New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-02

of the commission. at that time. The work
for which he enlisted is done now. Mr.. Parsons
feels, and he wants TO lay aside that undertake
ing 10 resume his private practice
It is supposed that George s Rice, deputy
chief engineer, will succeed Mr. Parsons
The commission received the resignation with
much regret, voiced appropriately by Mr. Orr
when he told Of receiving Mr.. Parsons's letter.
It was determined that the associations of MI
Parsons and the commission should not be in
terrupted by his resignation, but that he should
be retained as consulting engineer to the board.
Al the beginning of yesterdays meetngf Of
the commission President Orr said:
have just received a communication which
! know will cause us all much regret as I
1eeI-a letter conveying the resignation of Mr..
Parsons. our chief engineer For ten years Mr.
Parsons has worked with this board and his
work mas been Of the highest character. The
relations between him and this board have been
most pleasant and agreeable. and il is with deep
regret that We learn he feels ii is necessary TO
sever these relations.
The letter. read by Secretary Burrows. was.
IN part, as follows:
=. With the opening Of the East Side line much
the greater part Of Contra I No. ! is corn2letad
while the comparatively unimportant parts remain
pletion on Contract No ali the main features
OF construction are decided ana the principal jif-
ncu5t proolems solved. and the work itself is al
ready so advanced that the Fulton-st. station is
lie ng
% me me 70 south cry viii probably take place
before the first half Of next year is passed. The
Board was created can be said to be done The
osaIa IS now ABOUT To- enter upon The second step
de4VecPnent Of the existing one.
no" feel that the work that I began is finished,
broad development, can well De treated TO other
duties It IS WITH the deepest regret that return
10 the board the commission intrusted to me, then
gained I can never forget either the confidence
when success seemed almost impossible Of attain
lneTt, or the support given during the last five
e+e s utb - u i OH - iii ' "S ON
origin9l estimate. except as special additions Of
Bv the sDd Of t5fl ra{ IRE eeT 5s be
pended. under the direction Of the board S417ll42
representing about s475o3963 of actual cost of work
as the payments on Contract no. arc but one
fifth Of the ACTUAL cost IN addition. equipment to
the value or ST V)DWo has been added by the con
ftTucIion Gomp2ny under the approval Of the
Nate companies work on |hlch has already begun
aliQ Wflch, when completed VIII cost So~tpp'
$50 600 90 have been begun i is more than graft
1ra 70 ee able to point &ut that such exPendi
question. nor for a moment stopped by an injunc-
Il would like the board to allow me 10 refer
this letter 10 one of the communicative com
mittee on contracts would be an appropriate
one'-said Mr.. Orr. ITO consider and TO confer
with M. Parsons. I wish also that the board
would allow me 10 ask Mr. Parsons 10 remain
with as an advisory or consulting engineer II
II would not interfere with his plans" The
permission was granted
I'VE have just heard read with very great
regret your resignation" said Mr Orr when Mr..
Parsons came in. We feel that YOUR work here
has been Of the Highest character and carried out
with the sole desire on your part to serve the
city and feel that the members Of the board do
not desire that our associations terminate en-
tireIy We hope that Won viii continue with US
as an advisory engineer: in other words, con-
sulting engineer
To which Mr. Parsons replied simply:
Thank you very much "
I'm simply carrying out q resolution I formed
q year ago. when l spoke 10 Mr.. Orr about it,
continued Mr. Parsons after the meeting. Il
terfere with: il is simply that when I took up
I his apid transit work l felt that l assumed
certain obligation 10 build the subway. I had
definite JOB to do, but I promised myself ia
get out when the trains began running in the
subway
Il shall open an Office for my private work
a bout the first OF the wear shall go 10 the
sthnlus some time in January. OF course, this
viii leave me much more time 10 devote 10 the
canal work but I have absolutely no intention
of resigning my commissi0nership 10 take any
engineering Job there. Such thought has neFe'
entered my head. Mr.. orr has asked me 10 be-
come 4 consulting engineer 70 the commission
shall ne very glad 10 serve the commission in
that way. bat IL would simply be one Of my
clients"
Mr. Parsons was born IN tais city In 1885. He
Was graduated from Columbia College in 1879 and
from The school of Mines IN 1852 rs first work
after graduation WAS in the service Of the New
York Lake Erie and Western Railroad.
MT Parsons was consulting engineer for the rail-
road system OF Jamaica. At the outbreak Of the