New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-13
ALL ABOARD
FOR NEW SUBWAY
Continued from page |


/ first. for construction alone, and, sec
end, for construction, equipment and
operation. On May 81, 1907, the Rap
/ id Transit Commission requested the
Board Of Estimate to rcscind the above
resolution so that bids for construc-
ton alone might be asked for, and
authorized the chief engineer and coun-
sci to prepare the plans and contracts
On June 4, 1907, the Board Of Esti-
mate and Apportionment rescinded the
resolution and authorized the commits
sion to advertise for bids for con-
struction only.
On June p. 1907, the Rapid Transit
Commission approved the plans ana
contracts except those Of Section II
Al, covering that part OF the route
between Ashland Place and Fourth Ave
nue and Fulton Street TO SacketI
Street. c.--
On July l. 1907. the Public Service
Commission succeeded the RAPID
Transit Commission, and on July 30
held a public hearing upon the form oil
contracts as determined upon ny the
Rand Transit Commission. In OCTOBER
and November, 1907, the Public Service
Commission approved the plans ana
contracts with some changes IN grades
and an increase in the height OF the
subway. The height was fixed at not
less than fifteen feet lii the clear. On
December Q, the commission author
lied counsel and chief engineer to
prepare contracts and plans for Sec,
ton 1l-A-l. These were prepared
and a hearing was held upon the form
e contract on February II, l"O6. TN
March 10. 1908, the commission APP
proved plans and forms of contracts
and transmitted the same TO the boaId
Of Estimate and Apportionment. TN
March p. 1908. the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment approved the form
Of contracts and requested the Publlc
. Service Commission to advertise for
bids Immediately. On March 3ist the
/ commission ordered that invitations to
contracts be published as advertise
ments according 10 law. The advertise
ments. beginning early in April, APP
/ reared once a week for four weeks, and
bids were opened by the commission on
/ May 3, 1908.
On Nav %. 1908. the commission
! awarded contracts for all six sections
70 the lowest bidder for each section,
and on May 26. 1909. transmitted 20
/ the Board of Estimate and Apportlon-
nent the awards for approval, with,
reausition for $2.s50,000 TO start the
work.
/ The aggregate amount Of the con-
+ tracts awarded was about Sl5A5bOuo,
and Controller Metz. holding that the
/ full amount would be charged against
1 the debt limit if the contracts we're an
proved. gave II as his opinion that the
city had not sufficient borrowing ca
pacity to Justify it in approving the
/ contracts
jefferson VI. Levy brought tax
PAYERS suit for an injunction 10 re
! strain the Board Of Estimate and APP
portionmert from approving the con,
tracts. This injunction was served
upon the Board of Estimate on June
10. 1908. and continued in force until
the latter part of October, 1909 during
which time the question Of the dent
limit was taken up TO the Court of APP
meals for determination. Soon after
The issuance Of the injunction the SUI
irene Court appointed General Ben
/ iamin T. Tracy referee 70 investigate
and determine what the city'S margin
under the debt limit was as OF June
80. 1908. The referee spent several
months in the investigation and MADE
his report in April. 1909, holding that
4 the margin of the city's borrowing ca
pacitv on the date in question was
about S1Of.OCO.0O0. In arriving at this
/ amount he had purposely excluded con-
tract liabilities Of the city where con-
tracts had been signed but no pay
ments had been made or bonds issued
/ in paymeat thereon. The report OF the
referee was appealed to the Appellate
Division, which, without gong INTO the
merits Of the case. approved II pro
forma, and an appeal was Immediately
taken 20 the Court Of Appeals. ms
court handed down its decision in DC
tober, 1909 In the main il confirmed
! the report Of the referee. but overruled
him in his action excluding contract
/ liabilities upon which no bonds had
been issued or payments made. holding
that the full amount of such contracts
must be computed in figuring the Dor
rowing margin Inder the debt limit.
This decision reduced the borrowing
capaeitv rs Of June so, 1908, to about
$4,000 900.
As soon as the Court Of Appeals de-
cision was received officially by the
city authorities, the Injunction re-
straining the Board Of Estimate and
Apportionment from acting upon the
Fourth Avenue subway contracts was
dissolved, and at the meeting on DC
tobcr %, 1909, the Board of Estimate
approved the contracts.
The Public Service Commission i'm
mcdiately notified the contractors 10
B whom awards had been made IN May,
1908. 20 execute their contracts within
the ten days allowed by contract pro-
visions. All contractors signed their
contracts within the time limit. and on
November Q. 1909, the commission for
mally approved and executed the same
on behalf OF the city. The contract
for the first section, in Flatbush Ave
nue. Extension, was assigned. with the
consent o. the commission, by James
p Graham 10 Smith, Scott & CO., who
performed the work
The first work On the subway was
done on November -, 1909. upon one
Of the sections for which William
Bradley was the contractor. The first
shovelful Of earth was turned by Will
lam r. Wilcox. chairman OF the PUP
lie Service Commission. in the presence
Of several thousand people. The occa-
sion was made memorable by appro-
pirate ceremonies carried out by a
Rrooklyn citizens committee. The
place where this work was done was
in Flatbush Avenue Extension, between
DeKalh Ayenue AID Mllloughby Street.