The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-30

get the banks to extend their credit ~
any way"
In reply 20 a question az TO payments
of $4,000 and 81 800 made 10 Robert F.
Brindell. indicted head OF the Building
Trades Council. Mr.. Tench said:
Il objected very strongly at first but
after considering the matter--wc were
just starting the contract--we thought
IL was a much better thing 10 have
Briadell with US than against US. We
thought It would be MORE expensive II
We went into labor fight. just start
irg. than II we paid him this money
and prevented n strike
Mr. Tench added Brindcil himself nau
fixed the amount OF the payments and
demanded cash In advance. The item
was charged TO general expense.
Charles p. J. snyder. superintendent
OF school buildings for the Board OF
Education. was the next witness. He
explained procedure followed by the
city with respect 20 it's school build
Ing contracts. About twenty-five con-
tractors bid on school work. he testi-
field and two of these. the 7. A. Clark
Company and the James Macarthur
Company, bid on almost every contract.
Mr.. Snyder testified that the city
estimates the cost of school buildings
before bids are asked. Before the war.
he said. these estimates usually coin
cided with the contract price: now they
are almost always below. Queens
High School was taken as an instance.
The original estimate made December.
1914 was s225.so7: in April. 1916. II was
increased TO 1929 ,lS7. and the final esti-
mate July, 1919. was 100000. The con-
tract was awarded for sss6.70o IN May.
1920
Thomas A. Clark. president OF the
T. A. Clark Company. testified ne never
attempted 10 find out what other con
tractors were bidding on Jobs his COM
pany bid on.
1--WE always know who Is going to bid
on a school contract when we get the
plans from the Board OF Education" he
said
He is not member of any building
or trade association. the witness said,
and his bids are never submitted TO any
one else. The Clark company. which has
contracts for five schools now In course
Of construction, does about 60 or 20 per
cent of the work itself and sublets the
remainder.
Mr.. Clark had never heard Of Brindell
| or John r. Hettrick. the contractors
code of practice" lawyer. until he had
read their names In the newspaper sc-
counts Of the Lockwood investigation.
| ne Salu. he ulu KNOW dDouN tHS NoHF
of practice IN the limestone and cut stone
! business. however
His superintendent added s3p. GOO 20
! a certain school bid 20 get II turned down
/ after discovering that all the other con.
! tractors had gone ION strike" and did
not intend TO bid at all. Mr.. Clark tes-
titled. Mr. Carswell asked how he knew
| the others we're acting in concert.
Haywood. my superintendent. told
me-" said the witness. Il don't know
| how he found II out. You had better
call him"
The reason he did not submit a real
bid was fear of disclosing his figures
| to his competitors II new bids were
called for, Mr.. Clark said. When only
one bid is received the city ordinarily
rejects il.
| Mr.. La Guardia. who Is associated
| with Mr.. Curran az the Republican
minority on the Board of Estimate.
issued q staten ent in which he said
FOR all reasons stated by my col
| legue, Mr.. Curran, / deem Il my duty
to sit with the board at every meeting
it holds.
'Mr. Curran is an excellent city Of
fetal with vast experience" the state
ment continues. land his presence
would be a great aid not only in pre-
venting the Interference which he fears
| but also In bringing out facts and con-
| ditions surrounding city affairs hope
he will resume his seat and help in the
work"