New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-27

practically completed, the proprlety OF
their bid
After an extended discussion Mr. Brad
ley offered TO lower his bid to s1.3OO,9OO
This 1 refused TO consider. Finally. as a
last resort he lowered his bulk sum bid
TO 81, 10000, TO include the work on Sec
ton 9-0-2."
Little Choice Under Conditions.
The memorandum then characterizes
this offer as slightly less than an even
compromise. and continues;
It NAV also be noted that there remains
70 be done on Section 9-0-l under the
present contract about $4,000 worth or
work # Ezra g+sdley Te er 70 cent Gta On h this u
would mean a payment TO him on that
account of S18l.5O1
ouired TO proceed under his original con-
tract. If this IS not practicable Il wou!d
then be a question or wnether BTaoleS
work is lower than new old Would pc -o5
the same work, including his unearned
profits As near as I can Judge. II Is ABOUT
an even figure
At the end Of the memorandum Mr.. Sea-
man wrote;
You VIII note ny final statement that I
consider IL about an even trLng a. 70
offer or advertise for new bids OF course
the acceptance Of the Bradley Contracting
Company's offer will save some time
In his letter to the commission, dated
July 49, Mr. Seaman wrote in part
In regard to my recommendation that
the contractor for Section SOL De direct
ed TO proceed with this contract, ! apprT,
bend that il this contract Is gam put up
10 bidders II would be so dlncult 10 get
connection that the price which the CITY
thar any damages which the contractor
might collect because OF changed c CI-0I- !.
lions and might even exceed the eoh-rd
tor present oref
Saws sassett Wanted New Contract.
When seen at his home, No. 40 Clinton
street. Brooklyn. last night, Mr. Seaman
made the following statement in regard 10
both of the above letters
In the letter Of July Is, 1910, the last
nara araph of the memorandum explains
nv position. that the contractor should be
reolIired to proceed under his original con-
tract There had not been any material
change in the condttions-the character OF
+hA work was the same, only there was
little more OF it, for which he would nave
been paid extra in proportion
The preceding paragraph explains the
bonus Of S1S7 600 which would be paid to the
contractor II this 8, 10000 was awarded II
was these two clauses which made them
nhe commission hesitate TO proceed fur
Their on these lines
II have always maintained that the con-
tractor should have been instructed 10 pro-
coed with his contract and the extras set
tied when the work was completed.
The letter Of July 49, 1910 merely con-
firms nv original estimate Of 100000 for
This work and expresses my objection 70
anv new bidder. as well as to a modified bid.
THE only course open for the contractor
Is TO proceed with his contract under in
structions from the chief engineer. or else
10 abandon his work. Mr.. Bassett was de-
teru1ined TO make new contract
Mr. Seaman explained that If a contractor
abandons his work he loses his right to
claim the Is per cent of uneaTned pTaf1ts,
and then continued:
Il had urged that the contractor be re-
o,,ired to proceed with his contract, and
showed that TO do otherwise was equivalent
70 giving him liberal bonus
RESIGNATION Demanded, Wilcox Says.
Chairman Wilcox. in his statement is
sued Yesterday afternoon, reiterated that
4Ir Seamans resignation had been de-
rnanded by the commission on the chief
engineers re.lrn from Europe. on Septem-
her H. The majority of the commission
resignation last summer, but owing to MI
seaman's nervous condition the matter had
been postponed until his return from vaca-
ton. said Mr.. WILCOX
In regard 10 the Bradley contract Mr.
Wilcox said. in part:
'sNIr. Seaman made an estimate of ST.
o4a 600. Bradley said his bottom price was
81 $50 600 Negotiations were continued by
the engineertng department, and Mr.. Sea
man wrote that the lowest figure that ne
could obtain from Bradley was Si.25O.00O.
and his letter substantially states that II
Is better 10 accept this figure than 70 htl-
gate and delay IN getting new bids.
..Air. Craven. as acting chief engineer.
sent in the figure OF $l.l500o0, being
s1GO geo less than Mr.. Seaman's hgure.
This figure was recommended ny the en-
eineering department as a proper low bid
figure without any urging or compuision'
and negotiations we're continued with that
figure as basis. Nothing has been con-
summated.