New-York tribune., 1897-11-21
SHORE DRIVEWAY PLANS.
BIDS FOR THE SECOND SECTION TO BE
OPENED THIS WEEK.
THE WORK TO BE CARRIED AS FAR AS SECOND
AVE. AND LATER TO FORT HAMILTON
AvE.-AcruAL CONDITION OF THE



AvE.-AcruAL CONDITION OF THE
SHORE ROAD AT PRESENT.
Although the work on the Shore Road under
the present contract Is not proceeding at all 10
the satisfaction Of the members Of the Comms-
sion. they are completing their plans for going
on. not only with the drive along the shore OF
the Bay and the Narrows but also with the con-
nection needed for easy access from Fort Hamil-
ton-ave. to the front. At meeting or the
Commission to be held at the Ciy Hall on Iues-
day afternoon at 3 o'clock bids will be opened
for the construction OF the second section OF
the drive which will carry 1t from the shore as
far as Second-ave. between Sixty-ntth ana
Sixty-sixth SITS The distance covered by this
section is nearly half mile
The road here will not be built to the fui "idth
planned. but under the law the Commission Is
at liberty to provide for partial construction.
The road will he constructed In the best manner
as far as 1t goes; and 1t Is safe to say that tnis
time the Commissioners will not repeat their
mistake OF giving the contract TO concern IN
capable OF carrying 1t out according to agree
ment The first time they let contract the"
gave II to the lowest bidder, In spite OF the
reputation which that firm had gained, ana the
result is that work which should have been
pletion that II Is impossible for any one 70 say
when the end Will he in sight
Besides the contract to be awarded this week.
the commissioners and their engineers are per-
footing plans for the last section OF the work.
which will carry the drive all the way 20 Fort
UamIlton ave and II Is the intention to award
n contract for this section before the end OF the
vear The plan is to go under Third-ave by
subvoy and for the ornamental part or TINS
construction the services OF McKm, Mead q
White the well-known architects. have been
sscured Artistic treatment Of this part OF the
work il thus assured. The material obtained
hv eycayating for this cut or subway VIII come
IN handy in connection with the filing which
will be necessary on the waterfront
Although the contract with Cody Brothers
called for the completion of the Shore foaa
nropor by September ], not rod OF 'he
roadway has yet been actually hnished'
rcw weeks ago the contractors maze an asS's"-
ment To George Fruh. and the commissioners
consented to let Fruh go on with tho WORK ana
at least see what he could do. on account vi
some delay caused by the slowness with "hIc"
certain work was done by the City WORKS pe-
nartn,ent the time for the completion OF 'ne
cortrac, was extended 10 December /. FROM
nresen, indications very little OF II VIII De nm
,shed hv that time and along large part VI
the road nothing has yet beeh d2me, 9ro,.rr.n, IN
Near the south end ~ the improvement ~
,bn ,tcirltv of northumberland. the last sur
face ls now being rolled down. ana i.N o.s rous
~ the road will soon be ready ior use; p.1"s.,
this noint and Sinety-second-st- the t.iio,u
,,und, lion has been laid and fnucn OF ue
broken stone course has been apphen. TIT.
too the cutters ot brick have been prac'lra,,S
completed They are about 'out ieet "'ue'
and at present IT Il possible for bicycler to
ride about half a mile on them without great
.rort although ne is compelled IN give close
attention TO where he Is going. mint at ieast
is afforded him ~ what a hne thing the nhore
Road viii no in It's finished state.
North u Ninety-second-st. little has been done
for a considerable distance. although enough
in places 10 render the road virtually lmpbsa-
bic: then there are evidences OF grading again,
and when Seventy min th-st Is reached the
foundation IN found IN have been laid and the
brick gutter complication one side here-for
sixty or seventy rods Beyond this the road is
mainly In its primitive state again as far as
Bay Ridge where the curve Will be made In
the direction ot Fort Hamilton ave.
one thing he said for the roadway as
FAR as II has been constructed 1T Is built 10
stay. The foundation is VI genuine telford.
the large stone blocks being carefully set by
hand and the interstices between them filed
In In the way. There Is no doubt about
the permanent character ~ the work
II is not strange that the Shore Road Com
missoners are n set OF dsgusted men ss they
look al what is and think Of what might have
been II a competent and wide-awake contractor
had been employed Apparently. however. hav-
Ing got themselves TN a hole they have done
all In their power Ia hasten the completion of
the work at least all that could be done with
out going into th" courts and tying the whole
husiners up tightly for several weeks No
one questions the good faith with which they
have acted. n Is only 10 be regretted that a
mistake was made in the awarding OF the con-
tract-a mistake that is not al all likely 20 be
repeated