The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-04
DRASTIC MEANS.
Freeholders Tired Of Delay
for the Hoboken Exten-
sion Viaduct.
WILL FINE CONTRACTORS
Chief Engineer Says the Build
ers Are Not to Blame
for the Trouble.

The Board of Freeholders has at last
become weary of receiving complaints
from citizens about the snaiI-like manner
in which Contractors Hall & Mcguire are
building the viaduct for the Hoboken ex-
tension of the weehawken branch boule-
ward, and yesterday drastic measures
were adopted to infuse some energy into
the contractors. Citizens who are anx-
ious to see the work completed, complain
to the F~reehoiders, and the Freeholders
have been prodding the contractors but to
no effect. The work fingers along In
the same slow way. This resolution which
was adopted yesterday. if enforced, viii
not only put some life into the contractors
not only put some life into the contractors
sWhereas. The contract between this
Board and Messrs. Mcclure & Hall for
the construction by them of the vladuct
on the Hoookan extension of the Wee
hawken Branch Boulevard, provides,
that the said contractors should COM
mence work thereon at such day and place
as this Board or the Chief Engineer
should designate, and progress there
with SO as to complete the work in ac-
c0rdance with said contract on or before
the expiration of ninety days next
working days enumerated IN said coii-
tract. and provides. fnrther, that this
Board be authorized to deduct and retain
out of the monies which may be due or
become due to the said contractors un-
der the said contract. as liquidated dam
ages, for the no~n-cornplation OF the said
work, within the said time, the sum OF
fifty dollars for each and every day the
time oceupied in constructing said via
duct should exceed the said time: ard
Whereas. According to the said con-
tract. and the time and place when and
where the said contractors @commsnced
the said work. the said time of ninety
days for the completion Of the said work
exclusive of said nOn-working days. ex-
pired on the first day of July last: and
"Whereas. The said work provided for
IN said contract mas not vet been com
plvted by the said contractors, although
often requested and urged TO push the
within the contract period Of time; there
fore
Resolved, That this Board deduct and
retain out Of the monies. balance Of the
contract price, which would otherwise
become due 70 the said contractors undar
said agreement, as :i1lndatah damages,
for the non-conDleticn ny them of the
said work. within the time Required by
each and every day from and after the
first day of July last. a0wn 10 the time
when the said contractors shall have COM
pleted their said work according to said
contract.
Freeholder Heating said that he offered
the resolution and desired its adoption in
order that the people may know where
to place the responsibility for the long
and unwarranted delay. The people of
Heboken have been urging that the work
he pushed to completion, the Good Roads
Associations ave been clamoring for it,
but all appeals to the contractors to
hurry the work have been without eff
feet. The Board has done all it could
in the way of persuasion and now Mr..
Heating wanted the members put on rec |
ord on the application of more drastic
measures. The Palisades Construction
Company have kept the road open and
sprinkled but the bridge people have had
the span closed for two weeks. In addi-
the work if their bills were not paid
promptly. The preamble and resolution
were adopted unanimously.
Chief Engineer Harrison sent word that
Mcguire & HSll object to opening the
viaduct without a resolution of the Board
ordering it opened. It was different from
a road Improvement. which could be
opened from block TO block as the work
progressed. Besides, the contractors had
been delayed in getting their materials.
and It was not through any fault of
theirs. At Mr.. Harrison's suggestion a
resolution was adopted directing the con-
tractors to AVE the viaduct opened by
Monday next.
A resolution was adopted turning over
the roadway to the Boulevard Commits
s~ioners. the Freeholders having no avail
able funds for laying sidewalks. Another
resolution was adopted rejecting all the
bids for the sidewalks.