New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-16
Tunnel Under Aston House
Saved by Inches, Nc
Call Reports.
CAISSONS LET TUBE
BREAK ITS MOORINGS
p. S. C. Chairman Attacks Prem
dergast for Overestimating
Construction Extras.

In n letter TO the Board Of Estimate.
Yesterday on the additional cost Oh
that section of the Lexington Avenue
subway going under the old Astor
House site, Chairman Mccall OF the
Public Service Commission revealed Tor
the first time that serious damage 10
the tunnel had been narrowly ayerted'
Combating the arguments OF Con,
troller Prendergast in asking the board
TO hold up the appropriation OF cor
norate stock for the extras, on the
ground that they were being paid Tor
excessively to the extent OF about
s146 900. Chairman Mccall cut down
the items one by one until he actually
got a balance in favor OF the city OF
some $1,000.
II was in the item for contingencies
that the secret of the accident to the
tunnel was brought out. The Con-
troller held that $4,000 was a liberal
allowance. The engineers OF the COM
mission allowed $4,000.
Probably he (the Controller IS not
aware" wrote Chairman Mccall, "ot
certain conditions met with in the &C.
tual work. For example, by reason OF
caisson construction the north tunnel
rolled about two inches, and extreme
precautions had to be taken to prevent
further rolling, which If continued an
inch or two more would have resulted
in strains and distortions which prob
ably would have required the complete
rebuilding Of this section Of the tun'
nell"
II was learned last night that the
letter of Chairman Mccall had been
drafted and sent out without the
knowledge of Commissioner Hayward,
who has been working with Controller
Prenderg:st on the matter. There VIII
probably be some fur flying when 1t is
taken up at the regular meeting OF the
commission this morning.
Opening his letter, Chairman Mccall
rebuked the Controller for having
made public his report before there
had been a chance for consultation and
checking up with the commissioners
and engineers Of the Public Service
Commission.
Attention is called TO the offer Of
the Astor estate to sell the easement
for Sl,500,000, and assume the burden
of protecting the tunnels in the con-
struction of any future building, or to
sell it for 100000 if the city would
construct an eight-foot retaining wall
TO rock foundation and build piers
under the tunnels for the purpose OF
facilitating the construction OF a new
building. The cost Of this work, it is
estimated, would be $865,000.
Among the items included by Alfred
Craven, the chief engineer Of the com
mission, and not considered by j. W.
F.. Bennett, the outside engineer. &C
cording to Chairman Mccall, were Sl6,-
400 TO cover damages for delays and
additional work required by the Aston
estate; $4,000 representing profits on
work covered by the original contract
and required to be omitted by the mod
fled contrac'. and $9,120 for excava-
ton, not included by Mr.. Bennett
through error.
Chairman Mccall further deducts
ABA as the difference between the
$40 rate for excavation used by Mr..
Craven and the S32 rate used by Mr..
Bennett. This reduces the $4,000 ex-
cess alleged by Mr.. Bennett to ST., 900.
There is a further net difference be-
tween the contingency estimates of
$4,000.
"If this be Offset against the figure
of Sl1, 120 remaining after deducting
the other items" declared Chairman
Mccall, "the scale would be turned and
there would be a balance in favor OF
the commissions estimate of 1891"
.