New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
ron gates)" amounting to s2.lS5,

"SUbmitted aDprOVed
| the same representing he lowest bid for said
work be accepted and be and hereby IS ap-
proved and paid" This is an extraordinary
record. Seemingly II shows that no contract
| had been made and II may be doubted whether
any other bids received in spite or the
statement that Gallagher's was the lowest
| bid for said work" The entry shows the de-
sire Of the commission to cover up lrreSuiari-
ties by ex post lcto action. As for the prone
| and iron gates" they simple affairs OF IN,
terlaced work seven by four feet In SIZE, anu "a
without any ornamentatOn. They ought not 10
have cost more than 500 each. TO pay over
! $500 apiece for them gross imposition on
the taxpayers.
DOUBLE PRICE PAID FOR THE "AD-
JUNCTS"
There was another gross imposition in the
money paid for the columns at the Park on
! trance. AS already stated. the contract price
for these "adjuncts," apart from the cost OF the
| excavation. was s434sS At the present mo-
ment responsible persons stand ready to dupli-
cate these structures for less than half that
amount This Is matter Of positive record.
leading granite contractor has offered to put
up two addi;ona! columns for $4,000, and they
probably can be built for somewhat less
Counting the cost Of the excavations. more
than $4,000, therefore, has been thrown away
upon these alleged adjuncts 10 the Memorial
Arch.
Reference to this work brings us to the con-
s.deration Of the law passed by mis- years Legs
Arch Commission and authorizing a further bona
issue OF 100000 in order to complete the arch ana
its appurtenances. The construction OF two aa-
ditional columns is deemed essential by eN-
perts whose advice has been taken. and arrange
men,s are also being made for ornamenting
the arch with bronze groups.
What is now planned In the way OF competing
the arch Is intended &c make the best OF mat
ter that Is far from good The arch cannot be
moved. nov that ii has been reared. Neither can
the columns at the entrance to the Park be
MIA
present officials have to take things as they are
and do the best they can.
OTHER QUEER THINGS.
But not all the queer things in the records Of
the Arch Commission have yet been mentioned
On July H. 1892 a contract was given to Charles
L. Eidlitz for $1,000 for Illuminating the "monu-
mental arch" This job ought not to have cost
more than $780, but even $4,000 was not enough
for the 81 of the following October there are en-
tries for these extras: Connecting the wiring and
fixtures OF arch with electric mains $3.50: drilling
holes in arch for same $50; making total of
SAG Why were not these things foreseen three
months earlier?
Under date Of December 9. 1890 there Is this
entry: The eagles on top, which were mentioned
as being an extra If used, were omitted. and the
commission substituted a plain line 81 granite
which amounted TO 81 ,392." The omission Of the
ca giles caused further trouble In the list OF OK
tras of October 8. 1892. there are the following:
Scaffoding for caps, $SI; iron beams In roof S99
Sn4 Then follows this entry. These last two
items were caused by omission OF eagle course
and amount to s654" Later, in July, 1898. the
architect reported that on account OF the orls-
sion of the eagle course the inner Joints OF gran
lite exposed and should be protected by cop
per flashing and the expenditure or 900 Tor THIS
purpose was ordered
A notable bit Of extravaganza in connection
with the construction Of the arch occurred in the
removal of the car tracks which formerly ran
across the centre of the Plaza. The tracks were
those of the Flatbush-ave. and Vanderbilt-ave.
lines They were taken up and put down again
near the outer boundaries Of the Plaza on both
sides. For this work the city, or rather the com
mission. paid the grossly excessive sum OF
$685.. 1t might have been done. so we'll
known contractor asserts. for one-fourth OF that
amount.
EXTRAVAGANZA AND WASTE CLEARLY
SHOWN
II is clearly evident from these records that
there were extravaganza and waste in the con-
struction Of the Brooklyn Soldiers and Sailors
Memorial Arch. The first contract was not
awarded to the lowest bidder: and, by the way,
it is significant that most Of the bidders for
various parts of the work were men or firms
well known as contractors under the Brooklyn
Ring. Some of the work upon the arch itself
was wretchedly done. The granite posts inclos
ing the structure were secured at a cost far
beyond their value, and the bronze chain con
Meeting them is falling to pieces. The
have been dear at ono-fourth Of their cost.
Then two columns were erected having no
proper connection with the arch and in no
sense part of II, at cost fully twice what
they can be duplicated for. and n large but
unknown sum was paid for a small amount
Of excavation.
Was II not quite in keeping with the history
here disclosed that there should be public
scandal in connection with the dedication OF
the arch, which. Brooklynites well remern-
Der. part and parcel Of the Columbian
celebration on October T. 1892? a fitting ell
max. indeed
WILL AN ACTION TO RECOVER BE BROUGHT?
Now. what do the people OF Brooklyn mean to
do about it? Is there not ample ground for an
action against the commission. the contractors
and all others concerned TO recover for waste"
in accordance with the provisions OF the Tilden
act? Such an action be brought By any
taxpayer 1t was an action Of this kind which
prevented the consummatiO Of the secret bar
gain made by Chaplin. Jackson and Rutan for
buying out the Long Island Water supply Com
pany at a figure out OF all proportion to the
actual value OF the property and franchise. III
this arch matter were sifted in the courts, there
is no doubt that many things would be dis
closed which for some reason or other fail 20 APP
pear In the minutes Of the Arch Commission.
The honest people Of the city should feel bound
to ascertain all the facts. no matter who Is hurt
or helped by them.
GENERAL FEDERICO LITHGOW HERE.