New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-20
Estimate Board to Take
Steps Toward Commission
Government To-day.
PLAN TWO BUREAUS
TO SUPERVISE WORK
Scheme Outlined at Secret Meet
ing a Week Ago Will Cost
S35S,000 in Salaries.

Further Capitalization OF powers in the
Board OF Estimate is provided for IN
resolution 10 be passed to-day by the
board. This is a part Of the plan for a
new organization, which is in direct line
with the principles Of the commission
form OF government.
An organization is TO be formed when
will do much Of the work that mas
hitherto been done in the Finance Depart
nent The power Of the borough presi-
dents some OF them suspect. VIII be
somewhat curtailed by the new work OF
the board. Some Of them may object to-
dav. although they grudgingly gave their
informal consent at secret meeting
week ago.
Controller Prendergast is in hearty ac-
cord with the plan. AS member OF the
organization committee Of the board ne
has assisted in framing the scheme.
MAYOR Mitchell and President McAneny OF
the Board Of Aldermen are the othei
members Of the committee. As the com
mittee has nine out OF the sixteen votes
the resolution will so through regaroiess
of any objections from any of the Dor
ouch presidents
Two Bureaus To Be Formed.
The resolution provides for two bureaus
in the board one Of contract supervision
and the other Of standards. George J..
Tirel. secretary of the Finance Depart
mont. is to be chief of the Bureau oil
Standards. Tiden Adamson, for three
Years head of the Division Of Municipal
Investigation and Statistics, is to be III
charge Of the Bureau Of Contract super
vision. They will probably receive >o"V'
the same salaries as now.
The Bureau OF Contract Supervision VIII
have the following duties: Analysis OF
corporate stock requests. which means
the making Of the corporate stock bud
GETS. preparation of plans and speclncd-
lions where necessary, and the reNle" u
mans and specifications when prepared .!
the DEPARTMENTS, accumulation OF cost
data on contract work; analysis Of piuS
received: investigation and SUBMISSION ol
reports on the progress of constructor
contracts. and establishment OF stanoaru
contract prices in various departments
having charge Of construction work.
Many
Moves now working under Mr.. Adaihsoii
in the Finance Department Will prooao'S
he transferred TO his new bureau How
ever. il is estimated that the payroll VIII
only be about $4,000. while the paNroh
of the Division OF Municipal investigation
and Statistics is about twice that amount
Mr. Tirell. S chief of the Bureau OF
Standards. will continue TO great eX-
,ent the work that has been under way
,or so,oa time I'm the Standardization Of
,alaries and grades. II is estimated that
he payroll for this work VIII be aoou'
$4,000 a year. although in the last year II
has frequently been as high as slOSep.
The Standardization Of supplies is an
other function that will be taken over by
Mr.. Tirell's bureau. II is estimated that
+, will cost about 49, 900. the same as now.
The supervision Of the analyzins ana
testing laboratory, in charge OF Otto II.
Klein. will also he under his bureau
This work will cost about $4,000 year.
the amount appropriated for the lapora-
tory in the budget this year. This makes
q total OF about $4,000 for the Bureau oil
Standards
The new plans provide for a continu-
snce as bureaus of three departments OF
the Board of Estimate. There VIII be the
Bureau Of Public improvements unoer
Nelson j. Lewis, chief engineer, whose
salary is 81. 900; the Bureau of Franchises
under Harry 7. Nichols. franchise chgl-
necr. whose salary is $500, and the bu-
reau Of Records and Minutes, under
1oscnb Haar. secretary Of the Board of
Fstimate. who gets $500