New-York tribune., 1903-02-14
PARSONS PL4CES BLAME
Says High7cays Department Has
LONE Had Elm-st.

AS a result of The Tribune's demand that
Elm-st. shall be cleared and put in order at
once George Livngst On. head of the Depart
ment of Highways, has signed an order au-
thorizing Cunningham Kearns to proceed
with the work of regulating and grading from
Great Jones-st. to Prince-st. The order of the
department is mandatory. with a three days
time limit clause. Accordingly, on Monday the
firm must begin the long neglected work OF
making Em-st useful thoroughfare instead
of a clog to the traffic of half the lower part OF
the city. The order further demands that the
Great Jones-st. to Prince-st. section be regu-
lated and graded within sixty days from the
time of starting.
This is the first definite date that has emerged
from the whole Elm-st chaos of the last seven
years.
on Wednesday Commissioner Woodbury. ex-
pressed to Tribune reporter his impatienee
with the Department of Highways for not in
sistine on date when Cunningham & Kearns
should begin work. Thursdays Tribune insisted
that a time for starting work should be inn
mediately set Since the publication of that
article the department has seen a great light
The point to be watched now is to see whether
the departments order is carried out on Mon
day.
Mr. Livingston asked yesterday by d
Tribune reporter if failure of the firm to meet
what measures would be taken to enforce the
will of the department and the wishes of the
public. He said:
There is no forfeit but their contract could
be taken away if they fail Everybody is bang
ing this department, but remember this: When
EIn-st was handed over to us it was midw1pter,
; and the weather held up the work. In fact,
President Cantor refused TO let it proceed We
did what we could by letting out the contract
As to the paving, l don't know how long that
will take That is the business of the Degnon-
Mclean Construction Company which having
done the subway work, has to give back the
street paved
The assistant superintendent of the Degnon-
Mclean Construction Company said yesterday
to Tribune reporter:
How long it would take to pave the street
depends entirely on the force put on it after
the regulating and grading are done 1t would
he entirely in the hands of the Rapid Transit
Commission TO set the time for the work
William Barclay Parsons. chief engineer Of
the Rapid Transit Commission. said yesterday
to a Tribune reporter:
We handed over pretty nearly half of Elm st
TO the Department of Highways months ago.
and they haven't done anything with it. Go
and prod them From Great Jones-st to Prince
St is and has been theirs. L promise you from
Prince-st to Howard-st in the spring, and L
hone TO have it turned over by April l. The
entire length of Elm-st will he finished by No
vember l. The Degnon- Mclean Construction
Company is about the most energetic | know
II hasn't been delaying.
The secretary of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion said yesterday to a Tribune reporter
The Degnon- Mclean Construction Company
isn't delaying; it isn't to it's interest 1t is un-
der heavy bonds for the work In fact ii is
ahead of time on the work. We shall have
trains running under Elm-st- this year
When the remarks of Mr. Parsons on the
Elm-st work were quoted to Mr.. Livingston. he
said:
received various courteous letters from him.
Put don't forget that the Rapd Transit Com
mission owns the city. 1t is for 1t to say when
the Degnon- Mclean Construction Company
e,aU ont of way