New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-17
ONE OF THE ARCH STEALS
TRUE INwARDNEss OF THE ELECTRIC
LIGHTING JOB.

LIGHTING JOB.
4 CONTRACT AT 5000 GIVEN APPARENTLY WITH
OUT COMPETITION. AND $3.50 AS AN EXTRA
AN EXPERT SAYS THE WHOLE WORK
SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE FOR
LESS THAN $1,000.
The more the history of the Brooklyn Memorial
Arch is studied the more convincing appear the
proofs that the grossest kind Of frauds have oeen
perpetrated in connection with 1t. The tribune
has already shown that there were extravaganza
and waste of the peoples money in the granite
posts and bronze chain forming the Enclosure
around the arch. and in the bronze and iron gales
through which admission to the interior is OBJ
tained; and also that the columns at the FarK
entrance, which were built as "adJuncts 10 the
arch proper, cost about three times as much as
should have been paid if the work had been nom
estly done
An interesting chapter is hereafter to be told
IN regard to the granite work the arch itself
and the little ring which furnished the granite
and made meat thing out Of it. The Union Gran
lite Company is a concern that the people Oh
Brooklyn ought to know more about.
One of the minor steals in connection with the
memorial occurred in the electric lighting pro-
vided for the arch. This is told in detail to-day
and may be accepted as a good sample of the way
in which this entire enterprise was looked on as
field for plumber. The contract FOR Illuminating
the monumental arch'-this Is the language Oh
the official minutes OF the Arch Commission-was
given on July II, 1892, 10 Charles l.. EldltZ 1or
5000 Previous to that date there is no mention
In the records Of the commission OF an intention
to use electricity on the arch; ana IL does not
appear that there was any competition LOT the
work whatever The minutes do not show that
any bids were received
SUSPICIOUS CONTRACT.
The round SUMS. 0O0-is in itself suspicious
r. circumstance. as any one familiar with contract
work Of any kind must be we'll aware. When
man sets about figuring any job which he
wishes to get. he goes over the various items in
detail-materials work. and the Nke-and then,
footing up the amount, he adds percentage TOT
reasonable profit. Then he is ready TO make his
bid. There is about one chance in a million that
he will. as the result OF his calculations. reach
an even sum like $4,000. The inference from this
and from the meagre records Of the Arch Com
mission is that the electric lighting was given TO
Charles L. Eidltz without any competition and
without any detailed estimates on his part. 1t Is
said. by the way. that Eidl!tz is a relative OF
Nathan Straus the Tammany candidate for
Mayor OF New-York. and that he finds his 'infu-
ence valuable In securing jobs Of the kind some
times termed fat"
But So 900 did not prove 10 be enough for the
electric lights on the arch In Brooklyn. Less
than three months after the contract was given
proved a bill Of $3.50 extra for connecting
the wiring and fixtures Of arch with electric
MAINS and also another extra, amounting 70
$685. for drilling holes In arch fer same the
total amount paid for the electric lighting was
accordingly s3,4l6. AS there are only 300 lights,
1t Is obvious even TO a layman who has any
knowledge of electricity that there was a
palpable steal here This belief is abundantly
confirmed by the opinion of an expert electrician
who has made careful examination Of the
arch and electrical apparatus.
The expert who has made this examination is
Fremont WILSON, Of No. 108 Fulton-st. Newly DIRK.
He is well known in both electrical and insurance
circles an expert, and fis opinion on the
worth Of any work will be Instantly accepted
by all who know him. Mr.. Wilson has been
connected with many large electrical installa-
tons Among other things. he superintended
the wiring Of the big building Of the Brooklyn
Riding and Driving Club which Is situated
only few rods from the Memorial Arch
WHAT FREMONT WILSON. ELECTRICAL EN-
PERT. SAYS.
This is what Mr.. Wilson said yesterday. after
visiting the arch and looking over it carefully
81 had been told before making my inspection
that something like $4,000 had been paid for
lighting the arch, and naturally supposed that
this included an engine and dynamo-Tin snort
a complete plant. That figure, II seemed to me,
would cover everything OF this kind Tt
my establishment. found that there was nothlne
In the way Of plant whatever, but merely me
simplest kind OF electric wiring done and only 3oo
lamps supplied Three dollars is considered a
good price for each lamp, even in buildings
where there Is a good deal Of difficult and con-
cealed work and work Is sometimes done Tor
s275 or 81 so per lamp. The whole work on the
arch could have been done well for NooO ana
the man doing ii would have made good prom
at that II the specifications had been carefully
drawn IL could have been done for $9OO, or per-
haps even less. Al any rate. sl.OOO would nave
been a good fair price and would have left
good profit.
''The extra bill of 1880 for connecting the wiring
and fixtures with electric mains seems to be Sc
much added 70 the steal This ought, OF cOuIse
to have been included in the contract Inc
wiring OF a building any kind of structur'
means a complete Job right down to the street
ard then the electric company makes the connec'
tions itself That is the ordinary way OF DONG
business | know nothing about the ss6 10!
drilling holes in the arch. There are eight open
inRs there which suppose were Ie't ny tht
masons as they ought 20 have been. TX tneJ
were drilled afterward the work would nave tt
., ought TO drill three for Of them In a day
Apparenty the man who did the job spent seven
teen days at IS day
NO COMPETITION FOR THE WORK.
81 am unable to find that there was ever any
connection for this work Of wiring the arcn
have spoken TO at least five well-known men II
the electrical business, and they told me tina
thew had never seen any advertisement or hearC
anything about II. One Of them lives in BROOK
lyn not very far from the arch, and he did no
even know that arrangements had been maze L
liaht II with electricity II BIDS were advertised
Tor tho advertisement must have been inserted
IN some obscure paper that no one interested II
electricity ever saw. The job is one or TN
simn,est In the world. and there would hav'
heen active competition for II If people ha'