New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-25


other subway sub-contractors have packed up
their belongings and decamped. The Degnon
COmpanys need OF storage yards in the public
streets seems to be recognized all along the
line. There is precious little room in Park Row
between Beekman and Ann SITS. and brief
examination will convince the engineers in Chief
Engineer Parsonss Office that the place for junk
is not in a busy thoroughfare like Park Row.
MR. RICEs EXPLANATION
The people in Forty-second-st. will have to
be patient little longer" said Acting Chief
Engineer George S. Rice. OF the Rapid Transit
Commission, yesterday. when told about the
condition Of things there. 1T is true that things
are not in good shape there. but It also is true
that the work is being closed up. The princi-
pal cause for the torn-up condition of Forty
second-st now Is that the city is putting in
twelve inch water mains on both sides OF the
street. The excavation for the one on the north
side Of the street necesstated piling up the dirt
and paving blocks the sidewalk 1t is proper
TO do this work now and have II over with,
while the contractor is closing up his work.
The Forty-second-st. section OF the subway
work was one of the most difficult we had 10
handle The floor OF the tunnel is thlrty-two
feet from the surface. The contractor had to
blast his way along. leaving a roof over his
work so that the surface OF the street would not
be disturbed. This the company did successfully.
There were no important accidents.
''I.XCavatlng FOR the tunnel naturally mace II
necessary for the contractor to NH It IN solid
and grade II after the tunnel steel was all in
shape and the interior work done This IS the
work that now Is being closed up. l think that
the contractor ought TO be praised instead OF
criticised The street Will be all right again
in a week or two. The contractor was halted
In his work on the south side OF the street by
the city. II was thought best by the city en-
gineers to put in a section OF wrought iron
pipe instead OF cast iron where the pipe is 10
rest near the surface OF the ground This pipe
had TO be built in Pittsburg. and is now on It's
way here. The south side Of the street in front
| Of the Lincoln Bank can and will be closed up
as soon that pipe Is put In.
The condition of lower Elm-st is Chargeable
10 the city authorities. 1t is not officially
street as yet south from about Prince-st., not
having been turned over for regulating. grading
and paving. The sub-contractor has u large
amount OF old iron and building material there.
but it is a small task TO cart that away when
/ ever the city is ready to regulate grade and
! pave the street. The Rapid Transit Commission
! cannot accept responsibility for the condition OF
lower Elm-st. Our part Of the work is all right.
! There is 10 longer any obstruction of Park Row
worthy the name. Below Beekman-st. there may
| be some building material and old junk along
| the sidewalk. you suggest There are odds
! and ends of work being closed up under the sur
! face, and II is necessary to have hole leading
| down into the subway along there somewhere.
! The work at Centre-st and Park Row has been
| exceedingly heavy and there Is a good zeal
| to do yet I do not think that there has been
| unreasonable delay or obstruction of traffic at
/ that point"
| Barney Downing, secretary to the Borough
| President yesterday sent order 10 all in
! spectors having anything do with work in
! Forty second-st to make special reports TO the
! main office on the progress Of the work.
I'VE have not much jurisdiction there. said Mr.
Downing THE Rapid Transit Commission has
| almost sole authority there. We have received
| a number Of complaints about the condition OF
| make things better. We are glad that The
! Tribune called attention to the matter, and this
| office will go the limit in closing up the WORK
| there and affording the desired relief
YEARS OF CONFUSION.
The painful plight of the inhabitants Of Forty
! second-st. between Broadway and Third-ave.
! is a sharp reminder to them now that reform
/ is needed That street has been torn up almost
| continuously for the last eight or ten years
| About eight or ten years ago the diggers for tne
Consolidated Gas Company fell upon Forty
second-st, and when they had wrought half OF
| their work there wide ditch in the street.
! The other half of their work was not wrought
until year or so afterward. Then the paving
| stones were replaced and the cliff jewellers
thought joyously OF tLer deliverance. But It
was not for long. The city soon wanted to lay
! big water mains, and that took another year
/ No sooner were things about TO resume an old
! fashioned look than the rebuilding of the
| Third Avenue Railroad took place They called
! It rebuilding. Naughton & Company through
! the aid of Richard Croker and others in Tam
many Hail. got the contract. The street was
| ripped wide open, and strong and patient Tam
many heelers waited patiently at so much day
on the banks OF the excavation for the road to
be rebuilt. 1t took year or two, and so much
money that the road wrecked Forty
second-st by this time getting used to
modern plaques. The people withstood them
with the doggedness OF Pharaohs After the
! Third Avenue electrified" and its treasury
'electrocuted" came the subway. 1t got to
! Forty-second-st., and succumbed to the tempta-
ton to turn westward. That about four
years ago For four patient years the jewellers
| in Forty-secOnd-st. have walked circumspectly
the sappers and miners employed by the Deg
non-McLean Contracting Company have thun-
dered below and above ground. The ten year
| period is past due and with one mighty resolve
the people there say to the contractors:
Get QUIT Get out quick and don't come around
| any more"
COLONEL JAMES DESPAIRS.
When Colonel Thomas l.. James. president OF
the Lincoln National Bank, heard Charles n.
Green. of Chief Engineer Parsonss staff. say that
/ the twelve inch water main in front of his bank
probably would have to come up after it was
| covered over. he threw up his hands despair
| ingl-- and exclaimed
| There We again! / knew IL! It's too
good TO be true that Wen have this street re-
| stored Colonel James and James u. Laying, a
| director OF the bank, were with The Tribune
| reporter ana Mr. Green when the latter referred
| 10 the construction work that was keeping the
| street open Colonel James went on: