New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-15
MAY overthrow BOARD
Water Supply Commissioners
Act in Advertising Bids a Lever.
MAYORS HOSTILITY KNOWN
Ferguson Exonerated from
Blame, Having Been Told Wat
son Had Approved Forms.

The Mayor, 1t is understood, considered
tho action of the Board Of Water Supply
in advertising for bids on contractsss to
build the high pressure tunnel under Man
haitian clearly Illegal. since the forms of
contract had not been approved by Cor
poratfon Counsel Watson. He may prefer
charges against the three Commissioners
of the Board, John A. Bensel, Charles n.
Chadwick and Charles A. Shaw, it was said
yesterday, with view to their removal and
whether he accomplishes this or not, may
suggest legislation at Albany which shall
put the Board of Water Supply more fully
under the control of the Mayor.
David Ferguson, supervisor OF the City
Record, has been exonerated Of RESPONSE
bility for printing the advertisement for
bids. Last Thursday evening an assistant
engineer in the office Of J. Waldo Smith,
chief engineer for the Board Of Water Sup
ply came to him, 1t was reported, with the
advertisement fully drawn up. He gave the
impression that Corporation Counsel Wat
sons o. K. had been obtained. 1t was
late. and the supervisor had no way of
verifying the assertion, and no reason for
doubling it The advertisement. therefore,
appeared in tie City Record on Friday.
Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.
II was withdrawn Tuesday afternoon by
the members Of the Water Board. So much
Mr. Chadwick and Mr.. Shaw would say in
the absence Of MIR. Bensel. Mr.. Bensef S
mothers death, in Leoninster, Mass, caused
his absence from the city yesterday, and
the other commissioners said they could not
discuss a question which concerned all three
when one was absent. They expect to issue
q statement on Mr.. Bensel's return to-day
Dir. Bensel's retirement, In any event. Is
matter Of days only, since he Will assume
the office of State Engineer on January 1.
The Corporation Counsel still has the
forms Of contract under scrutiny, and
though he has not actively disapproved OF
any feature Of them, he has not yet given
them his APPROVAL. At the Mayors request
the Controllers department assigned two of
its engineers to investigate the specffica-
tons to discover, it was said. whether any
had been SO drawn as to allow of ''unbal-
anced bids that is, bids excluding all but
one or two favored concerns.
It was the opinion of several of the city
officials that an attack on the Board of
Water Supply al this time would be prena-
trre They said the board was not forced
into withdrawing the advertisements for
bids from THE Record" but did it ap-
further that the illegality of-advertisng for
bids before the forms Of contract have
been approved by the Corporation Counsel
had never been definitely established, and
that the entire proceeding might be consid-
cred legal, perhaps, If the Corporation
Counsel gave his approval before the con-
tracts were let
The Mayor has not had time TO study the
forms of contract himself. His hostility to
the board. however, is well known. He
viii, if possible, it is expected, make the
incident the basis of a supreme effort to
overthrow the present board, reorganize it
into bureau accountable TO him, and effect
q wholesale reduction Of salaries and ex-
penses- The board, created by special leg
islation fathered by Mayor Mcclellan, has
had a rather free hand in the expenditure
Of the citys money.
The sections of the high pressure tunnel
for which bids were invited were as follows:
From Jerome avenue to Burnside avenue,
University Heights; from Burnside avenue
to Eighth avenue and seth street; from
9eth street TO Union Square and one section
thence to the Battery and under the East
River to Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn.