New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-01
RYDER BLOCKED 42D-ST.
Continued from first page.

same time did not know that the Water De-
partment had ordered sidewalk cutoRs In
the block between Fifth and Sixth aves, said
Mr. Degnon When I discovered this this
morning I told Mr.. Mcdonald that it would be
impossible TO finish up for three weeks unless
the idea Of putting In the new cocks were aDah-
doned We put in a lot OF these between Sixth
and Seventh ayes. but did not know that they
were going 70 put them in on the block be-
tween Sixth and Fifth ayes I have just been
told by a messenger from the Water Depart
ment that the order for the new cocks has been
cancelled This makes it practicable for us 10
get the street restored by Monday morning OF
next week. We may have TO put on extra men
but we will do II in order 10 get things In shape
We worked our men Sunday and yesterday
We have to pay them extra for all overtime but
we are willing to do 1t on this kind or WORK.
We were delayed three weeks west Of Sixth-ave,
IN waiting for O'Brien & Ryder to put in these
new devices"
What about lower Elm-st >" Mr. Degnon was
asked You occupy Elm-st near Worth with
hundreds of tons OF old iron and beams. making
It practically storeyard."
We never have been told that the city wanted
I1lm-st.' said Mr. Degnon. with n suggestion
OF \ smile. In doing the work there 1t was
necessary for us TO have our materials on the
ground but now that We have nearly finished
knew that the city wanted Immediately To 80
ahead and regulate. grade and pave the street.
We will get of when we are asked As 10 the
work here in Forty seCond-st.. l want 10 say
that we have worked with more than usual DIN
cence There are three four interests own
ing pipes in this street. and when YOU begin 20
move things around you involve all these inter
ests Do you see those manholes there? The
Edison people own them. They want bigger
manhoes and asked us not 10 restore the street
until they had chance 10 change the man
holes. We are tired OF waiting now. have
just ordered our foremen 20 go ahead and cover
up these manhole5 I viii let the Edison people
get at them the best way they know how. II
IS our business 10 get the street restored by Mon
day morning next. and that IS what going
10 do The wrought iron pipe for the water CON
nection in front of the Lincoln Bank came to-
day and will he put IN tomorrow. We have
several hundred men. nearly double our usual
force. at work in Forty-seconG-st. and II you
come around Monday morning you viii
the street looking first rate The paving
blocks viii not be put down this time perma-
nently. We will lay them loose. They VIII do
all right until the city gets ready TO have them
laid with tar and gravel"
rs Governor Myron T. Herrck. OF Ohio. vice
president Of your company"
yes" said Mr.. DegnOn.
J. II. STARIN APPROVES CRUSADE.
John II. starin. one Of the Rapid Transit
Commissioners, visited Forty-second-st yester-
day
II notice that you have been pounding the
contractors and Rapid Transit Commissioners
for not clearing up this street" said Mr. starin
Il don't know that I blame you Keep # I'd
The merchants here, as well as the people who
nave to walk up and down. have been greatly
Inconvenience for months and months 1t Is
time something was done to things to rights
once more"
"hlle Commissioner Starin was talking with
a friend an earth cart drawn by two horses ana
owned by James J. Duffy. OF No $50 West
Twenty -fourth-st.. backed into the excavation
at Fifth-ave and Forty -second-st In order to
get the truck and horses out a chain was
fastened to orosstown car. which backed up
and pulled the horses and truck out Of the hole
Traffic was blocked in Flfth-ave for twenty
minutes on account OF Dunys mishap
Many Of the storekeepers not paying any
rent for their stores in Forty -second-st. A mer-
chant told this story yesterday:
About a year ago the subway contractor be-
gan to make life miserable for us. Our trade
began to fall of, and several served notice on
the owners that they would give up their storea
The owners did not want to see the street get a
black eye" with the subway soon to open
and they got together and told the renters that
they need not worry about the rent IL they
would agree to stay through the siege. At least
a dozen merchants whose store fronts are shut
off from the street are working along under this
agreement now.
There rejoicing along Forty -second-st
last night when the news circulated that there
a good prospect that the work would he
rushed.
The Tribune did it," said Joseph p. McHugh
OF Forty-second-st. and Fffth-ave. The search
ing article which appeared In The Tribune yes
terday, less than the editorial stirred things
up. 1t Il good stroke to put the names or
the responsible right up in front so that
every one could see them. The case, as it stands
at present, is this; on January | of this year an
official trip was made by the Mayor and Others
TO note the completion of the subway. but to-day
four blocks on Forty-second-st. between Fourth
ave. and Broadway are still in disorder. There
is dangerous lack OF water, the electric light
ing is scant and uncertain. and in the words of
Major Woodbury., There is no surface which a
street cleaner may call his own
Acker, Merrall COndits manager said:
Il don't believe would have seen the end
OF ii for month yet II II had not been for the
fight The Tribune made in our behalf. Two or
three OF our employees are home sick on account
way workmen. 1t has made everything damp
downstairs. and put one woman and two men
employees on the sick list
Joseph O'Brien, OF O'Brien & Ryder. said
If anybody is to blame for delay it is the
Degnon people They have the contract for put
tinS in the mains and digging the openings for
the cocks We cannot do our work till they
nave finished theirs. So far have gone
far as we can till more of the main is laid. We
can lay only about one cock a day. Ii is slow
work at best. To-day heard rumors that Deg
non was getting stirred up over the cry of delay
ana was going TO refuse TO dig the openings for
the cocks l don't know whether this Is true"
Mr.. u brien said that he did not provide the
cocks, but that they were made by the manu-
Ia