New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-15


from completion the new Public Library, now
IN process Of construction at 5th-ave. and AID
St. affords perhaps the most deplorable example
Of representation IN public building construc-
don to be found in the country.
The reasons for the numerous delays in the
progress of the work AFFORD interesting in
sight into the official red tape surrounding work
y this character in this city, and also give rise
70 doubts as to the feasibility of marble con-
struction public buildings. where, If used at
all the marble employed must be of the purest
,uzlrry ob:ainaDIs. According to John NJ. Car
rere Of Ca-re7e & Hastings. the architects in
charge Of the construction Of the new building
inability TO get good marble and the red tape
surrounding city jobs the two chief causes
Of delay on the work 1t is because he believes
the public has not an appreciative understand
ing Of the situation confronting the architects
that Mr.. Carrere went over the work with
Tribune reporter few days ago. explaining the
various things that have served to retard it.,
Mr.. Carrere feels keenly the recent comments of
press and public upon the slow progress OF the
building.
While don't know that I object to being
jumped or" said he. II DO object most strenu-
ously to being abused for things that are be-
yond my power to prevent
This work has been handicapped almost from
its very inception Failure to get marble in
functions official red tape and other things have
all seemingly conspired to retard it.
The first great delay was brought about by
the debt limit For eighteen months after our
appointment and after Mayor Van wyck came
into Office we were unable to get attention di-
rected TO this work because of the debt limit.
Because Of this hitch the main contract
held ont for a year We had expected that time
in which to quarry marble. but instead we were
put back a whole year. Now, whose fault was
that? Mind I am not criticising any admins
tratfon nor any city officials, I am simply
citing facts that will show how official red tape
can tie up a great work like this
We'll finally in June. 1901. the contract was
let TO Norcross Brothers. and another long wait
ens,ed This concern was not the lowest bid
dar h,,+ we recommended the acceptance Of the
hid because Of the fine quality of marble we
lnezy thew could produce. In all regular con-
struction work it is customary to accept the
lowest bidder, but on city jobs of this size the
Board Of Estimate and Apportionment Is not
ob1ige5 tn ACCEPT the lowest bid The bid Of
the Norcross concern was S2S65.Uo0 Eugene
Tan-fIhon bid $4,000 less. and upon the &C
ceptance OF the Norcross bid and award OF 1Le
contract a taxpayers suit was at once inst1-
7,+e5 An Injunction was issued restraining the
contractors from going ahead with the "orA-
L rooIs eight months TO dispose of that inJunc-
ton That brought it we'll along into the VIM
ter or early spring
IN the meantime. though the contractors hao
snent 100000 in getting their plant IN reao4-
ness for the work, they had not actually organ
;zea and gone ahead with the work OF geI'Ils
out marble while the outcome of the inJuncuoh
s,,r was pending To get ready for actual Work
+ook more time, and by the time everything was
in readiness to begin operation It was Wln'ei
again Thus YOU see two summers OF actual
working time were lost TO US
..Tbera is one thing to bear in mind about TINS
work The red tape that must necessarhy' DC
cording to law surround an undertaking OF Ihls
Kind makes it absolutely unfair to compare sucn
work with private enterprise
when everything goes we'll when there are
no legal delays, and no unexpected DRAWBACKS
from anv source. II takes at hest, six months
from the time g. proposition is submitted 10 the
CITY until the contract is let I am not saying
this in criticism of any department or any city
official. ] am simply relating facts If l were
10 go 10 the Park Department to-day about the
heating of this building, all ready to advertise
for bids. the papers in the case must pass
through so many hands, going through about
fifty or sixty processes that six months would
be PASSED before the contract could be awarded
No one can. Of course, be blamed, but there Is
so much red tape about the city's work that IL
Is at times extremely discouraging.
but if none of the vexatious delays 1 have
cited In connection with this work had hap
pened, there would still have oeen deIay' oe-
cause the marble could not be quarried in suff1-
Gent quantities to complete the work in the
time specified In the contract. The marble used
in this building comes from quarries at Dorset
VI. There Will be IN the entire building 4oOooO
cubic feet and all must be Of the finest grace
and the purest white. Some idea Of the work
can be gathered from the fact that only about
35 per cent of the marble Quarred goes into the |
building. The inspection and selection or retec-
ton Of so much material means, Of course. much
delay The marble must be free Of all streaks /
and stains and often piece after piece is rejected
before the one needed is secured
WHY look here" and Mr.. Carrere led the way /
into the big exhibition room of the new build |
ing the marble work in which is completed /
I'VE waited year for the marble In this room
We have had much trouble securing marble |
sufficiently pure In quality for use IN the ang'e /
stones and in the big columns along the front
of the building. For some OF the drums IN these /
columns we have waited two years IN some /
cases we have had to wait that long for one /
particular stone. We have had on hand the /
stones to go above 1t, but until that one stone (
was secured the work could not advance above !
that point. This especially true OF the
5th-ave- front Of the building While we were
waiting and selecting the absolutely perfect
stone for use in that part OF the pu!nhg No
worked on the rear and interior of the building,
and great hue and cry was raised ABOUT Ihe
delay In the construction of the library WheL
the needed stones were secured. noWeVeE' eiIu
the greater part Of the front OF the DulblnS "eiA1
up IN q month every said, Why. what won.
deTful progress they making on the library /
we have exercise the greatest OF care IN
the selection of such stones as these ana Mr. +
CeTTere indicated g. stone cut with two IacSe !"
Ct into an angle Of one Of the big fnarpIe sup
ports IN the lobby.
"Etones having a single pure white face are
comparatively easy to obtain but these stones
pure white not only on one face, but pure while
clear through. to admit OF cutting on an angle