New-York tribune., 1902-08-09
RAZING TO COST CITY S42, ,952
WORK AT THE SEvENTY-FIRsT ARMoRY
RUINS AN EXPENSIVE JOB.

The work of tearing down the walls and
towers of the list Regiment Arnory. which was
destroyed by fire last February. will cost the
city something like S42,950. supposing that the
work was finished last Thursday.
Just after the fire, last March. the Buildings
Department put it's emergency corps, Canavan
Brothers, at work on the walls According TO
man who was interested in the work at that
time. "Canavan Brothers had workmen around
that building thick flies" For this Job the
city will be asked to pay $4,000 In April the
Armory Board obtained appropriation of
$3.50, and continued the work OF rendering the
building safe. The contract was awarded to
James D. Murphy. who has rendered bill for
$500 O. The remainder Of the appropriation
will be used in boarding up the ruins until the
contract for new armory is awarded. This
contract will include the clearing away of the
ruins
1t was found after the first work OF razing
had been done that large element OF danger
still existed, owing to the close proximity OF
the subway tunnel in Park-ave. The pile OF
debris averaged forty-two feet in height. and
naturally it's weight enormous The sub
way contractors complained that their blasting
might loosen the foundations and cause the whole
mass to fall. The Buildings Department on
July II again put Canavan Brothers on the job
According to the statement of Mr.. Canavan and
Of Thomas o. McGiIl chief inspector of the
Buildings Department, between four hundred
and four hundred and fifty men were employed
daily on the ruins. The laborers received 81,
the carpenters So 10 and the shorers S4 80 day.
With an average cost of So a day for four hun
dred men. the cost would be $1,000 day. Eigh-
teen days at that figure would bring the expense
to S21,6OO This does not include the cost OF
carting the debris away. which the city must
pay
Assistant Superintendent Jordan was assigned
by the Building Superintendent to take per-
sonal charge of the work The Iaborers were
organized into three relays, each working eight
hours Each man presented a printed ticket
when he came to work, and to every twenty
five men watchman was assigned. whose duty
it was to see that none of the men shirked work
escaped from the building. Records were
made every hour, and these records, together
with the tickets of admission. were turned IN
to Mr.. Jordan. who holds them a check on
the contractors bill when it shall be presented
No piece of work." said Mr.. Jordan yesterday,
was ever more carefully watched. I have been
on the spot every day myself. sometimes spend
ing twenty hours there out of the twenty-four-
I have all the tickets and all the watchmen's
records in my desk. When Canavan's bill comes
in it will be checked off by means Of these slips.
and not cent will be paid which my rec
ords do not show earned While the work
has been expensive. am prepared TO stake my
personal reputation and give my personal guar
antee' that none Of the games to beat the city
which have so frequently been worked on jobs
Of this kind were worked in this case. Every
precaution taken to avoid just that thing,
and I know that 1 have absolutely accurate
record
The Board of Estimate has appropriated
S13350 for the list Regiment Of this $4,000
is to provide means for the construction of a
building, and Deputy Controller Stevenson
Is Of the opinion that it cannot be used for tear
ing down the walls of the old building The
amount appropriated. however. has no consfd-
Grafton in the work The Buildings Department.
has the power TO incur whatever expense It
deems necessary to render dangerous buildings
safe. In the case OF a private building. the
walls Of which have been left standing after q
fire. the department incurs whatever expense
may seem necessary in razing the walls 70 the
ground. and the cost remains lien against
the property until it is paid When emergency
work is done on public building. revenue bonds
have TO be issued to pay the contractor if his
bills are large If they small Z. bond issue is
unnecessary
When the list Regiment AruoTy burned down.
the Arnlory Board had money with which to
undertake the work OF tearing down the old
walls. and the Buildings Department had to
take hold Three different attempts have been
made to make the building safe. and the cost
Will almost reach $4,000
Perez NJ. Stewart. Superintendent Of Build
ings. is out Of town all this week He was ex-
pected to return his Office yesterday. but yes
terday afternoon he had not arrived Deputy
Controller Stevenson said yesterday that emer-
gency work extremely expensive. After the
explosion and fire which started in the drug
house of Tarrant & Co., in Cireenwich-st-. de-
stroying parts of several blocks. the emergency
work cost about $4,000. and the kind OF
work on the ruins of the Windsor Hotel cost
such large sum that the owner Of the premises
made strenuous objection to paying it,
AT the Arnory Board yesterday it was said
that James D. Murphy, the contractor tried to
dispose of some of the large granite blocks re-
moved from the list Regiment ArmOry. Hearn
& Quinn builders. agreed to take some Of them
If they could be removed uninjured. In taking
the blocks down, however, most Of them were
Clipped and broken about the edges, and the
builders declined to accept them Canavan
Brothers. according to Mr.. McGin. were able to-
dispose of a quantity Of the stone to a church
in course of construction.
II is likely that the bills for the list Regiment
Arrnory work will be carefully scrutinized when
they are presented TO Corporation Counsel Fives
for his approval. Mr. Rives is on his vaca-
ton but will return on Monday.
sUMMONS FOR 4. F. POWER DISMISSED