Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-19
WHAT ARMY OFFICERS SAY
Deny They Are Responsible and Point
to Penalty,
BUT IT IS ONLY 500 A DAY
And at That Rate the Contractor
Saves Money by Paying UP and
Taking It Easy.

Officers OF the army Engineer Corps. in
their effort to sdeste responsibility for
the delay in construction of the govern
ment piers at the jamestown exposition,
say that the contract was let to a response
BILE bidder, and in order TO make douby
sure that the work would be done In the
short time allowed, contained a provision
that the contractor should suffer a penalty
of 500 for every days delay beyond
May 2.
1t is considered rather remarkable, by
those In position to know, that this ex-
cuse should be put forward The piers at
the exposition-exclusive of an appropria-
ton Of $4,000 for pier work on jamestown
Island-are to cost $465, 900. and the penalty
of 500 a day which, incidentally, may be
reduced to $50 day, when in the judg-
ment of the engineer officer in charge the
piers are in part available, Is considered
to be entirely inadequate.
The enforcement of the penalty up to the
present time will cost the contractor $41O
the work being forty-seven days over
due-and it Is generally conceded that his
margin of profit would have suffered more
from a rush attempt to finish the work
within the contract limit than from leisure
ly work on the job and the payment of the
daily penalty.
Pays Penalty and Makes Profit.
The same proposition is considered to
hold good on the remainder of the work.
The piers are not nearly competed-not
even we'll under way, according to visitors
who have recently returned from James
town-and In view Of the high cost Of labor
at the exposition and other recognized con-
ditions In connection with the WORK II is
admitted that the contractor in finishing
the piers will treat himself great deal
better by going ahead as slowly as he
peases, paying for no overtime and set
Ting up the daily penalty. than by trying
to rush the job through as quickly as pos
sible.
The officers Of tho Engineer Corps Of the
War Department seem to have no special
the backward condition of the work on the
PIERS but they say 1T isn't fair to hold them
responsible. One Of them put forth the ex-
PLANTATION that the War Department PEI pa1ion ,o 81
the law on the subject, and early In March
last made a contract with the Scofield Com
pany Of philadelphia, the lowest Responsible
this officer thought, that the contractor
would not be able to finish the work by
May 2, the contract date. but to make sure
this 500 day penalty. Yet this particular
penalty, according to those familiar with
contract work of this kind. has simply re-
suited in continued and continuing delay
on the piers.
The Weather Blamed.
It was stated further that the failure OF
the contractor to complete the work on
time was due more to force Of circum-
stances than to any special lapse on his
part The main thing that contributed to
the contractors failure to carry out his con-
tract was long stretch of abnormally bad
weather. which not only interfered with the
work in progress. but also delayed the de-
livery Of the needed material.
The view at the department seems to be
that as the contractor Is working under a
penalty of 500 day he Is naturally doing
his best to complete the work and minimize
his own losses. But he has made no applf-
cation for an extension of time.
Another officer said that the delay in the
completion of the big piers was due to the
attempt Of the contractor to do in three
months, by extraordinary efforts, work
which would ordinarily require a years
time. The company was regarded as en-
tireIy responsible, and. in fact, was be-
Iieved to be better equipped for the work
then probably any other constructing COM
pany in the United States. The further
statement was made, as being only fair to
the contractor. that he has done the best
he could under unfavorable conditions Of
weather and unforeseen difficulties in OBJ
tanning labor and material The army en-
gineers now say that insufficient time was
allowed for the work. and express the opin-
ion that the contractor has probably made
as much progress as was possible under ad-
verse circumstances.