The sun., 1908-05-10
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
MAYOR AND METZ EXPECTED
TO OPPOSE APPROPRIATIONS,


Westinghouse, Church, Kerr 4 60.
Pleases the Public Service Commission,
There will be a fight in the Board Of Esti-
mate about the end Of the month when the
Public Service Commission formally reporI
to that body that 1t has awarded the con-
tracts for the building Of the six sections OF
the Fourth avenue subway In Brooklyn.
Mayor Mcclellan and Comptroller Mott
arestill Of the opinion that the city, finances
do not warrant undertaking 30 expensive
a job and from all that could be learned
yesterday they will vote against appro-
priating money for beginning work on even
one or two Of the sections.
II Is understood that the ground Mr.
I Mcclellan and MIR Metz will take In oppos-
ing the building Of the subway at this time
Is that to appropriate between sl5,OOO,OO
and Sl6OOO 600 for the Fourth avenue sub
way will mean that the city will be unable
10 carry out other more needed public i'm
provements and that it will be to the inter-
est Of the city to wait a while longer until
II can be seen whether or not private oapi-
tai, because Of the amendments 10 the
rapid transit laws which were passed at the
last session Of the Legislature extending
the period Of the operating leases, cannot
be attracted to the building Of the new sub
way.
The present Indications however are that
Mayor Mcclellan and Comptroller Metz
will be outyoted and that money To begin
work on at least three Of the six sections
will be appropriated The appropriation
requires only majority vote and while
Mr. Mcclellan and Mr. Metz will vote to-
gether the five borough presidents will
vote for the appropriation and President
McGowan Of the Board Of Aldermen will
undoubtedly cast his three votes with them,
This will mean that work on the new subway
will be begun on at least two of the sections,
and probably three, early In July.
Comptroller Metz said yesterday that he
had received letter from John b.
! Mcdonald the builder Of the Manhattan
subway. in which Mr. Mcdonald stated
that with an elevated railroad on one side
Of Fourth avenue and a trolley line on the
other the new subway could never be made
d paying proposition.
Il don't believe" MIR. Metz went on,
that the people Of this city will stand by
and zee all the money the city can raise IN
the next two years sunk In that Fourth
avenue tube. While there will be an in
crease in the borrowing capacity ot the
city Of S45. 900 600 this year, the Increase
next year will not he more than 25OO,OO,
and when this Fourth avenue matter comes
up before the Board Of Estimate intend
to vote for the interests Of the whole OF
the city and not for a certain section Oi
the city. | am preparing some figures 20
present TO that meeting which think VIII
prove highly interesting to the residents
Of this metropolis.
Mr.. Metz would say nothing about what
these figures would show beyond inti-
mating that they would demonstrate that
the city was not able TO build subWays
without sacrificing other and more needed
public improvements.
Westinghouse, Church. Kerr 4 Co., one
Of the largest electrical engineering and
contracting firms in the country, which
offered 70 build the tunnel by what 1t
called the master and servant type OF
contract sent another communication
Yesterday 10 the Public Service Commits
sion describing In fuller detail the methods
under which the firm would be willing TO
construct the tunnel Briefly, the scheme
is that the company and the commission =
engineering experts shall agree on a
schedule Of charges by units for material
and labor and that the company shall
| build the tunnel on the basis OF these units,
depending for it's remuneration on the
saving il can make out OF the units IL Is
| Contended by the company that by means
Of this scheme the city will get the subway
constructed at actual cost The. com
pany in the course Of its mmunication
stated
We submit that this type Of agreement
| Is better adapted to the performance Of
| large undertakings over long periods Of time
| than the conventional performance contract,
! the administration Of which is exceedingly
| difficult, departures from which are made
! necessarily profound by the constant inter
! ference OF conditions aud IN which the oppOr-
! tunity for excess cost becomes maximum
through extras and unforeseen contingencies,
and whose variability largely exceeds the tAily
OF the type Of performance contract which
| they attend.
| We further submit that this method IS one
! with which We have had much experience
and under which we have done work OF the
largest most dhcut and complicated
| character. with results 30 satisfactory as to
/ cause a continual increase Of use in work
I Of the largest magnitude
| Its form may be varied 10 any degree neCes-
! sary to cover the conditions Of any given
! undertaking. providing It's essentials are re-
| tanned and that its spirit aud general mode of
| administration are preserved. This elasticity
! has often been favorably remarked, its
! merits remaining intact throughout a broad
| scope Of activity and variation OF the elements
! to " hch II relates.
! We especially suggest as n matter Of fact
! and experience that no intermediate or Com-
! promise form beween this master and SER
! want type and a lump sum contract is All
/ mIssbe, since thereby viii be obtained the
/ defects Of both with the virtues Of neither
| Members Of the Public Service Com
| mission do not hesitate TO say that the
! prOposal is an attractive one to them and
! that il they are advised that there is no
/ legal objection TO taking mp such a scheme
they intend to give to'the proposition serious
: consideration, for the reason that they
/ think il will result in economy and high
| standard Of work
! Perpmptory orders we're issued yester-
/ day directing the New York City Railway
/ Company to increase its service on the
Eighty-sixth street crosstown line so that
there shall be provided 10 per cent, in
crease Of seats over the average number
/ Of passengers carried during every fifteen
minute period of the day or night. A
similar order was issued against the Metro
! politan avenue line Of the Brooklyn, Queens
| county and Suburban Railway Company
! Another peremptOry order directed the
! Union Railway Company TO increase It's
service Of cars on the Fort Schuyler road
--------