CITY OF BOSTON. IN COMMON COUNCIL, April 28, 1870. THE Committee on Streets, of the Common Council, to whom was referred the request for an additional appropriation for the extension of Broadway from Federal street to Albany street, with instructions to ascertain the probable cost of removing the whole structure, and also the probable expense of completing the same, so as to conform to the present grade of Federal and Albany streets, having considered the subject, beg leave to submit the following REPORT. The resolve and orders for the extension of Broadway were passed May 3, 1869. The Board of Aldermen adjudged the expense for land damages at $226,586.17. The estimates of the City Engineer, for bridges and approaches, amounted to $296,276; and the contingent expenses were put down at $27,137.83, to give the round sum of $550,000, for which a loan was made. The contemplated change of grade at the starting point on Federal street only involved a raising of some eighteen inches or two feet. At the westerly end of the extension - the junction with Albany street no change of grade was proposed. On the 4th of May, 1869, an order was passed by the Board of Aldermen, authorizing the Superintendent of Streets, under the direction of the Committee on Paving, to build, by contract or otherwise, the necessary bridges and other structures for the extension of Broadway from Federal street to Albany street, according to the plan adopted by the City Council, the expense to be charged to the appropriation for the extension of Broad way. Plans, prepared and submitted by the Moseley Iron Building Co. were examined and approved by the City Engineer, and adopted by the Committee. Proposals were advertised for, and the contract was awarded to the Moseley Company. It appears that the Committee on Paving were not familiar with the Act of the Legislature under which the structure over Fort Point Channel was authorized to be built; and after they had adopted the plans it was found necessary by the Harbor Commissioners to suggest some modifications to make them conform to the peculiar provisions of the Act of 1866, chap. 188; namely, that the bridge should be "in accordance with the mode of construction described and recommended in the seventh report of the United States Commissioners on Boston Harbor." These modifications of the plans involved an additional expense of about $37,000; and the contract, as finally awarded to the Moseley Company, amounted to $331,708.76. The contract for the stone abutments and retaining walls was awarded to Messrs. Clapp and Ballou. Some time during the month of August, 1869, and before work under the contracts had been fairly entered upon, the Board of Aldermen decided upon a change of grade on Albany street and Federal street, by which the former was raised about four and a half feet, and the latter about five feet. Although this change involved an additional expense, now estimated at $210,000, for which no provision whatever had been made, the Board of Aldermen proceeded with the work upon the new grade without asking for any additional appropriation, or furnishing any information to the other branch of the gov ernment. The estimated additional amount now required for completing the work is $450,000; making the total cost $1,000,000, di We have received (and transmit herewith) a carefully prepared statement from the Treasurer of the Moseley Iron Building Company, by which it appears that the additional appropriation asked for under the item of "bridges and approaches" is not due to the adoption of their plan. Their proposal, based upon the original specifications, was $80,500 below that of the next lowest bidder; and even after the changes proposed by the Harbor Commissioners their contract was $43,291.24 below any other proposal. The payments made on the contract up to the fifteenth of February amounted to $230,721, leaving the amount still due $101,000. The revised estimates for bridges, abutments etc., prepared by the City Engineer, are as follows: Bridges and approaches complete with oak-plank roadway for all the structure except the por tions filled solid, the latter paved complete, $300,000 00 Add brick piers, etc., and amount due Clapp and Ballou. 21,000 00 Add Superintendence, Engineering, Sounding, etc. 10,582 07 $442,891 60 The estimates for grade damages prepared by the Committee on Streets of the Board of Aldermen, are as follows:The payments already made to Blair, Procter and Skinner, for raising buildings on Federal street and vicinity amount to The estimated amount yet to be paid for grade Total $45,000 15,000 150,000 $210,000 The Board of Aldermen have not yet established the grade of streets running into Albany street near its junction with Broadway; and the estimates are based on a grade proposed by the Superintendent of Streets, the City Surveyor, and the City Engineer, giving an ascent to the bridge of three feet in one hundred. It should be understood that these estimates do not cover the cost of re-grading and re-paving the streets at either end of the bridge. The paving department has already provided for that portion of the work in Federal street and vicinity; and the expense on the Boston side, estimated at $7,500, will probably be charged to the paving appropriation. The excess of $95,000 over the original estimates for land damages, includes $30,000 for estates purchased. The remainder of the sum ($65,000) is considered sufficient by the Committee on Streets, of the Board of Aldermen, to cover the unsettled claims for damages. Your Committee are not prepared to indorse any of the foregoing estimates for the completion of the work. They have obtained, from the best sources available to them, all the information calculated to aid the Council in forming an intelligent opinion upon this important subject, and this information they have endeavored to present as fully and clearly as possible. In regard to the probable cost of removing the structure, the Committee are unable to furnish anything more than a very general statement. |