New-York tribune., 1907-11-27
MACARTHUR TEST[FIES
4SHOK4N DAM INQUIRY.
Successful Bidder and Peircc Engi-
necr Outline Estimates.

HecT Outline Estimates.
Commissioner Mitchell. at the hearing con-
corning the Ashokan dam contract, yesterday
sharply interrogated Arthur F. Macarthur, vice
president and general manager Of the firm which
obtained the contract, il attempt to prove
that there collusion between the Mac
Arthur company and the John Peirce company.
whose bid was S2,350.010 under that of the sue
cessfuI bidder.
The Commissioners of Accounts are trying
10 make out strong enough Of unbusi-
nesslike administration against the Board of
Water Supply to force the resignation OF the
commissioners, J. Edward Simmons. Charles y.
Chadwick and Charles A. Shaw. That Mayor
Mcclellan viii ask them to retire is no longer
doubted in and around the City Hall.
Ernest c. Moore, of the John Peirce company
testified yesterday that about 100000 bags Of
cement would be needed in the Ashokan dam
work. When the bids We're made out cement
was selling al 81 so a bag. Owing to the slump
in building operations. MI Moore said that yes
terday he bought 500 bags of cement at 81 Il.
Assuming that cement would continue to sell
at an average price of 81 II. it would seem that
the saving on cement alone would have reached
about 100000
Arthur +. Macarthur testified that he first
met Chief Engineer Smith of the Board of
Water Supply. when calling on his friend.
Charles l. Harrison a Pennsylvania Railroad
engineer. Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. Smith live in
the same apartment house. re said that he
was the point of leaving for Europe when
the bids were opened. Although not the lowest
bidder. he said he had called on Chief En-
gineer Smith and Commissioners Chadwick and
Shaw and talked over features of the contract
Ernest C Moore, an engineer with the Peircs
Company, was asked 10 describe the process of
making up the estimate. After looking over the
ground at Ashokan, he went the various
items. he said, and based his calculations as
to the cost on mis- own experience and knowl-
edge as engineer, and by following the BIDS
on similar contracts elsewhere. Mr. Moore in
troduced the figures Of his estimate submitted
for bidding. save" he declared the first page
which has upon it the final figures submitted.
which were not compiled by me and are prac-
tically my figures of estimate, with $2OOOOOO
added to them"
THAT was to represent pront?" asked Mr.
Mitchell.
u should say it was" replied Mr.. Moore
Wei. does not that represent a profit over
the figures Of estimated cost Of something like
% $40 per cent?"
That would need to be qualified. I do not
know how much OF contingent expense was in
cluded in the 100000"
Wen, the bid cost was estimated at So
315.3;0 and by our estimates seemed TO show
that the work would cost about So O61, $50 All
expenses included. the bid would seem to in
clude a profit Of % per cent?"
Probably about that"
Are you still convinced, Mr Moore" Mr..
Mitchell asked, that the work could be done
for the cost prices estimated?"
'I might have changed the bid figures, but
not the cost estimates"
Henry r Reed q CONTRACTING eipaar 49,
employ Of John B. Mcdonald, who helped Mr..
Moore make up his estimate. said he was sent
for by Vlce-President Diebitsch, of the PeIrce
Company. 10 go over the Ashokan Dam tract
with him some two weeks before the bidding.
He was at the dam site twice. he said. and
looked II over carefully inspecting the borings
and pits
How did you consider the material at Asho-
kan-dif1cult TO handler
mo, Just average. The cost Of removing the
material should not be greatly above the av-
erage."
do you think It a particularly fine piece OF
engineering work."
Il DO, and think II is exceptionally fine from
the contractors standpotnt-that is Il is diff
cult TO execute. and its proper execution is a
creditable thing It will take lots Of men, lots Of
hard work and lots of thinking"
What did you think Of the Peirce bid?"
Il told Mr.. O1ebltSch tnat thought his fig
ures were about right, with the profit he had
added"
after he had made second trip to Ashokan
and after the bids were announced did you have
any reason 10 believe the estimates had been
wrong?'
'well. was rather sorry that they didn't put
In a couple Of million more"
The sally brought forth laughter. The witness
said he q son-in-law OF John B. Mcdonald
AT the afternoon session Arthur F. MacAr-
thur and ]. o. Winston, of the firms OF MacAr-
Arthur Brothers Company and Winston S Co,
who put in a joint bid for the contract, were on
hand Mr.. Macarthur was the first witness.
He said he the president and general
manager Of his company.
Three sources called on for the Mac
Arthur bids, the opinions of the winstons, those
of his Office and those of Godsborough, one
of the special engineers he had called in There
we're, al told. six estimates made in his cfice
and they averaged about $13.364. .s57. HIS own
personal estimate. be said, was SIS, 81, ,125, aid