New-York tribune., 1916-07-28
Estimate Board Allows
S7,75O,O0O Additional
Expenditure.
MORNINGSIDE PARK
TO BE PROTECTED
$4,000 Appropriated to Put
Pumping Station Under
Ground.

The Board OF Estimate sweltered
through an all-dav session yesterday
and made hot weather record b. dis.
posing Of practically all the Ss5 gen.
eral items on the calendar. Another
specisl meeting will be held to-day 10
consider finally the acquiring Of title
TO certain land for Inwood Park and
the relocation OF Twelfth Avenue
These matters came before the board
yesterday and DESPITE the explanations
OF Mayor Mitchell and Controller Prem
dergast that they did not relate to the
New York Central-West Side improve
ment. representatives Of various civic
organizations present assumed that
they did, and so much opposition de-
ve!oped that the subject was post
poned to to-day.
Just before adjournment the board
authorized an additional expenditure
Of s7,750, 900 for work on the dual sub
way system above the original esti'
mated cost Of s164,Ooo,o0o. This. TO.
gether with an authorization OF 81
500 900 which is expected 70 be A.
proved by the board to-day. will brig
the cost of the dual system 20 more
than si2,00O,0O0 above the original es
innate. Mayor Mitchell explained that
these appropriations were part OF the
500 .OO0, 900 added cost which the Pub
lie Service Commission reported would
be necessary this year.
Prendergast Defends Increase.
Controller Prendergast declared that
there was nothing unusual IN the
final cost running considerably above
the original estimates in such large
contracts of g public nature.
"In all large projects" ne said. ~
has always been found that the final
cost of the work is somewhat larger
than the original estimated amount
The Panama Canal work has cost tho
government more than twice the estl-
mated amount. The state barge
canal has cost at least a third more
than originally estimated" !"
The request from the Court House
Board for the authorization Of s. ,5OO,.
600 corporate stock 10 meet the cost
of erecting a new court house and the
approval Of the modified plans, was
laid over until September 10.
Morningside Park Protected.
The board voted 20 save Morningsids
Park. An appropriation Of $4,000 wii
made TO build a pumping station uneG
ground and Go away with the tea
porary structure erected in the pan
by the Board of Water Supply. Il will
take $4,000 of this appropriation 70
demolsh the structure now in the PARK
which was erected on temporary per-
nit.
When the Inwood Park and ths
Twelfth Avenue matters came before
the board, Frederick W. Hinrleh'
chairman of a committee from the
League for Municipal Ownership and
Operation, wanted the board 70 prom
ise that the contract for the WesI
Side improvement would not be sub
mitted for public hearings until after
the November elections and the adop'
tion of the city budget for 1917
West Side Situation.
In order TO facilitate public inter
probation Of the final contract, as NJ
Hinrichs said, he asked the board tc
adopt and announce as the city's pol
icy that it is not proposed to gran;
anv franchise or permit which cou!1
nossihly be construed 70 be a perma.
nent franchise or permit. He wanted
ali such franchise questions, which
might De raised by the proposed agree
ment with the New York Centta'' 70
be reported publicly. He wanted IN,
Port and Terminal Committee 70 IN
clude in the final plan submitted, 8.
description of every separate charge
however slight" ~
There was no discussion Of Mr. Hin
richs's questions. Mayor Mitchell de-
clared that the question of relocating
Twelfth Avenue was planned long be-
fore the proposed plans Of the We''
Side improvement were adopted.