The sun., 1901-12-18
COLLUSION IN ASPHALT BIDS
SHOWN IN PROPOSALS. FOR DOING
WORK on 18TH STREET.
One Collector for various Companies
IN the Trust-Proof OF the I'M
mense pronts-Throttie Competition
A Contractor Points Q Way Out.

tho city in relation 10 the asphat paving
contracts, II one-half the allegations In
James Matthew's suit against Highways
Commissioner Heating are true III all
the allegations in Mr. Matthews's suit
comprised one-half the charges that might
be made against Gen. Francis v Greene's
asphalt trust Mr.. Cantor's task would DO
comparatively easy one. As It Is, MT
Cantor will not have to 60 oven so far as
Brooklyn to begin his work OF investigation
Two bids opened at tho Park Depart
ment last Thursday for the work OF as
phalting Fifty-ninth street between f1ith
and Eighth avenues were submitted re-
spectively by the Barber Asphalt Paving
Company and the Fruin- -Bambrick Paving
Company, two subordinate and constituent
companies OF the Asphalt Trust In the
statement of terms under which the bids
were invited by the Department OF Parks
is this paragraph:
Ordinances, SEQ. S7l Bidders are re
qulred TO state in their bids or estimates.
under oath. their names and places OF resi-,
denoe the names OF al perst9Sns etS., es
so Interested they shall distinctly state the
fact also that such estimate rs made withGut
gte o2 AK
that it is in all respects fair and without COL
lusion OF fraud.
Since Gen. Francis V. Greene's trust
has taken control Of most Of the asphalt
companies which are permitted TO do bust
ness in New York. an employee Of the Bar
Der company, the chief concern In the
trust, has been deputed To collect all moneys
payable by the city 20 the various sub.
ordinate companies, since the interest OF
each company IL the interest OF the uost.
In the Comptroller's Office Ia the power
Of attorney given to this man, whose name
Il George Sheldon. by the Barber com
pany, also that given him by the Frlin-
Bainbrick company, duly authenticating hun
as the regular collector for both companies
as he Is for other Of the trust concerns.
The bid Of the Barber company was
signed by Franklin Haines as attorney,
and that OF the Fruin- -Bambrtck company
by Clyde Brown and Charles Baldwin
as President and Treasurer respectively.
This latter company has done SooV,Np
sum, or $3.50, 900, is retained by the city as
guarantee that the company will keep the
asphalt il has put down In repair. II ap-
pears In a proceeding ia the Supreme court
before Justice Truax that the company has
admitted to the Tax Commissioners that
10000 Of this retained sum Is profit. AS
profit IL the excess Of selling price over
cost. the cost Of the work and material
represent ed In the retained sum was SlOOOO
The profit Of $50. 900, then, u a profit OF ~
per cent. OF course the percentage OF
profit would be the same on the retained
portion OF the contract price as on the paid
proportion. =.
The fact that the trust denies that II
makes from 80 TO 90 per cent on tts city
work may be passed over for the time,
and attention Invited to the statement
Of one Of the asphalt companies outside
edged profit Of one Of the trust's con-
Germs Just shown. The representative OF
responsible company not embraced In the
trust has declared that he would be content
with IL per cent. profit on city work II the
city would adopt paving plan which would
duly conserve its own interests and at the
same time have regard for the various
companies which are prepared to give the
city good pavements az fair prices.
sThere il ground enough TO cTfncise.
not TO say condemn, the present conditions
way w out, NY suggestion Is this: Let the
city abolish its present method OF letting
contracts for asphalt pavements altogether.
and, instead. lot the city adopt the aiiot-
ment plan. When II Is determined how
pavements within a year. let the city. IN
stead Of advertising for contracts. say 70
each asphalt company that u Will give 70
that company certain number OF y4Ius
Of paving 70 do in that twelvemonth. at .
certain percentage on the cost Of the work
saw 10, IA or IS per cent. whatever might
be- thought proper and fair alike 10 the CITY
and 10 the company. AZ i say, i would be
content with profit Of II per cent and
would be perfectly willing 70 throw my
hooks open for city inspection.
There 10 president In some oi ne
EuruI,ean cites for this scheme. III the
city wished IT, suppose the present plan
here could be changed. The CITY could
protect itself by employing inspectors
Tor the actual paving work. as Las oiten
.t..a IV
30 that the standard Of asphalt sdopts,d
should Do maintained. And the Law should
require that tho work Da allotted only 10
nt.GA companies os would open their Dooks'
az to CIty work, 10 authorized mspoclon, ~
that tho cost should De known aud the pay
r.gu,. made aooordIHgly. len per cent.
Would certainly la Ioss proht Than 10 now
icing made
Mat las tbs Asphalt Trust doner
oAuIlIu,,d a MAJ. wl.O Las fOlloS~i AZ CO.
r,-,r Throughout tho ILitsd btsios. Hoin
t,o start II Las gone on tbs oiie ITI.oipio
of g,atiug all II oould from ovuryLody by
.tfA4 gang opmI-titloH. MT 81 sctuHs
al u.o Idont u ooulI ~ SAVING ohI-ciis<ss.
IL las suis HroSs tie li,itsd htAiie AID
takrn uy,ay city la tlo laI.d by ulu uIust
al.a said lou ht."l ~ sleulhc4iloiAs
ratlaan all Asplalts but ouIt AID us,l yuu
ut,.st laS us tsu, tlIoo - four liilas laAi
yuu naku bssn pAying ioi DI AILalt
ia.rutf.ts' OT N Ito toHltH have bt."u
a. .duf ai. uf tliuI a4t.iufiths uots''lsntioais,
,f tlri .aupaI ias have is.n 10 stIuuH
.irI a...t.l.r ,iu.t, sluruI uut ai uto Iaulf D.,
to-. l.a I4fi 10 noHsf difE g. uL1 k'e nah
.pt..u .I.I - sli fuuv il J.d IA idsd Niii
tUnar alfo.4l .L 4.s hsll. si'us "a. "tisu
f.I..a l..u.r ui tl.n ANAL u.i.ua 80 lh uHt
trsf..r 4 llrIHs a'tBs"d g. 'at"lt ilS
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Ia.s li lss lrun l,EhssJ fuhirfl
l.... a .Itui.N. tia tual atri't -
l.. D aFuI ul .is'g si.i Toe - ~
U.. tII. si f..l l.H#l iititf asl slfr -
IU.I. 900 a. bose iauf q lsas ~ -
tf..a. I.f..Y n.I.uHs Nssst Jtsiia a.
Is IH o. slFH IH tis uisit tEi q - tt
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t|...f.a.s a.. .I .IsHH. = taih - ssia.si'
l|. I.||si. aIIHfs tH lsH 80 A +a'sif
.ta..H. i..4Iasi lasss y ~. lstsil.
.. III. ..ft.I 10 ttl..ii..isI 1850 o. siit.E
I...| fs.aIf ur Hlalsflas "a IL
.I ..# 90 sHH|faHlfa 90 go naH
- ... co. .as fssi.phs fsfl-gri 2
E. 1000 .H. rFT fisaH
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I H. N.HIH. 1900