New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-03
TO FINISH THE DRIVEWAY.
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARK
BOARD AND JAMES d. LEARY

WORK on THE FIRST SECTION LIKELY TO BE RE-
sUMED IN Jew DAYs-A POSSIBILITY
THAT IT WILL BE READY FOR Use
BY OCTOBER T. 1897.
Colonel s. V. r. Cruger. president OF the Park
! Board and Park Commissioner Samuel McMil-
Ian. the special committee of the Board having
In charge the new plans and contract and the
settlement of the difficulties between the Park
Board and James u. Leary regarding the con-
structon of the first section of the Harlem
River Driveway. held a conference yesterday
with Mr.. Leary. anc came practically to an
agreement whereby 1t is expected that the work
on that section will at once be resumed. Pro-
fessor William II. Burr. % Columbia College.
the special expert of the Board on the Drive
way plans. present.
Colonel Crugcr. when asked about the situa-
tion later in the day by a Tribune reporter
said: 1--WE held a conference to-day which was
satisfactory, and will result think. In a set
tlement of the controversy over the new con-
tract for the completion Of the work on the
first section Of the Driveway l am Of the opin-
Ion that at the meeting Of the Park Board On
Monday the terms OF the contract will be finally
agreed to by both sides and signed, and that
then the work on the Driveway will be resumed
at once.
I'VE have been delayed in this matter because
II Is only about month since the Board OF Al
dermen gave us the power to make the con-
tract for the finishing of the work on the first
section without pubic letting. BY this means
We have been enabled to consider the terms of
the contract with Mr.. Leary. There have
been differences Of opinion between us and Mr.
Leary as to the amount he should receive. but
the mair contention has now been settled. and
I ,vtn
to whom some minor points have been referred
will come together on these. told them that
IL they did not do this. and speedily. somebody
might get hurt, for am extremely anxious that
the work should be resumed at once"
CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE
The chief trouble. Colone. Cruger said. had
arisen over certain engineering features to be
embodied in the contract. The responsibility
| for the defective work on the Leary section had
long since been shown to rest upon the city. and
not on the contractors shoulders.
Daniel Ioary graduate Of the Columbia
Colleg. School Of Mines. who has had entire
| charg. Of the first section work for his father.
James H. Leary when asked how long It would
! take HIN To- ret 10 work after the contract
should BE signed answered: within twenty
four h,!rs will have a dreige at work
Under the terms Of the new contract. there will
"a. ,hrec distinct deviations made from the former
| plans Dne OF these will involve d novel piece OF
| engineering upon the defective crbwork which
huigcd out into the river for a distance OF 300
! feet This bulge was due TO the fact that. while
| under the original plans certain width OF bot
/ tom FOR the crib called for. under the second
pIans the same width was retained in the specih
/ cations 10y the Departments engineer. although
the depth OF the crib was some sixteen feet great
| ~ no of a
had been supposed 10 be solid bottom. Beneath
/ 4, however lay some eight TO ten feet Of mud
! II had been supposed that the cribwork at this
poini would have To be torn up. but n plan de-
/ vis.d bv Mr. r.cary showed that II would he nee
/ cssarv 10 take OF only the top Of the crib and
,hcn drive piles through the work To sustain re-
,ainIng wall. a civil engineer. familiar with the
/ facts. said yesterday: Professor Burr read an
article upon this subject before the American So
! cicty of Ci,il Engineers early last summer. and
expressed himself as greatly pleased over the
feasibility Of the plan to drive the piles through
the present cribwork."
RETAINING WALL. TO BE BUILT.
or these features Colonel Cruger said yester-
dav: "A retaining wall w!ll be built upon this
cribwork foundation from depth Of about three
feet below water. This plan obvlatlng the nec"s-
sity Of removing all the cribwork. Will greatly
facilitate matters" The length Of the new re-
/ ,aining wall will be 500 feet.
Another feature. Colonel Cruger said. would be
the substitution Of a Telford pavement on the de-
cIItiiy near On"-hundred and fifty -fifth-st. for
/ the rac"track roadbed To be- used on the rest OF
| the driveway. This change had been made. ne
/ added because the rain would wash the kind or
! ,nadbed originally planned down the decline. The
Telford pavenent. which will b. used on the half
! mile descent is composed of foundation eight
! inches deep of doyetaied stone on rolled ground.
! ahove This viii "a siX-lnch layer OF broken
! stone about one and a half inches in diameter.
and ON this a fOur-inch layer Of ine Roa Hook
! gravel VIII hc spread.
! . third new feature now provided for Is a row
of trees 10 be planted on each side OF the roadbed
/ Colonel Cruger said that trench five feet wide
would be dug and filled with muck In which 10
set the tre.s.
There is Ia he a double opening at One-hundred-
and -fftv-nfih-st into the driveway 10 the right.
going north. and into Edgrcombe-ave.. which Is
10 he wdrncd and improved To the left.
Tho appropriati III for the execution ~ the
| contract is S2SOOOO The original hid Of Mr.
! Ieary as opened on January ~. IS!N. the con-
! tract being awarded 10 him as the lowest bidder.
was S,;2g3lS The first section extends from One
hundred and fifty -Afth-st to High Bridge about
a mile Ground was broken on the work on Feb
! ruary = 1894 The second section contract was
awarded j. C. Rodgers at SOL .24O. for the rest of
| the driveway. This will De completed about June
next.
Work on the first section has been practically at
! a standsi since June. 1890. owing to the defec-
| tive work mainly in cribwork. as already stated.
! and in the subways crossing the driveway. Mr..
Ieary asserted that these defects were due to the
| specifications, and his contention was upheld.
| Daniel Leary said that II the contract should he
| signed on Monday he would have the first section
| completed by October l. 1897.
| LINCOLN NEVER SAID 1T.