The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-05

me ADVANCEMENT oil the uuNnT1Ey bnCtIS WIS
such that the contracts. although let to the low
toths lowest bidders had thelrprices been COM
puted upon the work actually done. n
Tho commission reports that contract No. 9
on the ChAmplain Canal should not have been
awarded. as the bid was unbalanced on its face.
MONEY
The amount OF money expended up to July
20. 1888, was as follows:
Disintectants. S6,6SS pS
sSpsrinssnSdcnt' inipis.cttors.":"....:, 1?s.s6S -
EnSlneering Sls'gS0 ~
prStts 70 eantreStori unpaid. ......".:, -SS.oSs 81
No. Q, western division. ..'.e""... o.555 10
To this must DO added tho 10 per cent,
unpaid certificates hied. '..".".".. 1885, ss 80
Balance. ........... 1860 20
In 1898 the Superintendent advertised thirty
age of 81, 343.08 each. Tho cost OF adv9rtising
varied from one-third Of ! per cent. on the est;
%StS of one iSy %SGps5afIt 4 to a rs Rsr cent n Of 1 tsS t0i S1
grouping contracts tcGether and cutting down
sSSs psSisl99G q n a sssi i 81 i1s9 G g 99 ssS SoBS
each, and even then the numbe of papers used
was INCREASED from twsIntTTTalve to over sevsnty
had advertised many, contracts under. special
acts at an average cost Of $199 each $3.50 was
ss1,Sie55s 70 $40 s5y TH I se e Wss So9 psSsa a1d tae
pended.
INSPECTORS.
During 1897 the Superintendent appointed
his inspectors from the civil service eligible
list, The cost Of inspection during FIVE months
OF closed navigation In 1897 was $36,532.S 80.
tom When WorF on the contrssts was sa6staan-
TALLY stopped, It qost Sal. 514.19. There was no
necessity for retaining 80 large a force OF inspee-
tors during the season OF open navigation,
eIpended. During 1s6StSSs inspectors. pnInstY,-
s snde IN PERMISSION ea%issiF; U u the a6R lRfi seTnic ss4 eSommisyy
S SSSsin SRS asns ssG T SESps not , s@s SRlS t sSa q f 5s15
secured an eligible list from which to select
them The cost of inspection during 1888 was
R~SaINEERINa r
This is divided into preliminary. l. e., that
preparatory to letting the contracts. and con-
struction expense.
beginning actual work was about S272.0O0.
Thereafter the accounts were so kept that pre-
expense. The prSIlnhinary survey was neeest
sary. The engineers employed we're all APP
pointed under the civil service and competent
or the preliminary expense. S42,3aI was used
IN obtaining working plans for lift-dockg at
p1SKRoet ant az S SoSSo Tor TB RtssS i f2T Sgssiai ims
were not warranted by the act and the expense
for the plans was improper.
The engineering on construction work was
necessarily, larger than 1t would have been on
new work. but 1t was AUGMENTED by the COM
ploAlIJ VI Ll0 hpCCLllCutlOub,
MONEY PAID CONTRACTORS.
2S tbs 1885, tGt Is s a9293t PsIS and certified to July
The theory Of the law is that the contracts
quantities varying only to a reasonable extent.
The statutory requirement that quantities shall
drawn 3T STVS Sefors %beG INN H'S work s Is df feefedc to tRfs
tempt to attain it. It failed for the following
Frst-When It became apparent that the es-
Inmates would overrun .$e.OOO,OOO,. the State
BY striking out masonry. bridge SbutmSnts,
waste weirS and round quantities OF slope and
s~econd-The quantities did not represent the
work because made before the classification
TIhird@NoGminal quantities were inserted for
the purpose Of getting a, price to be used or not.
as occasion might require.
Fourth-Quantitles were misstated through
Four instances are given. some Of which in
vQlye serious loss.
Fifth-No, study was bestowed on special con-
ditions, and the contracts were let without pro-
vision for Meeting them;
with. the quantities did not repre-
more than privileges to do at ixed prices such
State officials direct. and opportunity was az
forded for unbalanced bidding.
EXCAVATION.
The plan Of the improvement was 10 use the
LlttlC al lt'lLi tliC ~ L'Iu III plllulIk duJucenG
These specifications were drawn ae-
cordingly, but made 1t unduly expensive to
build the bank with material obtained else
where.
On ten contracts on the middle division, 1s
to u inclusive. the banks were raised during
open navigation before prism excavation be-
gan. Five of the contracts. Analysed with
g ES5ni tSss and p aj c 8 s9 sSS 6 sHn addtti9nal cost
are estimated to Involve a like additional
cost.
Excavation for building vertical wall ON some
wHa aQfimHtA1 hV alal1nIDU n aInna
instead Of measuring. unless the land iailedto
stand at the slope. when l. was measured for
also paid for as embankment for 6acE-fiing.
assumption "a the basis OF measure
area only Is measured, and a depth ots Inches
being assumed. the cubic SardaRe is computed.
Mucking was the subject OF abuse ~, Roehes-
ter, where men sent to contractors with tickets
from oniceholders were set to unnecessary
work OF this sort.
EARTH " ROCK EXCAVATIONS.
Rock is specified as solid or ledge rock. or hard
neer cannot be ploughed. while soft or rotten
rock, or hard pan which In the opinion OF the
The evidence on the subject Of Disqualification
on nineteen contracts is analyzed; On many Of
been heretofore returned as earth was shown.
them the resident engineer was required by the
against his own Judgment and protest. On
most Of them the material was looSened with
plCkS, hLu III bOno dctuuLly IlOuHneu; but IN
very few was the prescribed test applied.
The Commission conclude that the engineers
have misapprehended the true meaning OF the
specification on rock classification. The true
test Is whether material can be loosened more
che9ply BY plonghlnE or blasting. The resident
mine classification without reference to pre-
scrihsd tests. car only properly operate IN the
Of pl2IGhinS or blasting Is a debatabls
on the western dtvisiop. according to the
there was Improper classification on Ave
on the middle division a larger pro-
the specification; on ten OF the middle division
the classification was made without
regard 70 the specified test; on the eastern
division there was improper classification on
fye CONTRACTS, The cost OF hard pan classihca-
ti0 s5,d iP 1e5I99ddinE shale. on the western division.
on contract No. !. western division. 10000
yards Of rock were found by sounding on the
preliminary survey. and omitted from the
quantity sheet, 10y cubs yards being entered
on an unbalanced bid OF S3 per ward,
The amount already excayated is over 10000
cubic yards, costing . The estimated
pleted rock excavation on that contract will cost