New-York tribune., 1910-01-15
NAY TAKE APPEAL
IN CITY BUILDING.
Impossible to Finish 1t an Tsco
Years, Erperts Say.

Facts are beginning TO leak out that viii
in all probability lead to an appeal being
taken from the decision rendered last
month by Justice Bowling. of the Supreme
Court, disrnissing the application I'm a tax
payers suit brought by William J. Scheffe-
lin. president of the Citizens Union. for
permanent injunction 10 restrain former
Bridge Commissioner Stevenson from
awardins the contract for the erection of
the new municipal sixyscraper at the Man
haitian end of the Brooklyn Bridge. The
time within which this appeal can be taken
docs not expire until the end OF the present
month.
The same day that Justice Bowling re-
fused 10 grant the application for in
junction. Commissioner Stevenson awarded
the contract for the erection of the build
ing to the Thompson Starrett company for
s5.s95.0o0. There is a great deal of dis
satisfaction among large building firms
over this hasty action. II is stated that the
time allowed to prepare tenders for the new
structure was SO short that many intending
bidders were unable to prepare their bids In
time.
1t is also said that the physical impossi-
bility of the foundation contractors being
able 10 carry out the terms of their con-
tract by sinking caissons 10 bed rock over
ali parts of the site was pretty generally
known to the large building firms at the
time the call for tenders was made for the
superstructure- This created impression
that necessary changes in the foundations
would not only cause serious delay, but
would so alter the plans for the superstruct-
ure that IL would be absolutely necessary
10 call for new tenders for the work.
One Of the most serious defects in the
contract 1t is asserted, is that the compile
ton of the building within the two years
time limit specified in the contract is a
physical irhpossibility. In proof of this
statement a prominent building firm has
prepared an estimate showing that ii would
take more than two years to quarry and
cut the 10000 cubic feet of granite re-
CURED for the structure. even if every
stonecutter IN the greater city was en-
ployed upon the work at once
STEEL INSPECTION COST.
II is also pointed out that a clause in the
contract provides for the inspection of all
eteel TO be used in the building by an in
spector designated by the Bridge Depart
ment and at rate which is utterly out Of
all proportion 10 the price usually paid for
such work. The insertion of this clause not
only precludes competition, but compels the
city 10 pay an exhorbitant price for the in
spection of steel to be used. The rate speci-
fed is 8 20 ton. and fair estimate Of
the amount of steel required is 25.o1o tons.
SO that the cost of inspection Will be in the
i,eighborhood of $4,000.
The prices paid by the largest building
firms I'm the city for steel inspection is only
80 cents a ton. and the city Dock Depart
ment has fixed rate of so cents ton for
inn In he nf
buildings where the amount Of steel used
compared with the area of construction is
much less than the amount required for the
new Municipal Building
The price paid by the Fuller Construction
Company for inspection of steel used in the
Whitehall office building only 80 cents
ton The price that is being paid for the
same work IN the New York Central term-
nal work is only 20 cents ton. The inspec-
fion of steel used in the Waldorf-Astoria
hotel building was only 81 cents ton. The
Thompson-Starrett Company, which has the
contract for the new Municipal Building
has a standard price Of 80 cents a ton for
steel inspection. These figures in some
cases do not include the cost OF erection
inspection. which would amount to 10 cents
ton to be added to the amount for shop
and mill inspection bringing the highest
figure to 60 cents. as compared with 81 20 on
the Municipal Building.
II has been the custom of the Bridge De-
partmealt in recent. years to exclude COM
petition in this matter OF steel inspection
by the insertion of clauses in contracts fix
ing an arbitrary price for the work and
giving the department power to name the
inspectors. The inspection Of the steel used
in the superstructure of the greensboro
Bridge was open to competition. The work