New-York tribune., 1896-08-25
RIVER AND RARBOR WORK BIDS.
CONTRACTORS WORRIED OVER THE FINAN-
CIAL SITUATION.

WASHINGTON Aug "A (SpeciaD For some time the
Engineer Corps Of the War Department under the
direction Of Colonel A. Mackenzie. have peen Dusty
engaged in perfecting projects for the Improvement
OF rivers and harbors preliminary TO advertising lot
bids so that the work might be put under way az
once. The total amount Of such contracts VIII De
about $50 OooC00 a large Icrtion of which will be
placed under the continuous contract system, unoer
which the work will be prosecuted for several years
There will be thirtysix Of these contracts put up
| to the present time projects have been completed
and advertisements inserted in the case Of only four
pieces OF work One contract Is for the improve
ment of the harbor of Savannah. involving about
81 900; one for the improvement of Cumberland
Sound, which will cost about SeO'Wo: ~hile there
are two contracts TO be let for the Improvement OF
New-York harbor. aggregatng $4,000" Adver-
tisements for these pieces of work are now pelhg
nubshed and bids will have to be submitted within
a few weeks 1t is expected that before November
advertisements will he inserted in newspapers for
nearly all the work involved in the general project
provided for by Congress
4 number Of contractors who usually bid on sucn
work have expressed fear in having to bid before
tho November election and say they should have
some assurance about the purchasing power OF the
money they receive before entering upon such
gigantic undertaking as is Involved IN the Dill Inns
l. question that has never before trouDien the al
Department in the memory OF the offlcais no" !"
charge of river and harbor work. The money the
Government will contract to pay will be the egai-
tender of the country and il Is not believed tha an
offer of contractor do work for which ne Is 10 ne
Maid In gold would be entertained These contractors
must accent for their ork whatever Is legal ehder
in this country and take all risks. II there are any
involved in such a contract. Practically all the con-
tractors who will compete for this work own tneir
nlants so tha: the of labor and conparduNeiy
limited amount of material Will pe the Only eIeIeto
Of uncertainty 10 be estimated Some oincais Oh tnr
War DEPARTMENT fear that the contractors, III view
Of This uncertainty. Will seek TO increase neli pus
bnt should This b. the case they will probably he re-
iectod as the cost of doing dredging rock ana other
Gle sses ~ work are well established through te
large number of contracts let In the past that tue
Government engineers can estimate very coselH 10 .e
hds that would be acceptable 10 the GoVerhmen,
which ALWAYS reserves the right TO reject any OF al
bids . ,.-,.. ,h,t .bov
have nothing 10 do with any possible chanee III tIe
purchasing power of money. There Is always an err
nenf of risk when a contractor does work eXleiulis
over several wears all OF which Is included IN one pld
AZ he must always calculate on the posSiplll'E y.
having 70 nav his employees than the price thdt
nrevafed A. The time of letting the contract on the
other hand II is said the saving secured by tne I'M
provements Of machinery are an anVahldtr " 49, Uo
tractors and that these various risks usually nav
terdencv TO euualize another Much nllpIesl - -
now centerne on the bids be received IN answer 10
nronosals published by the Department W nhe COZ
tractors declare they don't know on What pas's ~ d @
If is believed al the Department that when the day
for oneninC the bids arrives the contractors VIII ot
tho chance these mammoth contracts 10
mass bv n the bids all so hign as 20 pe r.
will be reinserted ana tle PIo
Cess NJ Getting bids continued until the present hnan-
all would recognize as sure TO prevail lot se'ei"'
ipaS.