The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-02
GOVERNMENT NOT
 ALLOWING GRANT
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 announcement that the federal gov- ernment did not intend to make an outright grant of $500, 900 to the city and various ones stated that 1t was their understanding from the very beginning of negotiations that there were no qualifications to 1t.
 Mayor John s. Monagan pointed out that he had already conferred with City Engineer Root and Con- sulting Engineer Malcolm Pirnie on the matter. He also said that he had taken it up with Senator Fran cis T. Maloney, who with Federal Judge J. Joseph Smith Cat the time Fifth Congressional district repre- sentative) was instrumental in se- curing the federal grant for the city.
 The revised estimates for the res- ervoir construction cost. as present. ed to the board. by City Engineer Root through Controller Maloney, indicate that over-runs on the costs of three types of excavation work at the dam site are directly respon- sible. They amount to 84 per cent of the total over-run. according to the figures, all of which are based on unit prices set up in the orig inal contract between the city of Waterbury and the Defelice Com- pany. which was formerly the New Haven Road Construction Company, responsible for the paving of many of the city's central streets in past years.
 Extension O. enc spillway channel wall 400 feet more than originally estimated, due to poor quality of rock met in excavation for the channel. also accounted for consid- erable more work and expense, the city engineer stated.
 He said further that the urgency of getting the project started might in some instances be blamed on the fact that estimates on quantities of excavation were lower than the actual work revealed.
 It was also explained during the course of the discussion that the petition of the Defelice Company for a 300-day extension in its con- tract was presently under advise ment by the corporation counsel's office and the city engineer to whom 1t was referred this week by the board of public works. Originally the project was to have been finish ed in 1922, but the contractor claim ed that war conditions affected both labor and materials necessary to the reservoir work and handicapped him from the very outset.
 Mayor Monagan also stated that engineers of the Travellers Insur- ance Company and representatives of the city engineers office had con- ferred recently and were endeavor- ing to work out a schedule of op- erations that might be followed by the Defelice Co. this year and which would insure an early completion of the dam and reservoir.
 According to City Engineer Root the project is 52 per cent completed at the present time. He said in his communication to the controller and read to the board that fonnda- ton work was finished and an &C., curate estimate Of Ihe remaining work indicated little difficulty ahead.
 However, MT. Root did state that 1t seemed imperative to him that the contract be completed this year to insure further federal contributions, 8s well as to satisfy the need for the reservoir use itself. He indi- cated that the project should be finished by late summer. It was rec gently pointed out at works board meeting that September 1 should be the date given the Defelice Co for completing its work.
 According to well-adyised opin- Ions Of board members and city of- fcials the ultimate cost of the ad- ditional water supply projects - the pipe line, clllorination plant, dam, and reservoir - will approxl- mate the $2,000y 900 originally esti- mated, although at one time 1t was believed that the cost might go as high as $2,500,000.
 ] It is expected that the pipe line cost will probably run close to Sl,- O50,000, while the reservoir, even with revised figures at e8TS 900, may cross the 9000y000 mark Engineers have repeatedly stated that compIe- ton of the two projects at cost less than t2.000.000 would be re. markabIe, particularly SO now with building conditions as bad as they are.
 The controllers request and re. port was placed on Ale by the board with indications that definite ac. ton on further bond Issuance might be taken at an early special meet ing Of tile group.
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 MONTGOMERY OPTIMISTIC