New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
No : Mystery il
Subway Claims.
Declares Bur,
commissioners Knew !,
justment Was Left :.
Controller, He Con,e,s
Total Now $13,OOO.OOO
Hints of Further Demand.
Are Contained in Letter,
From the Coutrac,..

Corporation Counsel Burr said -
terday that SO far as his Office i
cerned no mystery surrounds tba :,
way contractors claims for DANA.
which aggregate S13,OOo,OO and >"
increasing.
The claim of the Intercontis.,.,
Construction Corporation for sl@
576 was adjusted by Controller c,.,
at $32S,0O0, while the one mt i,
the Degnon Contracting Company g.,
about $1,O00,oOo was settled by a
Controller for sSS25OoO.
commissioner Whitney, of the Pr,
lie Service Commission, is in erro,
he contends the Commission was mi,
formed about the conference betws,,
city officials and contractors in nv -
fee on September l3 and ID" said Y.
Burr. Mr.. Goldmark, of the Conn,
sion, was present at the first CONT. cont
ence and both he and Judge Rsnssn
were present at the second one Wi,
they dad not assent TO the plan ,ks,
doubtless knew aboNt it.
Claims Passed to ControlIer
at was in effect that the Cont,0l..
was to adjust any claims for damss,,
arising from any cause due to alIss,i
neglect of the city or the Commissss'
to comply with the contract, the unSs,
standing being the contractors shnn;
drive forward the work. SO tho s,'
might have the use of its subways !,
the earliest possible day. The Ia
conferences in September were rsr,
sequels to the one on June Is. lgls
when the Public Service Commis,ias
ers and the Board of Estimate cousi5
cred means for preventing strike a.
the part of the subway contraoton
employees, who demanded higher wage,
and got them. The September conft,
ence was called because there was
recurrence of danger of a strike
AMY attention is called to claims 70
damages by the contractors based 6
alleged failure of the commission 4
furnish working drawings. As to IN. |
feature of the controversy | knov
nothing. Nor do know anything abop
an agreement with reference to .b|
contractors not being called upon 4
release any claims against the city BE-
cause the city was to pay other claius
AS the matter stands, adjustment d
the claims is entirely in the hands D.
the Controller"
Tax Question Postponed
Asked about the contention of The
Public Service Commission that dam
age claims adjusted by the Controller
would find their way into the Ia,
budget, because the commission ls |
not v'ouchered them, Mr.. Burr SAID
"The Public Service Commissm
doubtless takes that view because h. |
commissioners did not sign the wni
ers for the damages awarded. Ttg
n legal question. Such awards wsA
seem to be properly chargeabe MAt
way construction account. esH tel
better about that later"
Future Claims Suggested
That there is an understanding h.
tween the contractors concerning VITA
shall go into their damage clam
seems to be borne out by the csr |
of the Crawford Company or damage
in the sum of s1,19O,576.23. In prs
dent ". V. Crawford's letter then
an explicit stipulation that the e'n'
pany does not release the city fr'T
liability for other possible dsnsg
claims. 1t is substantially the ssal
stipulation that Laurence Mcclure
the United States Realty and -mprcg,
ment Company, had read into IT,
record when he was examined in CO.. |
nection with his claim for danag.
Mr.. Gran ord asks damages OF slss
131.03 for removal of 60,629 tutsI
yards of earth at S3.07 yard, vhn
the commission asserts was not n
quired by the plans