Year: 1872

A LARGE NUMBER OF CLAIMS DECLARED VALID


BY THE COMMISSIONERS.


Commissioners Sutherland, Van Worst and
Ja0ues met at the St. James Hotel last evening for the
purpose Of continuing the examination Of the contracts
and awards for city street paving The first contractor
whose case came on for examination c. Keyes, who
had contracted for the paving Of MacdOugalst, from
Spring Eghthst Mr. Keyes said that he had received
most Of his money from Controller Green but there was
vet sl2OOO due him. The propertyowners he said had
made no complaints 10 him about his work not being
done thoroughly and well.


j. s. Masterson contractor, testified that he had
ceyed the contract for paving seyentysevenhst be-
tween Ninth and Tenthayes Last December after hav-
ing done about 81 worth OF work he compelled 10
stop work. as Controller would pay him for what
he had done The price he received for excavatng rock
was 81 so per cubic yard. II would take about nine
months of continuous labor TO finish the contract and he
thought 10 would cost about $4,000 more. He had
never heard any complaint made In regard 10 the
work he had done He was legitimate contractor and
received the work because he the lowest bidder
short time ago. he said Controller Green had asked him
TO with the work but he had not done So from tho
simple fact that he had no funds with which 10 proceed
He had already borrowed over $4,000, which he had
sunk in other contracts for the city, without
yet receiving cent in return; He also the assignee
for paving seventythird-st, from Eighhave. TO the
Hudson River. This contract was signed by VIM; NJ.
there great deal Of rock TO be removed He also
had contract for grading and crolng One-hundred





February last but had notyet received dollar rom sL5
city.


Michael Newman testified that he received a contract
from the city for building sewer IN seventeenth-st
The work was about half completed, and he had been
paid $4,000 out Of the which already due him
Some time ago he suspended work because he had not
sufficient means to go on Complaints had been made
by the residents Of various localities along line OF
the sewer that where the trench had been left open
stagnant water had accumulated thereby endangoTing
public health. He received s6O per foot for per
tons of the sewer.


Thomas Gearty testified that he had obtained from the
city the contract for paving Ninthave from Fourteenth
TO TWenty-thiTd-st the work finished May !;
no but William b. AstOr had made any complaint in
regard to the way in which tho work done.


Patrick BannOn testified that he the assignee for
his son. Michael D. BannOn who had received two con
tracts from the city, for grading Eighty-frstst
from SecOndaye 70 the East River and for grading
Ninety from Second 70 Ftfth-aves the work
both these streets only half completed; he was
also assignee for Herman POlye, for grading Seventy
hrst-st, from Flfth.aYe to the East River this work
was likewise uncOmpleted from lack OF funds.


Patrick McGinn said that he had paved One hundred
andseventeenth-st. from FOurth-ave. to the Harlem
River and that he wished TO state the Commissioner
that Edward Tracy, Chief Engineer OF the Department
OF Public Works. had examined the work and pro-
nOunced 10 all right IN spite Of numerous complaints TO
the contrary.


Commissioner Jaques then read a letter from Alfred
W. Craven which condemned the pavement very de-
cdedy, and stated that Mr. McGinn had used only the
most inferior stone. The claims in all the cases but the
last decided valid. Adjourned till tomorrow