New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-14
AIMS TO STOP
PAYMENTS ON
NEW SUBWAY
Prendergast Insists p. ). T.
Favored Crawford, Inc,
by $145,723.
SECTION RUNS UNDER
OLD ASTOR HOUSE
Hayward Expected to Make Re-
port That May Affect Whit
mans Charges.

Declaring that the Public Service
Commission has granted 10 Frederlck
I. Crawford. Inc, money dement's o,
S1Ab-23 which were not contemplated
in the original contract. Controher
Prendergast in p report 10 De pIeSen'-
cd 10 the Board Of Estimate on FRIDAY
recommends that no further approptl-
stions of corporate stock be mace loi
that subway section under construc-
ton BY the concern.
7. js understood that Commissioner
HAYWARD. who has been aware OF the
question about this contract since the
DAYS of the legislative invesrgauoh'
will make a full report on the matter
20 Governor Whitman, who IS sun con
sidering what action he VIII take on
.be charges against the other members
Of the commission.
The section of the subway IN queS-
tion Is that part OF the Lexington ave
nue. line which runs from Church street
into Broadway by way OF Nesey street
under St. Paul's School and Nestry, ne
Evening Post" Building and the corner
of the old Aston House site
The original contract for the con-
s,rnction OF the section was let 70
Crawford for 1882, 740.70. Then the
njan was 10 tunnel under the Astor
House. Later II was decided 70 take II
down. and supplemental contracts were
let TO him for underpinning the other
two buildings and for constructing re
tanning walls and cradles on the old
Astor House site. The commission
agreed TO do this work as part OF the
consideration TO be paid for the ease
ments. In letting these supplemental
contracts the commission did not con-
suit the Board Of Estimate.
Under the heading Of Apparent ex-
cessive payments and substantial sd-
vantages granted 10 the contractor not
contemplated in the original contract
approved by the Board OF Estimate,
the Controller says:
at is clear that the contractor OBJ
tanned through special agreements not
only an apparently large proht IN build
ing the walls, cradles and piers, put
that he also obtained advantages not
included in the original contract upon
which other bidders submitted bids
Some of these advantages ne emu
merAted as follows:
Apparently exorbitsnt profit est-
mated at $4,000 and over in the con
struction of the walls. piers and cradles
for the Aston House site.
paid S59. 299 for so-called tunnel eT-
cavation at points where not 80 mucn
as a spoonful of earth was excavated
bv tunnel methods, and despite the fact
that he was paid separately under
lump sum agreement for all this e1-
cavstion which was done by open cut
Enabled to excavate by cheap open
trench methods large portion Of the
subway which the contract required
should be done by expensive tunnel
methods.
Had the free use Of the southerly
half Of the Astor property for the stor-
age OF equipment and materials, where
as under the original contract, which
provided for tunnelling under the As
Tor House. he would nave had to deliver
material day by day, not being per-
mitted TO store it in the street.
WAS allowed sl5,026.67 for delay
allegedly due 10 time used in eonnec-
ton with the acquisition Of the Astorr
House easement, whereas the original
contract provided that no allowances
should be made for delay in acquiring
real estate