New-York tribune., 1901-12-08
TO DELAY CITY CONTRACTS.
PLAN To PREVENT TAMMANY FROM
HAN1PERING INCOMING OFFICIALS.

bids are being asked by the heads OF city de-
partments in the closing days of the Van Wyck
administration will be attacked tomorrow by
we'll known leaders in the recent fusion
paign against Tammany- This action will be
taken. it was learned last night. that Con-
troller Grout, Borough President Cantor and
other incoming city officials who are determined
that the city's money shall not be squandered
by any unwarranted contract letting in the last
few weeks of Tamnany control shall not be-
hampered
Controller-elect Grout, Borough President
elect Cantor. James w. Pryor. of the City Club.
and Mr.. Spencer. of the law firm Of Stickney.
Spencer & Ordway met yesterday afternoon at
the office of Mr.. Spencer, No. 81 Nassau-st. and
made out tentative schedule of the contracts
advertised in The City Record" since Novern-
Der .,
They discovered that contracts involving from
S10,0O0,OO0 to S1J,OOO,0O0 were being advertised,
and that unless immediate steps we're taken
some of these contracts would be closed with
possible financial damage TO the city
One of the things decided upon was to side
track if possible the letting of The Bronx Bo1le-
ward grading contract. the full cost Of which
many experts place at about S1O,OtO.OOO. James
P. Keating, Commissioner of Highways has
tseen advertising for bids this contract in
Friday of this week. 1t is exp ! that If nee
essary legal action will be taken at the instiga-
ton Of the City Club. by taxpayers to prevent
the awarding of any contract for this work. and
it may be decided have the specifications
withdrawn for revision.
This contract calls for the grading OF the
Grand Boulevard and concourse from East One
hundred and-sixty-hrst-st- 10 a1osholu Parkway
and constructing temporary roadway. sidewalks
he u ion h.
ing's engineers think the work will cost about
81. .100.0G0
The quantity of work to be done can to SONS
extent be judged by the items stipulated IN the
advertisements. few Of which are as follows;
600 cusis yards Of ear Earth .,s2s,i6g ss2sya5Gn
6o3, 0oo cubic yards of filling
1850 cubic yards OF selected fning --.. -1 49,
''0@o 'D9ts over -TsS ~3ch and approschss-
oan cubic fest Of coping on parapet s-rh
141oO cubic Yards random sshlar face asonrg
IN Eeta'ntng walls
s e S, S lPss5 sqas4 iss fee. o. Of nS new Tagging
-. square feet Of new oridgestone
: SS as;s & ss sP of mssss sssdsm in in S9ecs p.
-. 800 square yards Of paved cutters
The security required will be $4,000
In Alternating TO sidetrack the letting Of such
a contract, she men who conferred yesterday do
not desire InIpugn the conduct OF any city
official but they think that 1t IS not proper
thing for the outgoing administration to award
a big contract for the next administration n
look out for. An examination of the spectdca-
tions II was said. has disclosed certain features
which are Open the most serious objection
1t l., understood that the City Club is backed
in it's effort TO prevent the awarding OF lnpend-
irg contracts by the Independent Club OF the
EXIst Assembly District, and that the opposl-
ticn has the moral support Of Mayor-elect Low
and George l. Rives. who will be the next Cor
poration Counsel
The men who have taken the iniative IN this
matter 30 not anticipate great opposition IN
having postponed action on this and othe- large
contracts. The suspicious asphalt contract was
laid aside with easy grace, and similar action
is expected with reference TO other contracts