The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-21
ARETHEY COLLUSlVE
Strange Coincidence of Con-
tractors Bids for Street
Improvements.
OPPOSED TO THE NEW SCHEDULE
Investigation of the Engineering
Bureau by Commissioners
Hauck and Nolan.

the Street and Water Board Commit
tee. appointed at yesterdays meeting TO
investigate charges of alleged laxity OF
administration in the Engineering
Bureau. consists of Messrs Hauck ana
Nolan. These gentlemen are TO MAKE
their investigation and report WITHIN TWO
weeks. if possible. In appointing the
committee President Boltwood said ne
wanted a thorough investigation made.
..rrlere is nothing in. any of departments
that we care to hide and there is no one
~. care to shield" said Mr.. Boltwood,
warmly. THE Board courts an investlga-
ton and wants the truth told regardless
of consequences. There must be no
whitewashing.'
Commissioners Hauck and Nolan in
turn said they would make thorough
examination Both insisted, however,
that two weeks time would hardly be
sufficient to go over all the records.
II do not care how much time it takes,
said Commissioner Hauck. Il want an
exhaustive examination made The
con mittee's report should be one that
will be satisfactory to the people and to
the members of the Board"
Chief Engineer Ruggles. who is the OBJ
ject of attack, has promised to give the
committee all the assistance possible In
ascertaining in just what manner the
Bureau has been conducted under his
supervision.
The scheme of compelling contractors
to bid on the construction of sewers and
public Improvements, in accordance with
a fixed schedule of prices, is having
most unexpected result For every piece
of work, four or five contractors submit
bids that are item for item, alike. No
one of them can be chosen to do the
work The consequence is that it will
be necessary to readvertise many public
works For instance, at the last meet
ing of the Board, bids were received for
the construction of a sewer in Bergen
avenue Chief Engineer Ruggles has
compared the estimates and has found
that those of Henry H. Holmes, Edward
o'Neill and Edward w. Conlon are iden-
tical These being lower than all the
other bids, it is impossible to make an
award.
When the schedule of prices was adopt
ed contractors did a lot of grumbling.
They said it was unfair. The object of
sion of unbalanced bids. The plan was a
good one for the city, an consequently
bad one for the contractors.
There is a strong belief now that the
contractors have combined to knock out
the plan.
Yesterday bids were received for the
Improvement of Crescent avenue. An ex-
summation of the estimates revealed that
a. oil oil "a
were. from the Sheridan-Shea Company,
James j. Harrington and P. H. Flaherty.
Bids were next received for the inn
provement of Orient avenue. What was
the surprise of the Commissioners to find
that every bid was alike? They were
from Edward OaNeill, James J. Harring-
ton, H. H. Holmes, Henry Byrne and
Thomas F. McCabe.
The Commissioners firmly believe that
there is collision among the bidders. The
contractors assert, however. that the
schedule of prices fixed by the Board
leaves such narrow margin that it is
practically impossible for some of the
bids not to be alike when half dozen or
more enter into the competition. The
similarity of bids is not only causing de-
lay in the making of improvements but is
increasing the cost of the work owing to
the necessary Reimbursement of bids.
The Commissioners propose having an
interview with the contractors. They
may modify the schedule in order to put
an end to the present method OF bidding. fe
the improvement of Bowers street, to
James j. harrington; Improvement OF
Pine street, to Thomas McCabe; improve
ment of Sherman avenue, to Dennis
Burns; construction of sewer in Ege
avenue, to Bernard Cannon; sewer in
Booraem avenue, to Fred Bernemann, and
sewer in Union street and Carlton ave-
nue. to Phillip Tumilty Jr.
The Committee, on Streets reported
favorably upon the following improve
mentsasewer in Jefferson son avenue; s1aa1
paving of Hoadley avenue, opening,
widening and improvement of Collerd
street, from Beacon avenue to the Boule-
ward; improvement of Dwight street
from Ocean avenue to Garfield and the
improvement of James street. from New
ark avenue to Howell street.
Patrick Nolan was appointed inspector
of Leonard street Edward O'Neill was
granted an extension of fifteen days time
in which to finish the Improvement OF
Oxford avenue. John Wilson was ap-
pointed blacksmith's helper at High
Service to succeed Dennis Green. The
time schedule for lighting and extinguish-
ing the street lamps was changed, max.
ing the lighting a half hour earlier and
the extinguishing half hour later in the
morning. Thirty new electric lights were
ordered.
John Casey addressed the Board in sup.
port of applications previously made for
the laying and repavng of the sidewalks
on Grove street, from the Erie Railroad
to the Hoboken line. THE walks are in
q deplorable condition." said Mr.. Casey
ssThey are not safe to travel over
Commissioner Heintze reminded Mr.
Casey that the property owners and not
the city are supposed to keep the walks
in order He said he would look, up the
owners of the property where there nc
walks and would compel them if pos,
sible to lay fiagstones or some substantial
walk.
Mr.. Casey asked what was to be done
about the Improvement of Coles street
The Improvement has been knocked out
it was reported owing to remonstrances.
THAT aR ACCOUNT SHORTAGE
specuiatB an TO How 1t Could
Have Occurred.
4 H.