New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-06-03
Two Years Cut
Court House
Bids S2,OOO,OOO
Craig Wins Bet That He
Would Get Building Up
and Put a Roof on Ii
for Less Than 50. 900, 600
Old Contractors TO Sue
To Fight CanceIlationsDue TO
I920Limestone Scandal;
New Figures Are Unsealed

Comptroller Craig, committee Of one
Of toe Board Of Estimate on the new
county court house, laid wager re-
Gently with a doubling friend that he
would Get the court house up and put
a roof on IL for less than 100000
The Comptroller was not betting on a
sure thing, for the seals on the bid
wsr. not broken until yesterday. when
IL was found that either granite or
limestone superstructure could sc
erected under the s5.ooo00O mark. The
Comptroller. slatsd. will claim the
wager.
The new bids averaged about ST.
1000 900. for either granite or lime
lone. under those received two years
ago on which the contracts were for
fnally let b. the Board Of Estimate,
and a. formally rescinded later when
the so-cslled limestone scandal broke
and collision was alleged among some
.f the contractors. Some % the old
contractors notified the board yester-
cav Of their intention 10 sue the city
Fcr damages unless the original con
traets were carried out. The Bcthle
aem steel Bridge Corporation. Uhi'n
cot the original contract for the steel
construction work in 1920 Tor 81 10
600. offered 90 do the work now for
$3.50 900. but without prejudicing any
claims IL might have against the city
on the old contract. The oher Uas not
made as formal new bid and, there
fore, was not considered by the board.
if,S17.161 Under 1920
A tabulation Of the bids opened yes
terday shows that the superstructure
OF granite upon granite base Will
cost s459.243 more than y limestone
superstructure Oh a granite base. Inc
lowest bids for al the work OF gran
tie superstructure were those OF j. T.
Brady e. Company. the Harrison, Grant
Company. Inc; the fordham tornice
Works. Inc. and the Milton Schnaier
Construction Company. totalilng Va
O2s.62s. The lowest bids on the same
work two years ago was S6s4s,iso.
This shows a reduction OF 3 Nl4,ltl.
The lowest bid for = limestone su-
oerstructrre on granite base Has
that OF the George A. Fuller Constrae
ton Company FOR 'S,4S7,6Q0, 70 which
would be added the bid o. me milton
Schnaier Company for rough plumbing
Of 1926, making the lowest hid Tor
the limestone building &3,5l03so. Two
years ago the bid FOR the same WORK
amounted 20 S5.7lS97o. reduction in
tho case OF the Limestone superstruc-
ture Of t2I4g.5s4. Of which the redue-
ton in limestone alone Is about $500
900. The Fuller company bid f4'22f.Ooo
for the all-granite construction.
Henry Hanlein 4 Son. who figured
in the limestone investigation under
the original contracts. submitted bid
Of 81 ,4a7,37s for limestone super
structure which. combined with the
lowest bid Of s2es,542 for a granite
foundation. made a totsl Of ti,7.5,els,
against a bid Of S2,372.0oo two years
ago for the same work. or a reduction
OF s6is.000. Henry Hanlein 4 Son,
however, were not the lowest bidders
on the limestone Superstructure. The
lowest bid on limestone was that Of
Shuttleworth & Gillies, whose figure
was 3i,ls3,0oo.
Figures Heavily Reduced
The Fordham Cornice Works, Inc,
vas the lowest bidder on the construc-
-lOn OF the fotAs AVi apof'NNs w
Years ago the lowest bidder was the
Herman 4 Grace Company. at i2l8,300.
This firm Is one OF those VINO have
threatened 70 bring suit against the
city unless the original contract -
carried out The lowest bid for the
rough plumbing work was that Of tho
Milton Sehnaier Construction Company,
OF sS2.7s5. The lowest bid two years
The bid OF Harrison. Grant Company.
Inc, for the granite foundation was
S2eS,5a2. and for the granite super
structure Si,49i, 5sl; cast store work,
s16,560
The best com bination bid was that
Of J. T. Brady 4 Co. for the structural
steel frame, 1925 $40; concrete flooring.
hreprooSng, etc, SzS4,4So. and for the
brick work. terra-cotta, etc, S6s4.s4O.
Dennis +. Corners submitted bid
on the granite superStructure OF ST.
$4,000. or total Of 50 ,639 900 with "a
granite base. His bid for limestone
superstructure on = granite founda-
ton was 1851. 600. Conners's bid for
the reinforced concrete flooring and
roof construction was S4s3 900. ana
that FOR the br1ck work. terra-cOtta,
etc. s5s8 900. making his total for an
all-granite building. exclusive Of the
steel frame. s3,7lb,0oO. while his bid
for limestone superstructure with a
granite base, exclusive Of the steel
frame. was s3.i00,000.
The bids will be tsbulated and ready
for the meeting Of the Committee Of
the Whole Of the Board 81 Estimate
next Wednesday. when they will be
considered in executive session.