New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
BAD WORK IN BROOKLYN.
Continued from First Page.

Deen awarded at some previous time. IuIlHci,
in the back part OF the book. table OF the
various payments made by the commission is
given. but it is in so bad shape that il is i'm
possible to tell by the most careful scrutiny how
much the various parts OF the work cost
AWARDING THE CONTRACTS.
The commission began its work by Offering
a prize of 81 900 for the best design submitted
for the proposed arch. The prize b.
John II. Duncan; his design accepted. and
he became the architect Of the arch on the
usual terms. 1t part of his duty, or
course, to inspect the work as 1t went on. The
first contract let by the commission was for
excavating for the foundations. This was
awarded to Crawford & Valentine, $l2214: and
1t Is noteworthy that they were not the lowest
bidders. Some of the other bids appear to
have been rejected because of irregularities
Proposals for the granite work were soon adver-
tised for and number OF bids were received
These recorded in the proceedings OF the meet
ing Of December II. 1882 but. according to the
minute book no action was taken regarding
them.
At the meeting on March 5. 1890, without any
preliminary warning three bids for the arch
proper suddenly turn up. These were as fol-
lows:
4: D. Baird .ss 49,, 1 loo
Lamb isi go
The lowest bidder was accepted this time.
and the contract was given to Gallagher, who
agreed to complete the work in about year.
He was not held to this part of his contract,
however. for on May 5-only two months later
his time was extended until September 10, 1881.
NO MEETING FOR ELEVEN MONTHS.
Evidently the business of constructing the
arch got In such good running order that 1t ran
of itself after a time. At all events. there was
no meeting Of the commission between July
49, 1891, and June 6, 1892. During almost eleven
months the architect. the contractor and the in
spector had things all their own way. The in
spectator by the way, deserves little atten-
tion Mr. Duncan, the architect. was en-
ployed to supervise the work. but one of the
earliest acts recorded in the proceedings of the
commission was the employment of John Bo-
CERT as an inspector at IS a day. How long
Bogert served in this capacity there is no means
Of ascertaining. Nothing is said of payments
to him in the table in the last part of the rec
ord-book. On December 3, 1890, there is Incl
dental mention Of another inspector, William
Wallace who asks to have his compensation
increased 81 a day. No record is given of his
engagement The commissioners, however.
seem to have thought we'll Of William, for. af-
ter cogitating over the matter until the Goth
Of the following April, they raised his pay to
s. day.
A NEW SCHEME SPRUNG.
After an interregnum of almost eleven months
the Commissioners got together again on June b.
1892. Mr.. Body had in the mean time become
Mayor At this time a new scheme was sprung
and request was sent to Corporation Counsel
jerks for an opirioE as to whether any I'M
prcvements on and about the monument may be
considered as a part and parcel OF the monu-
ment in accordance with the provisions Of the
act" This is the first reference to the columns
which were erected at the entrance Of the Park,
-four or FIVE rods away from the arch, and hid
den behind it for any one approaching it from
the side of the city.
II would be interesting to see The process of
reasoning employed ny Corporation Counsel
jerks to convince himself that columns so stu
ated could properly be regarded as part and
parcel of the monument In accordance with IN:
provisions Of the act" Unfortunately, this is
mot possible. since there is TO copy OF his opin-
ion given 1t is simply referred to in connection
with meeting of the commission on June ~ as
q document marked "A.
That il met the desires Of the commissioners is
shown by their action in proceeding to authorize
the construction OF the columns "as adjuncts to
the monument proper. and which are planned 10
be erected at the entrance u the Park In con-
junction with the monument That Ia the ele-
CANT way in which the subject is disposed OF In
the official records.
SOME COSTLY CARVING AND EXCAVATION
The contract for tnls work was given to the
Union Granite Company for s43 1858; the work of
excavation was to be extra, and WAS TO be paid
for at 81 90 a cubic yard. At the same time
contract was given TO the same company for
furnishing and setting granite and bronze posts
necessary to protect the arch.' for A,939. These
are not the only contracts awarded 10 the Union
Granite Company. On July 10, 1891, IT secured
one for furnishing carvings on the spandrels OF
the arch at a cost not 10 exceed $l4.3o0. THIS
was clearly an excessive price. even If the WORK
had been well done. AS matter or fact' IL
was shoclzingly done.
An examination OF the various sums pald TO
the granite company reveals some interesting
things In the first place, there is nothing 10
show how much was paid for making the exca-
vations for the columns The total amount OF
the three contracts was SG2.7Ol But an me
payments to the company amount TO SN,4Oi 90,
There is a difference here OF ss7O6 50. Does that
represent the cost Of the excavations FOR two
columns each Twelve feet four inches square?
Apparently three items for extras should be
deducted: these amount to s3730 and that again
would leave A,075 So, as the amount apparently
paid by the city for the excavations. A few con-
tracts like that would enable any company TO
pay liberal dividends. At 81 80 cubic yard. THIS
would represent some $50 yards OF eXcavatng,
or 2so yards for each OF the columns AS ahc
foundations must 90 down to bedrock, at the
very least.
EXPENSIVE GRANITE POSTS
The granite and bronze posts and chains form
another item worth special study. The minute
book does not say how many posts were to be
set up but according to the contract there were
70 be thirty-four granite and ten bronze posts.
and the cost was to be 1893 This included also
the bronze chain to connect the posts. The
whole was intended to form an Enclosure about
the arch.
On each side Of the arch now stand twelve
granite posts, placed in semicircular form. OPP
poslte the opening Of the arch the semi-circies
are broken but at this point on each side may
be seen FIVE granite pedestals close TO the sur
face of the earth. On these the bronze posts are
set at times when II IS deemed advisable to pre-
vent driving underneath the arch
In counting the granite posts thlrty-iour
c.n he reckoned only by including these ten