New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-30

CONTROLLER FITCH MAY HAVE PUBLIC
HEARING BEFORE APPROVING THE LEAEN
roNTHAt'T-A LETTER FROM COMMITS


sIoNER DANA.
Controller Fitch said yesterday that he might
have, a public hearing before deciding To approve
lanes - I.cary's contract for building the hrst
section Of the Harlem River Speedway. awarded
f., him bv the Park Commissioners. and To issue
bonds to pay for the work. So many legal COM
pcations he said. had arisen. which must be
settled one way or the other. that he thought TINS
would be The best course To pursue. ana he would
adopt it II Corporation Counsel Clark concurred
with him ON the subject of the propriety of pub
lie hearing The Controller made this statement
after receiving the following letter from Park Com
missioner Dana:
Dear Sir: Since the Park Department requested
YOU 10 provide funds Tor the construction OF The
Harlem River driveway, specifications for the same
hay" been altered 10y the l.sisiaufe III a way "a, 10
Two sidewalks. one on either side OF the Wax
all bids were based. and which was accompanied
with the map showing the location of ROADWAY.
sidewalk and drains. calls FOR one ohP thirty iee'
I'm width at the most important part
This plan also intends the use of but 1870 feet Of
driveway. one hundred feet VIII be used Tor the
road proper that icing 9catcd immediately nm 1ie NIX
leaving twenty feet untitled and unused.
r., comply properly with the revised terms of the
law So hat decentralization for pedestrians and
symmetry Of the whole ,horonghInrss may ns OD
feet which have hitherto been left untouched
10 no, o% ehTr by VIA, s H TN, the p ragS
OF one week of the bids. which should nave Deem
legally opened January -.
I'pon the question OF the provision for monthly
PAYMENTS, which IL absent from III" present CON
tract with the result of deterring various con
tractors from entering the objection have 10 re-
port that upon examination OF the contracts habt-
tay used by the Department OF PUBIC works
and the Dock Department. winch win the fark
Department, are responsible for the largest ex-
pendItures OF city money, "A clause directing the
pavment from time to time, not otener IMAM once
a month" IL an invariabe feature. IL IL found
also in the last contract for WORK entered INTO by
the Park Department-hat for the Seventh-ave.
bridge. ~, a.,
tions of the first section Of tn" driveway must be
advertised again, | do not think the city would
suffer.
before surveys OF the driveway were completed.
So that the Park Board might begin 10 consider
plans Mayor Gilroy expressed 10 ua MS desire that
a clause might be inserted In the contract prOvld-
Ink FOR the Of the city refuse, W IN a View, Of
course, lessening the cos; Of the driveway. For
various reasons | have been unable hitherto To
share In the preparation of any specifications for
the driveway. but fall to see tnat the Mayors
very valuable suggestion has place In the
tract.
Without presenting legal objections to your favor
able consideration of the Park Boards applca-
ton other than the irregularities already men
toned. | respectfully submit that under the cir
cumstances the contract cannot DE awarded with
propriety.
Several contractors who were competitors OF Mr.
Leary have filed protests with the Controller against
the approval OF Learys contract