New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-04
BAD AQUEDUCT WORK.
COSTLY DEFECTS FOUND IN The TUNNEL.
CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN THx COUNSEL OF THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE AND PREsi-

CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN THK COUNSEL OF THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE AND PREsl-
DENT SPENCER.
The following correspondence passed yesterday
between Mr.. Boardmsn counsel for tho Senate
Investigating Commute, and President Spencer
of the Aqueduct Commission. The bad work
referred to, done by Brown, Howard q Co., VIII
It is estimated require $4,000 to make IT good.
The defective work on the contracts of O'Brien q
Clark will also, it is said, figure up,a large sum.
Commissioners Spencer and Ridgway said yester-
day that the discovery Of such defects was not
an unusual thing in o great work like the Aque-
duct. and that the percentage Of such defective
WORK was not above that usually found in similar
gigantic schemes Of construction in other parts
Of the country The Commissioners declined to
saw how much Of this bad work" had been re-
ported to them prior to the passage Of the Senate
Resolution Of investigation,
l.
Nsw.yors. May 9. 1888.
Hon. James @. Spencer. Chairman:
IL is now charged openly that there has been much de-
fectyo work done AQueduet both by Brown How
srd & Co. and O'Brien Clark On behalf OF the Senate
Investigating Committee write to beg that you VIII give
the Committees Counsel such information as you nave
upon this subject at your early convenience Respect
fully YOU'RE ALBERT u. SoAHo@AN'
Aoueducs Commissioners' once.
Stewart budding. $50 Broadway
Now-YOrk May 8. 1883
ALBERT d. Boardman. ESQ.
Dear Sir: Your favor Of this date received ana sh'
svor YOU briefly today reservng details for subsequent
reports 49,
Before tho Senate Investigating Committee was ap
pointed the Aoueduet Commissioners hsd dscoVereo tn
sxistence defective work upon the Aouecuct anu cao
the attention OF contractors thereto ana hso
The nost and examination In regard
10 tho and It's extent nnd also In REGARD 70 inc p
bons upon whom the responsibility should sl ""esne.
employees OF the Commission or OF the contractors
Investigation and examination is still In progress
sut every portion conduit from Croton Lake 70 the
Harlem River, and every means known 70 enRheo'ihh
skl VIII be used to mako the same thorough anu COM
pete. and also to remedy any oeiecs' Iouha os
and have doubt that It can and VIII be done most
enecusy and hope to be able to report the result 70
tho Committee before its next session
Before received your letter. anticipating this inquiry
rou make had with the approval OF the Commissoners
requested the Chief Engineer to make me report on the
subject that would incluls the condition Of the WORK 70
and including LIST inst and the Chief Engineer anu
the Deputy Chief Engineer have been and are now per
sonaly engaged line Of the Aoueduc In the exam
tnaon Of the work. preparatory TO making such report
10 me- which Will promptly given to you as soon as
received and think send II to you early next "eeh
In conclusion allow to say that under the aunorV
md direction OF tho Commissioners shall cheerfully
furnish to COMMITTEES or Its counsel all information
Ind knowledge known TO the AQueduct commissioner
tpon any and oil points Of our work or organization e
which the Committee wish to inquire and examine.
wish that tie investigations the COMMITTEES shall DO
most thorough and expressed to the chairman Of
the Committee these views OF yself and associates
1t proper In connection that the contractors
named in your been and are cooperating win
tho engineers Commission In this examination anu
express themselves ready and willing to remedy any
and all defective that may be found to exist upon
any OF their respective sectiona Yours very truly,
JAMES q. SPENCER. President
Corporation Counsel Beelkman said yesterday
that he had not yet begun the preparation OF ms
answer to Mayor Notwithstanding the Aqueduct
inquiry-for the reason that he found 1t necessary
TO discover first what We're the exact relations
between the contractors, OBren o. ClarK AM, ana
their superintendent, or sub-contractorS Inc
Senate Committee, he said, had only begun their
testimony on this subject and 1t was incomplete.
referred to himself which would require some
time Mr. Beellman said that he could not promise
that his reply would be ready this week.