New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-05
AMOUNT OF MONEY EXPENDED.

In 1906 the superintendent advertised thirty two
contracts at a cost Of s74,s7S So or average Of
& 3l3 0s each. The cost Of advertising varied from
one-third Of per cent on the estimate Of one
tract TO % per cent OF the total amount involved In
another. In 1897 by grouping contracts together
and cuttiag down the reading matter. forty
contracts advertised at cost Of 81 34S 20 or
1853 90 each. and even then the number of papers
used Increased from twenty five TO over seventy
for each advertisement The Superintendent had ad-
yertsed many contracts under special acts at an
cost OF slsS each; $50 was sufficient to adj
verse each contract and the remainder. $50 10 10.
was not properly expended
During 1897 the Superintendent appointed his In
spectors from the Civil Service eligible list. The
cost OF inspection during FIVE months of closed
navigation in 1897 was $ss532 So while during the
seven months Of open navigation, when work on the
contracts substantially stopped, 1t cost ST.
ga There necessity for retaining so
large a force Of inspectors during the of
open navigation, and part Of such money was i'm
properly expended. During 1898 the inspectors.
ninety-six in number. were appointed temporarily.
under permission Of the Civil Service Commission.
without examin Ition. Apparently. competency and
fitness wers not the only tests Of their appoint
ment. and proper foresight would have secured an
eligible lis; from which to select them. The cost
Of inspection during 1895 was SOS. 1922 A.
COST OF SURVEYS AND CONSTRUCTION
expenses
prelrinary-i. e. that preparatory to letting the
con,racts-and construction expense. The cost OF
the preliminary survey. prior to beginning actual
work. was about sZ72.Vo. Thereafter, the accounts
were so kept that preliminary cannot be separated
from construction expense. The preliminary sur
vey vas necessary. The engineers employed were
al appointed under the Civil Service and COM
potent under proper direction TO do the work.
or the preliminary expense. &2.39l used in
Obtaining working plans for lirdocks at Lockport
and 500 for plans for special improvement at
Cohoes. These improvements were not warranted
by the act and the expense for the plans was i'm
proper
The engineering on construction work was neces-
sS''y larger than It would have been on new work.
WI vas augmented BY tie corpex!ty OF the
SPECIFICATIONS
iAe total amount paid 20 contractors and certified
% July q. 1856 is 1851 .siS 90. The theory Of the
"a" that the contracts shall be for specific work.
win Prices fixed ana quantities varying only TO p
reasonable extort The statutory requirement that
quantities shall he ascertanad and plans and speci-
n'auons drawn before beginning work is directed
mis- result and the preliminary survey was an
"emp TO attain H. II failed for the following rea-
sons:
'Hst-%hen It became apparent that the esti-
4es would oyerrun $9,CDcoJ. The State Engineer
''ssh arbitrarily cutting them down. by striking
=" masonry, bridge aOntmen;s. waste-wers and
"4nd quantities. Of s.oDe and vertical wal.
''eohc-The quantities did not represent the
"ox, because made before the classification was
Specified
"'u-'Nornnal quantities were inserted for the
vS'ore or getting price 10 he used or not, as
"r@sion might require.
fo1rh Quantities were ,nisstatcd through care
iessness
to'f instances are given. some o; which Involve
srious loss
A, A.. study was bestowed On special con-
ssIPhs. and the contracts were let without pro
s''a fCr meeting item.
~ these :c3sors .hc Law vas substantially I'M
complied with :he quantities did not represent the
So, ahf the contracts we're little more fhan
nsees TO do. AT fixed priaes. such work as the
~S~s'on might develop or the State officials d.