New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-04
COLOSSAL DREDGING BILL.
FOR EXTRA MUD $4,000. |
Featherson Makes st. George Ferry
Contract Worth While.

Controller CIRCUITS examiners have discovered
that Dock Commissioner Featherson has author
lied George b. Spearin, the contractor building
the St George ferry terminal, to 1redge 34.0Oo
cubic yards of mud at $3 yard. while the con-
tract with Spearin called for an estimated eX-
cavation Of only 1000 yards This contract
| furnishes most astonishing object lesson of the
manner in which the Dock Department from
which Charles F. Murphy graduated four years
ago, make contract highly profitable
When the bids were opened for the St George
terminal improvements last May, It was found
that George B. Spearin. all things considered,
was the lowest bidder. His bid for the terminal
work at St George was S51O294 The contract
was awarded to him on May 13, and he is under
bond to complete the work in 80 working days.
The time has expired, and 1t will be about thirty
days before the work is far enough along to
allow the new Staten Island boats to
The contract on the estimate of the engineers
Of the Dock Department, calls for dredging in
the slips to the extent of 1000 cubic yards Of
mud. This was necessary account of the
greater draught of the new boats. At the Bat
terry. the Snare & Triest Company dredged about
134O0 yards Of mud
Although the engineers of the Dock Depart
ment had full opportunity to inform themselves
of the extent of the dredging beforehand, the
estimate of 1000 yards for the St. George slip
was allowed to stand in the contract. on May
TO- three days before the contract with Spearn
WIS oHl'lalty executed 'hdf'eS D 'oII''ls' SCI
re'ary OF the DOCK Department. wrote 'oh''oier
Grout the following letter:
neg 20 aaEtSe Inst ny oine'Von @ OF .ne - p
Spearin, pursuant TO Article f. of Contract No S95
fIne f2r me p OF me rGGtE 1eTilhai a. e
5000 feet board measure Of additional lumber
95, 9aTr lass o' ne NJ o; a3 bi me ]
- $50 o. me e. me lpr4Per qb 10 9s rs ba
dons at 81 Cubic vaqB Yours respectfuIIy
CHARLES J. COLLINS. Secretary.
This letter was affixed to the contract. This
meant SIS, 600 extra work for MI Spearin with
out the trouble of public letting On August H.
two days before the contract with Spearin Went
into effect. Secretary Collins wrote the Finance
Department the following letter. saying he had
a,,+bor4-a5 e,ra.rs, -, 49, -s,5t,to,-.,
~ Ono cubic wards.
7 beR ~ advise that by direction of the Commits
s,dner authority has this day been granted to G
3 Spearln pursuant 10 Al slCte e. ~ +arni1a a+ st
5so Iot ~ EoraI,gT, Of F2cbn,on1 to do sdd
{f ,7rd l III s,,f Gent 10 make the depth
wafer necessary to receive the ferryboats in the
slips. said additional dredging not to exceed ~
a''oT Tb;c 80" ysrSS YorTs respectfuliy
N,F1AfNi'r1'' . ~O-''
All the authority that Article f. confers
49,, -oiss;,,,,ar a. for him to contract for addi-
.;1 ,, fo- AZ, o,,o,,nt NOT IN exceed : per
nohal WORK '"' al "o ~ "
cent of the contract Five per cent OF Mr.
Spearins contract would allow Commissioner
Fea therson to give him additional dredging
work to the extent or S%'hoV". Inc asloiiiSi'i's
thing about this translation is that it was al
- =. ,,;ao +,,o,0b tho sinking Fund Com
hon