground that thc
WORK which had not been done In compliance with the
terms OF the should not be pad Tor until the
defects made good
Mayor Grace was not at his Office during the day.