New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-12
WANSER CHARGES FRAUD.
WHY HE VETOED CoNDoN's CONTRACT.
CORRUPT METHODS OF THE JERSEY CITY RING

CORRUPT METHODS OF THE JERSEY CITY Rim"
EXposED-UNFAIE COMPETITION.
Mayor wanser sent a scorchlng letter to the Demo-
cratic Street and Water Commissioners Of jersey 'iy
yesterday, to explain why he had vetoed on inc uas
previous the resolution awarding thr contract TO onu
a new police station TO Patrick j. Condon Inc h" UT
feared that Condor would give the city the same SORT
Of JOB that he recently did when he buit schoo-
house No 25. The latter has made the "King very
unhappy and already the street aud Water Cohths-
sl0ners have withdrawn their threats to award inc co
tract to Condor over the Mayors veto. on TUESDAY
they loud in their declarations that Cohuoh S"o'
have the contract under any circumstances. L,>'
night they decided not 10 disregard the veto. lhe
following are the main points Of the letter:
Citizens have complained BY letter and in person
about tho mason's contract and the work thcrenhdcr
In connection with the public school building hhown
as No. 60 now in course of erection Inc to'''l Du9
for this work amount to s57 400 the masons bid being
$50 800. The contract specifications and the WORE
done call for the following comment:
ID The specifications in reference TO eNcavating read
follows. The mason has 20 do an earn a,i
trenches. boiler pit, areas. piers. and any other cA'
cavating necessary. All earth must be removed from
The r,cclds in the Controllers and City. Clerks
Offices show the following warrants in favor Of Patrick
j. Condor for eAcavatns for school No: -: In con.
trollcr's olicc-Jnnuary 10, 1907. $500: January
81, 1892. $3.50 January 80. l7a: $40; February l.
1892 Sf93 February ~ $50. 800 S4oJ - 'inthe
city clerks Office April 2o. lo94. 1914 30. MAILING
total for excavatins for this school of $50 not
wihstandng the earth excavation Is provided fOf In
the specifications n above Sc out. E.,
o. The specification for brick walls read as fol,
lows: Have an cellar walls to surface. and al!
rear walls from surface up TO iD1t buil' OF DeSt
gna c NS hy mcar cC and for the Inferior
walls thus: Have all interior wall, built Of good
haTf hs oK o Sp wa are about ready To re-
ceve the first tier OF beams nj which lime the mason
payment under the contract, to wit 5000. but the
basement walls have MOI been built according TO Speci
OF brick and outside walls taprOck rubblc AT
bottom back. the from, being faced. with brick.
house Is remote from bricyards, but TO trap rock.
thus making brick walls expensive and stone walls Of
ma sons to estimate In which brick was called for.
but in which stone has been substituted Is fraud on
every masOn's rights who bids on the work. am told
that, under the conditions of the stone market the
profit to Mr.: Condor by this change has been in the
In addition to the complaints about the actual work
under the contract. complaints reached me that two
tractors were figuring on the work. and that The two
sets did not agree In other words. that the >pccifca
tons attached to Mr. COndOn's contract file In the
Controllers Office do agree with the specifications
on which the other contractors figured whose bids were
fully because OF IFS seriousness. and find there
is in e3istemee ypewrtten copy Of the specification,
copy of the specifications annexed TO Mr.. Condon'S
large Of money is Selfevidant: ana The necessity
of one set Of bidders bidding on tile work and metal
bidding farcCa
NO supervision Is provided for either any COM
mttec or the chief engineer of. Your board. but
such supervision Is provided is left Il the architect
named In the contract. No provision Is made for
any retention OF any per centum on any payments
provided In the contract, Is any money retained
or any period named after final payment 20 test the
efficiency Of tho work under the contract. The con
tract has in ii no provisions reServng Your board
tie absolute control of the work, but gives
equal control % the architect The contract does
not designate any time for the completion of the
] have endeavored to lay tho foregoing before
tr,.f hat ,I,al
matters and things that seem censurable can be
explained.