New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-12

han, made as chief engineer III INC
Bureau Of Highways. and wh'oh nc salo
Tho Poroueh President refused 70 aiio"
him 10 publish at the time because "e
o,rsiaered Il an indictment OF MS NC
Aneny's. administration, LED ''e"e' o.
Bingham to give out the report III q"e'
ton last night. ho
Nv McAnenv said yesterday thal '"e
rerort az submitted TO him had oeen Oh
mn va,ue as suggesting anything coi-
structive. and he had returned II 10 "4"
ers1 bingham and asked him 10 MAKE
another report on reorganization OF tne
department. The Borough President saiu
he did not consider the report renec'eu
on his administration. The second re-
mort he said. came to his hands yester-
dav. and he had not yet read it.
General Bingham's report was dated
June G. 1911.
q believe had been called in Ike
doctor. 10 make an examination, dag
nosis and prescription General Bins-
ham said last night in referring 10 the
report. II did so, but those in charge OF
the invalid did not like my report"
Report Sashes Everybody.
The former chief engineer started
| right out in the report 10 lamoaste the
organization and the personnel Of the
Bureau Of Highways. and suggested
many drastic changes. essential for ac-
complishing any real work. in his opin-
ion. He said in the report:
The general organization Of the Bureau
| Of Highways is defective. Nearly every one
| IS running around as he chooses, receiving
| friends. holding corridor conversations. etc
| Certain changes in system are needed AZ
| once. but the main trouble is in the per
| sonnet.
II is not necessary 70 specify cases. be
| cause there is a general atmosphere OF In =.
| efficiencv, waste Of time and labor, lack or
| clear and definite plan. lack Of proper rec
ords. such as technical data, cost data. etc
| He complained that the force in the
| bureau seemed never to have been
taught how to do the work, and were
wofuly behind the times. He continued:
The critical point is in the men who
actually, on the spot, act for the CITY IN
l =
that is. the men who inspect laying OF new
and repair Of old pavement. There are
about a hundred OF these in one way or
another I have held careful eXamins-
| ticn. ard only about dozen have over had
| any technical training. or are a.ple intelli-
gently to supervise work for the city
He asserted that good men could not
| be obtained for these positions unless
they were made exempt from civil SER
vice rules The report continued:
The neonle of New York are so used to
| poor and rough pavements that they 10
NOT realize how much these are behind the
| times would Ike n bring New York up
TO date in this regard In az me pave
NOT being given 10 the foundation, upon
| which everything else depends.
The report said great deal Of the re-
pairing of pavements could be done at
night. when traffic was out Of the way,
and that a small city paving plant was
needed, capable Of laying or repairing
any kind of pavement II should not
cost over sl5O.OOO. Under the title THE
Present Condition of Pavement" General
| Bingham said.
| your nayerncnts are in had condition.
| broadway below 18th street is only toler-
| able. between lith and 18th streets II has
inst boon patched up: above 5sth street. for
! miles If is a punishment 10 ride over II.
! Fifth avenue has done well, but is rapidly
| wearing % its finish.
! St Nicholas avenue has long stretches or
| torture
seventh and Eighth avenues are rickety.
Granite block everywhere is weak.
Many streets had been so patched. he
| said. that it was not easy to find the
original pavement. He found IL neces-
sarv 20 condemn some pavement being
| laid. and direct the contractor TO remove
| il and replace it with better. He found
no STANDARD" specifications in the de-
partment. nor any definite data or con
| illusions as 10 pavements in general,
| This work had been begun.
Would Spend s12,ooo,ooo.
The report estimated that the pressing
| needs and those Of next year for repairs
| and new pavements. machinery. exempt
inspectors salaries, etc. would call for
disbursement by the city of approx
mately sl2.o00O00.
In ending his report General Bingham
made the following query of the Bor-
ough President:
! Was there ever a case in New York Of
a contractor. or his suretes, being sued
! for abandoning or violating contract?
| If not. why not? Then. what's the use Of
/ a contract anyway?