New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-18
rurWARDS ISLAND INQUIRY.
p,G DELAYS IN CONTRACT WORK
e.o>,,rr,oN OF THE BRANcH'-wALLs

,.,,,r,oS OF THE BRANcH'-wALIs
THAT NEEDED BUTTREssEs.
oss Of three weeks the state Lunacy
Are, o., yesterday resumed its inquiry into the
Com"eu od ~ exist I'm connection with the man.
sous ~ the city asylums for the insane poor.
asea''. ex-Judge John ID. McMahon appeared
AS hon Of the commission. and duncan EDWARDS
on tho charges OF acknowledgement on behaif
pres. yaw-York Herald" Mr.. Edwards resumed
o. domination of Theodore Eidhtz' the architec',
MS ~ad heen employed by the Commissioners OF
VINO " I'D correction to examine the old build
Cha'i verbs Island prior to the female asylum
ms' rooved there from Blackwelrs Island Mr.
" r,,z produced an itemized estimate OF the eN-
Ei'''" oooesarv for the repairs and alterations
pen.s he recommended at that time. This esti-
VIM" ,,cluded an item Of $s.62O for the repair OF
ma' vo-nlanck Hospital. The witness said that
me ,srser sum had been expended for this pur-
SUI a." r,,vords reverted 10 the building known
p0ss pranch concerning the dilapidated and I'M
IS condition of which great deal of interest
s,ostimonv has already been given
Mg 80, vo,, last saw the Branch" Mr.. Edwards
I'D "was II fl for occupancy!'
It was not ,,,. -u,,
offensive 49,, o.,,r,a,oa the cost
' renairs necessary to render the building
as No. 1 fit for occupancy as the resluehce
ha General superintendent at s22oVo III was
v. I'd deemed advisable TO tear down ouiIuihs
, and a new home was built lot Ut Mac
w. .,s at a cost of s2s.SO. The witness expressed
". Judgment that at the present time an auui-
,o,sl sum Of $4,000 was neeueu " "i"h0 WV ""N
,,a,d buildings habitable.
% I,dge Mcmahon then took the witness IN
-, and extracted from him statement con-
'-,rr one of the city asylum ouidihss at zen
W, Is,;, which caused the Commissioners 10 open
va va. ayes in establishment. The building In qnes-
w" w. q Of one story built Of brick. win waits
.ms,ve inches thick Notwithstanding TINS 'ne
W. s,.s,oners of Charities and Correction ex-
ec",'''' hort 1900 for buttresses TO support the
pehoeu ,,.over II was developed that the con-
wan" ,or the buttresses was awarded without com
uas ,,or or publicity of any kind, notwithstanding
10, mat. according TO law. all city contracts
I'D he advertised and awarded 10 the io"es'
bidder. ,.,, ching 7 e,sr heard off,,
...ao,sd Commissioner Goodwin Brown.
ias'', nitness was Arthur H. Napier. who was
sdpOyed by Etz to make plans Tnd fsa1d
tons Of ,n nrior 10 their occupancy female in
s,ns sSyted that the appliances in the Nerplanck
we're VIZ" We was under the impression that they hau
thefe, e,naliy designed for only half that number
been ofisi mi;ted after good deal of fencng that
Re S .sv considered nearly all the PLUMBING
sansements defective. but was obliged 10 rbitect
Edit Hall. an electrical engineer. testified TO
Joseph - "a tbe contract 10 provide the Wards
IsnS bsdings with electrical equipments the III t,
tact price Of which was $50 wn nrded to him in
Wv is and called for the completion OF tns mV.A
10 days from that date the sor this was the
DELAY in completing the buildings. o,,,,..ad con.
Joseph Moore who has the sun was next
called The extraordinary delay In connec non, WI" tbn
IN
pe esfsd by the Commissioners of Charities and
Correction hao already been brought oI, N 10
Mr. Edwards me witness said that his c %.
amounted $4,000 at Central lsP nne NoveWber
$50 and was 10 have completed one IN l1O Gays
and the other in 100 days The Sentrai ishp i rom
Tract was not completed yet The Nard Islahu
contract was completed last week In explanauon i
Of the delay the witness offered tne 80 ,b officials
in support OF his request for remission Oh 'he
The witness said that he had been, contractor
for twelve years. and admitted that he had never
done any work except for the city IN al me- nS of
them with the Department Of Charities and Correc-
o2 In no case had pesa b t or of,eS been be-
hind contract time. His bondsmen were John NC
Qusde and John Mclaughlin
OToole, who had the contracts for repairing me
annex the stable and the Verpanck Hospital. and
for removing the old superintendent mouse ana
erecting the new one. H. behind with all his
contracts. some OF which are not completed yet
He manifested great reluctance In stating the cost
Of Dr. Macdonalds house and finally placed the
amount at between $500 and $4,000.
Just as the commission was about TO ADJOURN Nir'
Mcmahon created diversion by putting OOIlinls-
sOner H. H. Porter the stand. much 20 the TAT
teTs asonishment Mr.. Mcmahon asked he com
missioner /, he would produce the estimate or other
memorandum made by the architect Eidhtz as TO
the cos, OF building General superintendent Mac
donalds house.
! viii with pleasure. and anything else under
Gods Heaven you want" exclaimed MI Porter
Now this may not be evidence" he continued.
warming Up. but want to say right here that
there Is not and never has been any mystery about
The superintenaents residence out of which so much
capital is being made am most anxious 10 supply
this commission with all the Information in my
power concerning H. We have no cause TO regret
having provided comfortable house for the gen
eial superintendent and his family.
The Inquiry will be resumed at $50 this morning.