New-York tribune., 1919-01-16
Bids for Erection
Of IL" Line Turned
Down by Officials
Three Other Construction
Jobs Delayed by Reduc-
ton in Public Service
Budget; Drawings Late

Another result Of the Board OF Es-
Inmates reduction in this years appro-
priatlon for the use Of the Public Ser
vice Commission was the announce
ment made last night by the commits
sion that it had rejected all bids re-
ceived last week for the erection of
the elevated portion Of the Fourteenth
Street-Eastern District subway line and
that three contracts for other construc-
tion work have been recalled from the
Estimate Board. The reduction Of it's
engineering force was given by the
commission as it's reason for this ac-
tipn.
Commenting on the rejection Of the
bids, a statement issued by the COM
mission declared that the move was
made on the advice Of its cuief engi-
neer, who reported that in the con-
tract for the subway work provision
was made that the contractor was to
be furnished with structural drawings
four months after the delivery of the
agreement.
ION account Of the recent reduction
OF the force" the commission was told,
1T will be impossible to comply with
this provision. The property maps for
this work Will also be delayed"
Many Supervisors Laid OF
Under the contracts, repre- resentatives
OF the commission must give close su-
pervision to the work done by the con-
tractors to insure standard construc-
tion: The majority of the men laid
OF by the commission because of the
Estimate Boards action in reducing
that body's 1919 budget appropriation
were supervisors.
"The construction work is already
undermanned and these layoffs have
SO crippled the supervising work that
lt has been necessary to concentrate
the work." Commissioner Travis H.
Whitney said last night. "For example,
all the men engaged on the making of
final estimates have been transferred
to field work. Even these transfers,
however, are not sufficient to man the
work properly, and within the next few
days it will be necessary to direct
some of the contractors to cease work
Tor the reason that the commission
does not have sufficient engineers and
inspectors to SUPERVISE"
The commission is reluctant to take
this step, Mr.. Whitney said, because it
means delay in completion, increased
cost and possible damages. as we'll as
claims by contractors for delays.
Again, the transfer of men from the
work on final estimates may draw com
plant from the contractors because Of
the delay in final payments to them.
Rest of Force Uncertain
81 do not know of any situation re-
iatng to subway work more serious
than that arising from the present de-
Of the engineering force"
added the Commissioner. "Not only
have more than $40 employees, many
experienced and valuable, been laid off.
but the remaining engineers are un-
certain, and doubtless many of them
will leave, for contractors and corpora
tions have already been prompt in pick
ing up a number of the best men who
have been laid Off"
The three contracts recalled from
the Board of Estimate had already been
awarded. These were for the erection
of a, portion of the elevated structure
on Westchcster Avenue, The Bronx.
All the material for this work has been
available, but again the shortage of en-
ployes made it impossible for the work
to be properly supervised