New-York tribune., 1907-11-22
J. B. M'DONALD A BIDDER
4SSOCIATE OF PIERCE.
His Experience AUailable for Asho-
kan Dam York.

was associated with the John Peirce Company
when that concern put in a bid for building tic
Ashokan dam at S2,350.OO0 lower than the bid
of Macarthur Brothers Company and Winston
& Co, whose bid was accepted. 1t seems that
Mr. Mcdonald met Mr.. Peirce in Europe and
they reached a working agreement.
Not until the fact was ELECTED in the exam
ination Of ]. Waldo Smith. the chief engineer.
yesterday was it generally known that Mr.. Mc-
Donald had at any stage Of the proceedings
been interested in the Ashokan dam work Mr..
Smith said that in a talk with Mr.. Mcdonald
when 1t had become understood that the bid Or
the Peirce company had been rejected, Mr.. Nc
Donald suggested that the bids would have 70 be
readvertised.
The Water Board rejected the bid Of the John
Peirce Company largely the ground that
Peirce had had no experience in excavation and
embankment work. This view does not seem to
harmonic with the fact that Mr.. Mcdonald
had the most thorough sort of experience IN
excavatng the subway.
Asked about the manner in which he arrived
at the plans and specifications for the Ashokan
dam. Mr.. Smith said he based his estimate on
previous experience and study OF the topography
of the territory.
Did you ever hear Of contractor publishing
n work embodyng his experience in excava-
tion?" asked Commissioner Mitchell
Mr. Smith said ne did not know the price Of
excavation on other works He could arrive
at an estimate by the consideration of the
terial at hand. In such estimates, he said. he
never came far away from the cost OF the work
did you ever use your estimate basis
for the rejection of a bid?" asked Commissioner
Mitchell.
NO replied Mr.. Smith.
Asked about the cost Of mixing concrete and
transporting sand. Mr.. Smith said that he had
not made an estimate of the cost Of such things
He said that he could not calculate the exact
cost of a Job; the only thing he could do was
TO make an estimate. His own Judgment was
the criterion. He thought the work OF excava-
ton for the Ashokan dam could best be done
by steam shovel.
what is the output of the steam shovels on
the Panama CanaI?" asked Mr.. Mitchell.
"I don't recall now said Mr.. Smith.
did you look into the matter before you made
your estimate for the Ashokan DAM"
II did"
Asked If an estimate of the cost OF excavation
| for the Ashokan dam could not make differ
ence of over half a million dollars. Mr. Smith
replied that II was a matter Of speculation.
Did it not enter into your consideration that
by the Perce bid the city would two and
half million dollars and that that considera-
tion ought to weigh with you. provided the con-
| tractor could do the work without loss?'
yes. gave that matter careful consideration
and reached the conclusion that Peirce could
not do the work at the contract price except at
loss. and my opinion confirmed by Mr..
Peirce himself
Did you recommend the readvertIsng of the
bids?"
"I did not"
''why?"
.'yVeU don't believe IN readvertiziDg srreDt
| where colIusion is shown or there is a change
OF plan"
What did Mr. Peirce say to you about his
| bid?"
He said. I don't know whether I am afoot
or ahorseback. 1t is nice thing to be coming
| home from a vacation and have a thing like
this come up! My bid is too low"
Mr.. Smith admitted calling on Macarthur
| Brothers before the acceptance of their bid
| He said that they had suitable plant for doing
| the work.
rs it not fact said Commissioner Caynor
that in the bids for the Cross River dam the
| PeekskiI aqueduct and the Ashokan dam Mac
/ Arthur Brothers Company and Winston & Co.
put in bids next under the chief engineers esti-
| mate?"
81 believe that is fact said Mr. Smith
"And isn't it a fact that in the Cross River
! contract there difference OF only % per
| cent. In the Peekskill aqueduct 10 per cent and
in the Ashokan dam only Ia per cent differ
| ence?"
"It was about that" said the chief engineer.
Are you perfectly sure" said Commissioner
! Gaynor. that every precaution is taken in your
! office TO prevent the figures which your es-
Inmates based from being brought to the
knowledge of prospective bidders?"
| absolutely
| And in each instance you absolutely sure
! that your figures were not divulged?"
| Absolutely sure" said the chief engineer
F. Carlton Davis. another engineer OF the
| Board of Water Supply. testified that he had
| been connected with the board for over two
years and that he had had charge OF all the
borings. Asked what was hardpan. Mr. Davis
| replied. 'I don't know
when the contractors went up 20 look over
| the site of the Ashokan dam. what were they
| shown?"
4 -No