New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-10-03
COLLJSTURNS OMAN WICK
HE SHOWS HOW TAMMANY HAS IN
CREASED THE COST OF ASPHALT.
TIME IN WHICH CONTRACTORS MUST KEEP
PAYMENTS IN REPAIR REDUCED.

PAYMENTS IN REPAIR REDUCED.
General C. H. T. Coils. who Commissioner
OF Public Works previous to consolidation, yes
terday sent an open letter to Mayor Van Wyck,
comparing in many instances the prices paid
for asphalt pavements in Mayor Strong's admin
istration with those paid under the present Tam
many rule. The object of the letter is to show
that Tammany has been paying enormous prices
and cutting down the time in which contractors
must keep the pavements in repair. Incidental
ly General Coils seeks to turn against the
Mayor his utterances about swindlng the
city in the laying of asphalt pavements
The letter declares that methods adopted to
arouse competition among bidders in the Strong
administration obtained prices ranging % and
50 per cent lower than the prices which had pre-
vailed under the previous Tammany sway II
asserts that the contractors for asphalt pave
ments were required keep the pavements IN
repair for fifteen years, while at present the
time has been cut" down to ten years Among
the comparisons in the cost of paving are the
following:
University Place. from Fourteenth-st; to Waver-
ley Place cost under you 81 A yard the same
street. between Waverley Place and IVES, 9 the
contract for fifteen years maintenance, while you
required only ten. Had your contract Deeil hem a1
fifteen wears like mine your price would nave peeh
"a a. as against my So Is. One-hundred- and-sixU :
thirds between Amsterdam and Edgec0ined
sixty-second-st. between the same points. was con
tracted for by 81 So a yard ana the Pdte
ments were precisely similar and the guarantee
of maintenance the same .o.,,,, this in
of just about 81 a yard hobs up every time
Similar comparisons made as TO pave
ments i'm West End-ave., One-hundred-ahd-
foptieth and One-hundred-a nd-forty- second sts.'
fourth and Fifty fifth SITS. and many other
streets and avenues. The cost of asphalt IN
Broadway and In Fifth-ave. under two admins
tratons is described as follows:
A COMPARISON OF COSTS.
You recently been paving Broadway od from
the Citizens to quiet this noisy thoroughfare, and
/ wish l had been able to do it: but what VIII the
pay of this think h ins this
the old eost 81 s. 81 YARN from
to Fourteenth-st; Think of it! DO not these Eng mg
between Twenty-fourth and Twenty-ffth sts,
W se yesr Tea Mayor
we asPhaited exceetne th
ten blocks from Eightieth-st to Ninetieth-st9 and
Ninth-st to Fifty-ninth-st, where the traffic
reaches $500 vehicles a day. at cost of 81 IS;
from Eghtieth-st. to Nnetieth-st.. at 50 q yard
Our highest pGe on q aeung sgaS sf
your average of s. so on Broadway. where you are
of it being ten year guarantee. instead of
fifteen.
The letter declares that Broadway and
Seventh-ave. have been paved at a cost SOD.
3S7 greater than the cost should have been, and
adds
This in part represents the difference between
administering the municipal government on bust
method and running il by a political organi-
cation for what there is in IT.
That the Mayor shall not shirk responsibility
for the increased cost of asphalt pavements,
General COLTS writes
If these figures startle you. do not put the blame
of your departments: never
selected a street for paving nor made a con-
tract without free consulta ton with the Mayor
OF the city. William l.. Strong always wanted
TO be kept well Informed. You cannot
shirk the responsibility. You sat chair
of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment
and voted for the appropriations for all Of this
work. If you had done your duty. single inquiry
would have led notice of all that was going
Moreover, the city Controller is required by law to
be present the opening of bids either in person
by deputy. 1t seems extraordinary If this con-
dition Of things escaped the knowledge of both Of