New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-23

been a menace to the health and prosperity
Of the property owners. taxpayers. business men
and residents in its vicinity.
The contract for the construction of the sewer
was let on December 13 1899. TO Part" Dunn.
a brother Of ex-SherifT Tom Dunn The con-
tract price was SS04 264 81. and the sewer
10 be completed in 900 inspection days. From
time to time payments were to be made 70 the
contractor on the certificate Of the engineer
20 the extent Of 90 per cent OF the contract
value Of the work done the city retaining 30
per cent as security until the completion Of the
work
The contract for the sewer let during the
Van Wyck administration. and up to 1902 only
SS1 600 had been paid the contractor on a 40 per
cent basis Of work done. In the early part OF
the work an excavation had been made along
Broadway nearly its entire width in front of the
Methodist church and the settled part Of Kings
bridge. and surface water had been permitted to
accumulate, greatly menacing the health Of
residents
When the Low administration assumed con-
troll in 1902. Louis F. Hafen took Office as Presi-
dent Of Bronx Borough. and Immediately be
came chargeable with and had supervision OF all
sewer work in the borough. In March of 1907,
at a meeting Of the Kingsbridge improvement
Association resolutions were adopted calling on
President Haffen to declare the contract annulled
Of the contractor to finish the sewer in
contract time. which was. as stated, 1000 in
spection DAYS At that time 1917 inspection
DAYS according to the engineer in charge of
the work had elapsed and only u per cent Of
the work had been completed. A committee
from the association presented the resolutions
20 President Haffen and urged on him the an
nulment Of the contract and its reletting to
another contractor. The contractor with his
an~fff TOs1s,r1
present and promised the committee that the
sewer along that part Of Broadway where there
Were houses and stores would be finished in
six months and the entire job completed in a
year President HafTen expressed himself as
opposed TO the annulment Of the contract at
that time and promised to do his utmost to
have the work advanced. Despite the promise
Of the contractor that twelve months from
March. 1902 would see the sewer finished,
twenty months have elapsed and the most
favorable estimates that it wiz be fully
two years before the sewer is completed.
Payments to the contractor TO date on the
20 per cent basis amount TO S33S 122 So. Re
Gently. in addition, 100000 out of the 30 per
cent reserved by the city under the terms of
the contract has been paid TO person TO whom
the contractor assigned it. This payment OF
100000 was opposed at the time but il received
the approval OF the Controllers office end was
paid
Stone for the sewer has been lying along
Broadway for months without seirg used. Here
and there is TO be seen a group Of a dozen or
half dozen men AT work from thirty TO sixty a
day. the entire length Of the sewer. Presi-
Gent HafIen has been repea .edly urged TO
order the contractors to place many more
rlen the Job that il might be
completed. Mr.. Haffen. however, processes TO
be satisfied with the progress Of the work.
and canrot be moved 10 press seriously its COM
pletion. Two or three hundred men, intelligently
directed would materially advance the present
Sow progress on tie sewer. It is said that the
contractor awaits the incoming OF the Tammany
administration in order to get more t he and
additional Appropriation for the sewer. Untl
the sewer is completed the grading OF Broadway
VIII have 10 be deferred, it viii have to be
lifted from ten 20 fifteen feet at some points.
The kingsbridge Improvement Association,
which has been most energetic in its efforts TO
nave the sewer completed. at a meeting held on
October . last passed the following resolutions
end forwarded them 10 President HalTen:
Resolved. That the members OF this associs-
tioE. representing the property owners Of this
VICINITY, do hereby most earnestly protest
against the long and unnecessary DELAY in com
plcung tne Broadway sewer; and further
whereas the Hon. J.. r. Haffen the President
OF me Bosough: more than year ago told a
Committee Of this association tnat he would re-
ouire The contractor 70 put on a larger force of
men aud push the work 10 rapid completion
-
OF his contract. which promise has not secured
the desired results We demand of the Presi-
cent OF the Borough that ne cause the work
OF completing the Broadway sewer TO be prose
cuted with the utmost dispatch. and that the
tnsufferable condition Of this street be made al
least decently uassable. beside the Inconvenience
and loss 10 which our people have been mt for
more than two years. the danger to the health
Of the community is a serious menace and one
which We are not willing TO quietly longer sub
nit 10: therefore demand Of our officials that
these matters be attended 10 az once. and that
the street be also regulated ana graded as soon
IS possible
Curiously enough. While Mr. Dunn. the con-
trac:or. has been permitted 10 proceed leisurely
on the Kingsbrilse sewer g:eat energy has been
displayed in the paving and cu-birg Of East
e-hDndred-and- Il rty-third-st from Willow
ave. 10 the Lcag Island Sound. distance Of
four DlOc!ss. OR neither side O. .ha street from
the iw-o points nau,eE IS fteCe o house. nor are
tie sufro gu1iug streets. 50 far The eye can
reach. occupied by halhouses or other dwelling
houses There IT, Nttle immediate prospect OF
houses "a she surrounding territory OF IN the
efreet Itself. aud uleann HE the taxpayers ia
tie borough viii haze 20 Dear The cOst Of the
Improvement o. what Is practically dirt road
On Improvement which is not a pubic reressity
such the KinEsb-sdge sewer