New-York tribune., 1902-01-08
HYNES TO KNOW WHY.
LNVE,S TTGATING DELAY IN
BUILDING CITY PRISON..
HORGAN & SLATTERY THE SUPERVIS
ING ARCHITECTS-COST OF THE
BUILDING LIKELY TO BE
MORE THAN ST 100000

An investigation of the delay in the construc-
ton of the City Prison. in Centre-st.. on the
site of the old TOmbs. was begun yesterday by
Thomas W. Hynes, the new Commissioner Of
Correction. There are many observing people in
the city who would not be astonished If he
earthed more than one scandal Of the recent
Tammany administration IN finding out why it
takes more than five years TO construct new
prison for the city. The work has been dragged
along in way TO cause both amazement and
disgust among competent architects and build
ers The delay has been accompanied by in
creased expense of construction. not counting
the interest on the city's money that has been
lost
The late Tammany administration found the
building well under way. II might have COM
pleted il and had it occupied two years ago. at
a cost not exceeding $500 900 II took the work
Of s, pervision ont OF the hands of competent
architects and turned IL over to Horgan &
sIattery The firm favored by the Van Wyck
administration proceeded TO change plans, undo
and do over work already performed. and delay
construction and increase its cost. The result
is that the building is in an unfinished state at
the end OF Mayor Van Wyck's term. and cannot
be completed for some months, and the cost of
the building probably will much exceed S1,3OO,-
600 The building planned in the admins
tration OF Mayor Strong one urgently needed
on account of the overcrOwded condition of the
Tombs.
The plans Of Withers & Dickson, the original
architects OF the building, were accepted in
1896 and in the spring Of 1891 the work Of tear
ing down that part Of the Tombs fronting in
Centre-st was begun. The work of clearing the
site. digging the excavations and rearing the
walls of the prison went on rapidly under
Withers & Dcksons supervision, until Tam
many officials appointed Horgan & Slattery to
supervise the construction. Then began the
changes Of plans. which involved increased cost
and DELAYS Eighteen months ago Mr.. Dickson
complained of the work of the Tammany archi-
tects They had ordered much extra and un-
necessary weight in the interior Of the building.
with a large amount Of ornamental work entirely
out of place in a prison. he said in order TO
get the supervising architect of the Department
of Buildings to order an increase of strength
of the supporting iron work. AS Horgan &c
Slattery were to receive per cent on all work
done in the building he added. IT was profitable
for them to make costly changes in the building.
The architects made no reply to the criticism at
the time.
To the original appropriation Of S46O.OOO for
the building was added a second appropriation
of a round half million, and later there was
demand for a third appropriation of $35OOoO.
Then Horgan g. Slattery decided that the
foundations of the rear wall or tne
be taken out. TO make more space for a boiler
room. Mr. Dickson refused to approve the con-
struction of the rear wall, but Mr.. Lantry, the
Tammanv Commissioner of Correction. accept
ed it for the city. and enabled the builder to
get 100000. -....-
Armstrong & Bolton, who had contract for
installing an electric light and heating plant In
the building at $4,000 failed in business, and
abandoned the contract The lowest bid which
Mr. Lantry could get for completing the con-
tract was S172 $780, or almost double the figure
at which Mayor Strong's Commissioner OF Cor
recton had let the contract ,
building have been apparently nearly at stand
still Workmeu have been employed there all
the time but what they have accomplished is
regarded by some observers OF the snallllke
progress of the work as something OF a my
tery Commissioner Hynes said yesterday thaI
he intended to find out why the work had been
allowed to lag so long. and to push II TO COM
pletion with much speed as posslDie.
The city needs the new prison pauly. ror
some years before the late Tammany admins
tration and all through that administrator the
overcrowdng of prisoners awaiting tT1al ana
cononeIIed to stay in the Tombs has been re-
earded as disgrace to the city. AT some times
trials of prisoners in the Tombs were delayed
until the wardens were obliged to lock Two
three or four persons in single cell. There are
800 cells in the old prison There were 4lo
prisoners in them yesterday aithough DlstrIct
Attorney Philbin kept the courts in the Critninal
Courts Building going in the recent holiday week
and District Attorney Jerome has kept them
busy since New Years Day trying prison cases
some important cases have been kept out OF
the criminal courts recently, in order that more
of the less important prison cases could be dis
posed of and the nunper or PRISONERS III tHe
Tombs reduced.
Mention of Horgan & Slattery was made sew
eral times yesterday at meeting OF the Arrnory
Board In the Mayors office, and Mayor Low
asked, Are Horgan & Slattery the architects or
this board p"
He was Informed that the board had no reg
ular architects but 1t had given some Jobs to the
Tammany firm.
II wish" said the Mayor to the secretary.
Significantly that you would give me a list or
all the work these architects are engaged IN Tor
khA city juSt at 1rAAAn&' --