New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-04
SCHOOL DELAY CAUSES.
CITY SEEMS HELPLESS.
Laos Tiat Permit Building al
Sscect WI Of Contractors.

-,.,,te- % tl,e committee on buildings OF
the Board OF Education yesterday eNplaiieI
the barriers 81 the way OF obtaining any SUI :
~ satisfaction from contractors because ~.
their dnatory tcctlcs in the construction OF
f~hool buildings. lis explanation was ihooiSe-
hv Richard Il. Adams Of the committee al.1
e. r. J. Snyder. Superintendent o. School b0'l1-
ings. lie saie.
Contracts Tor CITY work -.ust always go 20
the lowest bidders Any contractor can -
bo-5e l,eoat.so Of the rivalry between the
surety companies We are therefore comm.
nllv compelled 10 choose irresponsible cohlIa''-
ors who have neither the faciilies nor W - 80
ffaI 80 b1ild rauidlv. ln penalziug for Decay =
fhore are so many legal technlcalliits anu %
many contingencies mas arise li buil'll.-b -.
efru~tfon thar the attorneys OF me c'ill '-eeo1
sr,,srfbv threaten us with suit ana coulpel - -
,or-rrorr.ise A strike bad weather, the laliuLg
~ sub-coutractor6 OF minor conifa.lolS -. -,
80 reliye the general contractor Iio'" ''7i''
Hibiiity. .,..- .r,, ,,-,-
Durinp ;he iast year we have taken Two con
s~s~fs away from general coutrags 'rS. ne
- ...,.t-b 100 hose Of "a pulfic school in
Asrorfs and Public School 40. l4l. IN broohls ~
are the only ones where the comm &c -, -
fhat il would Doe safe in taking sueh ao,t -.
,-o-,o~atiou Counsel Rives said last year llat
tho board had no legal rght 10 pei,sLl411t -
did not simplify one ~ the most utli,''' -p,,-.
leuls that we are called upon 10 last i,.1
A. {. clause I'm the proposals which deals WIN
collection of Hquidated damages. II READS
u oe.e the contractor shall fan 70 complete the
Frrl.r md or
ftore ana fo the satisfaction - me oil.l-lt. -
F55iIdure and superintendent within tie lnie - y,
go 80 contractor shall and VIII pay 20 ti' i'e -
tGll each ana every gay tlil -
consumed In sand performance ano ceilitl,il -..s
,rCees fhr time hprclnbefOTe allowed Toy lli ~
nose. which said sum- On view OF lle Gil. 49, l
.-irg t4e loss which the city VIII SilI,l
-easoD ~ delav IN the p'rforrnauce o. Iit "..N
herelIudpr is hereby agreed upon. nAta ~ -,
srs-eF Nv the rHrties hereto as The AQulust', 49,
80 rfaf Tho ctv VIII suffer 10y reason ol SO go
$50 .grE rrf-r.rt and a peusliA. anu t-.g
'eLar and NAV deduct and retain tne ainouilt
- e,,rr Inundated damages out of the l.uiiSs2
shiloh MAY be- Que become uue To tie '"li'-1'-
uuder this aErecfnfi'
This sounds VERY formidable TO the ordinary,
,,ninitiated Iay-rnan. but il IS chiefly sound The
contracts FOR the school are Jet 10 general cor
tractors and 20 minor contractors. The latteT
install the heating ana Nen.liatlhB piano ~
an the electric wiring DO the sanitary NoIh alla
stlnrlv the furniture. II these minor contitc'uI5
interfere with the general contractor lor one
dav the law prevents the Board ~ i-dltelloH
from collecting "a cent ~ damages rom Ilil|
even n he gets Eve years behind Al Yeast my
contingencies may arise between me genera
end the minor contractors. y new one ARISES
every week
Ruildfnr for the city is altogether clurrei'
from building for an individual. II an oNLe- j.
having "a building erected, with an archtecL
eilreriut ending the work. a contingency NoOia
be- immediately met by the owner ana lhe AZ
chftect agreeing upon an al. oWance Tor tir con
tractor After the board has Jet contract II
can mako a allowances for nothing. i IS held
hard and fast by the law. The law is rigid, as
IL should be- 10 prevent fraud, and nothing can
be done quickly.