New-York tribune., 1903-07-29
FOR CITY REPAIR PLANT.
Grand Jury Reports on Asphatt-
FaUors Placement Reforms.
CANTOR ANSWERS CRITICISMS.

The grand jury came into Part OF the Court
of General Sessions yesterday with an important
presentment concerning the condition of the asphalt
pavement in this city. The presentation was reau
to Judge Mcmahon by John P. Faure. formerly
Charities Commissioner. the foreman OF the jury.
The principal and most radical recommendation OF
the grand jury is that the city maintain munici-
pal asphalt repair plant.
Judge Mcmahon received the document. and IN
formed Mr. Faure that copies of the presentment
would be forwarded without delay the Mayor
Controller. Borough President and Commisslohei
of Public Works requested by the gra'u
jury. The presentment says in part
The attention of the grand jury has been Gafs
in many of the public streets and hghwayS oL b se
eS os Of that we have felt it to
duty closely examine into the mater d 1LGS Rtry
have made extended personal observations. Win tne
result We are convinced sthaI OaSed streets
especially where immense volume OF business 3fi
calls for transportation of enormous @ sal III
merchandise by trucks, and where large ana sls m ~
greatly impede the ordinary flow OF uaIIc-
After considering the effects Of this interference
under the heads of business, sanitation. street
cleaning and ordinary travel. letters from f. w.
Gibson, Deputy Street Cleaning Commissioner ana
Health Commissioner IDederle are given IN full
Both say that principal objection to defective
pavement is the extra work of cleaning and the
menace to health Continuing, the paper says:
informed by the public press. by quota
tions had with public officials whom we d underr
stand be especially charged with the conduct OF
the business of asphalting the streets, that some
companies holding contracts with the city to Keep
asphalt pavements in proper condluon lot certain
terms of years are dilatory in their discharge OF
such contract obligations.
THINK OFFICIALS SHOULD DISCRIMINATE.
While strongly approve of the asphalting of
new streets required feel that the officials IN
charge of this matter should as fully as possible
vitality needed repairs to streets already asphalted
thus comforting the greatest benefits upon the
largest number of our citizens.
The paper tells of hearing testimony from Bor-
ough President Cantor, Public Works Commissioner
Livingston and of meetings with officials and rep
resentatives of asphalt companies and continues:
The following facts seem TO have been clearly Tdy
asphalt pavements is increasing and that recent
past has not witnessed corresponding increase "a
were opened and contracts were let on the list OF
miles Of streets almost wholly in the uptown. resi-
dental portions of this borough FePTesehIfng a a
that the of these funds for construction IS
to divert them to purposes of repairs. but we are.
at the same time and from the same source, the
needed for repairs is available and that on that
9nt there Is no d9Hty not at the b 9ghses bg 9fst
ments that while plenty of money Is avallaoIe LOT
The same contractors who eagerly seek to pro pro
for new work are dlatory and more or less evasiye
maintenance obligations Of existing contracts.
A calm and dispassionate view of the situation
therefore naturally suggests two leading questions.
IS the retention of long time maintenance"
clause in contract municipal Work deteh-
Is not the creation of a municipal asphalt repair
plant to be confined exclusively to repair work a
Wise Wis s9lHtIon ye ef the particular pr00s
The information furnished to the grand jury by
Borough President Cantor and Commissioner Liv-
ingston shows clearly that the reduction Dy them
of fifteen year "maintenance terms TO those OF nEee
years has had the effect of aiding the securing OF
great reduction in the price of asphalt ea sd
difficulties intervene in many ways when companies
form n the more tedious and annoying labor Of
pairs oftentimes at scattered localities, from a
For the reasons above set forth. the grand jury
recommends and so presents as their pest Judg-
First-That the officials charged with the care of
the public streets should be diligent in calling on
all parties having asphalt or other contracts with
the city to be PROMPT ana earnest IN in rem @ ing
the shameful conditions now eAlsuhg III very MANY
places - ,,, -, ....
are In honor bound to promptly respond TO such
calls thereby proving and establishing their bust
ThirdNThat the suggestion Of the Commissioner
fs5or i and Ua@essjtv OF the early establishment of
a municipal asphalt repair plant, meets with our
report to the Borough President accordingly at the
earliest possible date.
Borough President Cantor when later
garding the presentment made by the grand jury
that he felt no apprehension over its ind
ment of Public Works would show that COmmis-
sioner Livingston had done all that he possibly
could do to expedite all contract work for paving
and repairing the streets with asphalt. Commits
sioner Livingston. he said had been continually
the asphalt companies 70 hurry along all
the work they had contracted for and he felt
satisfied he declared, that it could be shown that
the department was not at fault in the affair
In closing. Mr.. Cantor said that he had several
conferences with Commissioner Livingston
garding the establishment of a municipal asphalt
plant for the purpose of having the city do its own
asphalt paving and repairing, and that he
pected soon to have report ready for the public
regarding the proposition.
WEALTHY MAN STARRED NEAR HEART