The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-18

BOnru Of Iouncilmea.
This Board met honisy aftsrnooa In tho chem
in the City Hail. the Prvs'eest D. Conover, in tas
chair The mortss Of the last meeting read snd
approved Petitions first In order BIT two were
psessn:sd-one regard to Gre Alarms sad oae from
Jaa hcpo"eai and others agaiast centrastsy oit
ce.n'Dg Of he streets bota Of which we're referred
imports ssrs nsxt In order, but noas presented
excepting n regard 70 ssrest inpcov@m-n,s
" ,ns I.'oiu.oos 1000 ed va, oos csiog for oor
Mount Morris square, and also ths folio Sss:-
hesoivtd Ttss the Comp roller report the lm OF
VIM Coos hoo George Conklin CLERKS Ia the Msyor,s
once Jo1s vsnderpo Alfred Chancellor, John Mccie ID
,oivsd That committee Re appointed to inq airs
ny" expo sDcy OF sppoin log inspectors OF aol,
imp'oveu cots, sswtrs &c.
CoEmu ncatons naxt In order when ths folio -
ing -a rroe we'd from Mia Honor the MAyoe Tered
to bc piisted-
Mayors OFFICE Nkw YoRK July IL 1856
TO TTE hon TE BOARD or CousCILMks.
dnsnce proposins to further am,nd tue oed nsn,e V
rtgoAt ns tue mskpg o! conrAcs passed May 30 Is49
ln mJ op'n on, II adopted, this am -nda.st may in
effect mater s coeaet with thst session 81 tie Guar
to The lowest bidcer" As tbs or insnce 40 stsoos
the lowest nin6er 10 entitled to the contract sod ths
head OF tho department II authorizet to swac IL 90 i'm
II the bid Be regular In form sod leg security bs
given. All bds osensd ia the prsssaes o. hs Cono
uoler, and an appropriation bas been m sds for ne
about all that the Charter rsqaire Ia cod
TO 90 further may defeat the obi OF tns cnxrtsr
together
This subject OF making couhacts aad the N AZ d,h-
culties surrounding It, has not escaped my stt.asoa
which human wisdom eau dsvi,e. In tne msssags su,
mted by me inusry ii last. alluded It 10 THIS
Language The present mode OF msk,ns contracss IL
years txActins publicity 10 opesiox BIDS AMI ia
gusrong against favori,ism in grsnuos contracts yet
II IL supposed much wrong stti exsts. There s no
doubt thar frauds attn pr pssr this orAacn OF
the public ssrvice Bids fr6qusaty pat Ia toe
Of gct,tous persons ranging from high TO low
estimate, pp+cuators standing ready take aivsu.
tsgc Of sny emoarrassmsns TO ths dspsrtUsot owing
ne non appearance OF the fass b iasr and to
consre0 - the highest possible limits Assn It Is tao
practice - put In estimator not With the psctaoa Of
making end performing ract but 70 be boasht oil
Various other Ways the details which are kuo wn
to the initiated In vogue by which to defrAu the
These outsosrs next 70 impossible to ore.
vent frauds under the present ~ stem -
Subsequent experience 10 the Office OF Mayor has
drmed these views but am satisfied toat great csaton
s required In the acopton OF plan, for ths better
protection OF the pub in eest In this matter least
open the door stiii ~ider for wrong doing.
One OF the features Of the proposit presented
H. that no contract shall be MADE although all tbs
qursments Of the charter be compile cd wta until
Common Council has conArmsi It, With respect, par
NIT me to soy, that 10 ia 1gmen. this stioa w
be unwte instmuch a. II may practically defeat the
eonract itself It's operation will be- that hs 10
bidder, alter undergo ng compst''ion with o.hsr DID
ders to price and the iny OF this bid heads
dorbt also by the Coun sl to ths NUT
in ADDITION run the gauntlet OF the Commsa
rstons than those spper sinis 70 the ola tsa sus
init whfth@r such a5cional quirems nt ended
BY thepnblc int@rs.ts and whether tnsy may not be
productive OF prsat ojury not only to the ndiva ua
bidc~r but TO the public treasury Besdss, requires
stretch Of imagine ion to that tue .ss ssfegusr
OF the charter could thus BE- entirely dsresrded An
unsuccessul bdd4 Of wealth and inAucn couli have
little chcuny in defeating the irmat,on Of =
tract In the Common Council which in urgent
q Ia hen o an 4
cuse for going into the open Market with mt auy
haet VIII tsver tho head Of the department n.msef
ccud in the exercise OF the influence Viii h the patron
sac Of h's pos,tioo recesssry sives accomplish ths
purpose thus mai all the agreements mssl with
psais, TO which unsuccessful bidders would re-
cauIss When dissppo Dset Instead OF Iesorsing
Sssa n tbs sssion sVu' OF shs oosss -ao % A.1
charge o. deciding upon the bids " Will ssnd tnem
yonr iobb.s and nccnsidsr able portion Of yoar tim
will be taken up 10 listening to these complaints.
The charter places these matters In the d. partmsnta
where they should 10 psrmitt.d to r-msin, sabjsct
course TO such regulations the Common Ooan Ill
direct having for their object toe of tn
principles Of the chsrAr which muss Igovcrn us at
times
We should not forget that contractors and bidders hsv
rights as well - the rporaiion, which arc equally
entitled 10 proscton from thu frsuha which too o'tso
govern the making Of contracts. can equity 10
forcing mAa into thu Common Council, for tbs award
OF . contract after he has honorsbly complied with
iai,ly and honestly the lowest bi.dsr, and oeen
awarded the contract bv the Comptroller and tbs he's,
Of the s.p.rtn,at willis. such ,rssuI. lon VIII
to the citst vantage Of the corporation by compelling
bidders to make provision their eshms'es for hs cost
p.pse to the bidder can b. no sam inas
much a. IL frequently occurs tnat obscure men. With
limited Influence are obliged to procure .ths Aid OF
tbe msrs OF the measures themselves entirely sum
cient and beyond any doubt These expenses Will, OF
be added to tbs cost Of the work 70 the Corpora
ton and thus ateray increase the psnss OF the city
severnment, already too For this It {,
impossible for TO approve OF the amendment proposed
am that i'm mprovemsnt can be made opoa the
present mode Of giving out cootrsc but 90 not thnx
.ub. us 10 suii further evils and adj to the .rssdy
existing dGculties surrounding the whole matter OF
giving contracts to the lowest s boss I'D aSe % edssrs
Besees the above thsrs was read from the Mayor
msrsags refusing 70 In the resolution directing
the Commissioner Of streets and Lamps to vthrsw ths
until the further action o, the Common Council
Tho Mayors objection TO this was that the advertise
in TO the Comm ssonsr and being eonsdersd The
resolution therefore, csms tco late.
A resolution was then adoptsc calling upon the Com
mitee Of Lands and Places 70 report by what
warehouses built upon the bulkbeads between Il
berty street snd the Battery.
The Board then sdjournsd.
JrIr Is "A NEE ting Of this Board was held lsst night
in the CITY Hal the President, d. Conover, 10 the
chair The minutes Of the sst meeting read and
srgr.,ea.
ed we're reference 20 street inprovesnts excepting
from the czsns OF the sixth ward against the
pley pens OF machines Ia the cleaning Of the streets
This last petition was referred 70 s appropriate
nitsse
Resolutions nert in order bat Of import
snee presented. The resolution offered Monday
pgbt calling upon this Comptroller 10 tns mount
Of moosy paid 70 certain clerks In the Mayors Once
sdopud
Tho next business was . motion " concur With tbs
BOARD Of Adermea In their report 10 favor Of erecting
Q monument Broadway, corner Tssnty fftb street,
committes Of the Councilmen upon the subject accst
ed tie essgns and plans OF the Board Of Aldsrmsn
adopted by that Boari rear ago an1 p1blshsd at the
time. lopg debate took place upon this uotloa 70
concur, In which Mather, Clancy Mccshl and HAsvsi
took part.
The motion 10 concur was snaly carried BY a isrrs
majority 30 voting In the Affirmative and In ths ne
gative.
The semi annual report Of Mr.. AI'rsd T. Baker, the
Fire Marphal then pSeseutsd and ordered hls.
This report lengthy and able document, eontas