The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-24
The Street Cleaning maehanea-
OFFICE COMMISSIONER OF STREETS AND LAKES,
NEW YoRK, July %, 1856.

The Street Cleaning Maehancs.
OFFICE CORNERSTONE OF 6rRAKrs AND LAMps,l
NEW YosK, July 20, 1855.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
1 Enclosed you will find my answer to the commu.
nication from his Honor the Mayor, addressed {, me
n relation to the estimates OF Messrs. Smith, Seokei
Co., tor cleaning portion Of the streets Of our
city, which is published in your paper Of tas dste.
BY publishing my reply In your paper OF to ,rro
Dciniug, ycu will confer favor on yoar obedisnt
| Commissioner of Streets and Lamps.
DEPARTMENT OF STREETS AND LAMBS,
:. New YoRK, July 70, 1856.
Hon. FEksANDo WOOD, MAYOR
Yours OF the 10th inst II received, and In reply
would ecuy state the following reasons for the
delay in corsummsting the contracts for cleaning
| the streets With the 10 vest bidders
! TIE Board Of Aldermen and Councllmer, some
time siIoe, passed resolution sequiiing ne Heads
Council for confirmation previous TO concluding the
| seine.
that cor tract fer the payment Of which an ap.
prcptisticn has not previously been made, snail be
sigi ed or executed until such contract and ell est
mats relating thereto shall have been laid before
the Common Council, and an appropriation male
| therefor.
Tbs appropriation called for by my predecessor
was O cleaning the streets Tor the year 1885, based
On The contracts then in existence In consequence
.
coutrrc's we're declared void by Me and then,
with your concurrence. proc etded to clean the
stsstts ontii tie balance Of the contracts wsud
expire: s,,
wss left BY the contractors In the streets required
al Addition al force Of men and vehicles to remove
the sane, srd of course added greatly to tbs ex.
pence, in consequence Of which the appropriation
was reduced to low figure, not leaving more than
enough TO carry the department through to the first
OF August
l, in accordance. therefore, with what believe to
be the true meaning and intent Of the ordinance 494
submitted to the Board Of Councilman all tae esti.
mates and the names Of the lowest bidders together
with the amount q each estimate, for confirmation,
aud 30 submitted statement Of the expenses for
the last six months asking for On appropriation at
the same time.
AZ public officer feel anxious to promote the
public good ss far a. lies in my power, and At the
same tune TO comply strictly with what believe to
My advertisement calls for proposals for cleaning
the streets for one year from the date OF the execu
ton OF the contract Consequently therefore, there
should, acoorcug to the ordinance Be an appropria
ton made Tor Inc year named bsfore i have the
power to execute the same. Until the appropfia.
tion is made to cover the expenditure called for In
tire estimates, it would be involving the department
In difficulties of serious nature to give out con-
tracts ard have no money to pay them with.
These are my reasons for pursuing tas course
am willing 70 be corrected II wrong. NY Intentions
to do right In this and all other matters apper
tanning TO the department over which presids.
can zee no reasons. nor have any been offered to me-
matter. 1t is Low In the hands Of the Common
Council, and am ready to fal6l Their Instructions
Immediately on the receipt Of the same.
In tee meantime shall proceed to keep the city
as clean es possible, and remit no exerti0n long
as the ba,srce of the appropriation for 1855 may
last, which will be probably one week more;
after that time, do not ct present see how We can
Council.
In regard to the communication Of Smith, Ssckei
Co. to you, and which have seen In the moraing
pspeIs CT to-day for tie first time, | would re.
apt c.fully state that they have not Represented
the facfs Ct the case in true and Just light to you;
Tor what purpose they have done so, | am at loss
to blow.
At the opening Il the estimates on the l2.h in
stsnt, large number Of them we're declared tnfor
NAL by the Comptroller; among these were the bids
OF Smith, Ssckel Co., al Of which lacked tho very
inpo1tsn. requisite called for by tina ord nance No.
49S, nsmtly: ut Cbe estmate) Sd all be verified by
the oath In writing Of the party making the estimate
that the several matters stated therein are IN all
resN cts tue"
The tmissicn OF the affidavit, think was fatal IN
their estimates, and rendered them informal; bat
finally, by the advice Of the Corporation Cou ,sal
and the Comptroller. allo sed them to make the sf
dsvt withn twenty four hours. under the rule that
eIreIs Of form may be 30 altered.
WHIT ther this omii sion OF affidavit was an error
Of term or OF substance leave TO hers 70 dscde.
TO STOW that acted fairly In the matter, not only
extfOQ9Q
time iaty eight hours longer, in order to &C ,omno
datethem. u ne
they state that notified them to produce their
secu!iiies with view Of cicaiDg said c'ntrscts This
Is false. never did Eotify them fcr any such pur-
pose; ard they Wen knew and understood at the
time tina: the p rsons who were williog TO 90 their
security, provided the contract vas awarded TO
they we're worth tho amount that they we're Wiling
70 be bound for. This at the time repeatedly told
thfm, acd they 70 understood 1t. also informed
them repeatedly tha. they were only correcting shs
mistskes they lad made In their estimates.
mmedstely alter they had 10 altered their est.
mates and made them In form, they, much TO my
surprise. demanded OF me the instant execution or
the contracts with them. This hssty and un,alled
for action their part treated with the contempt
II deserved, ard informed them should notify them
WREN tho contacts were ready, II they were con.
fimed by the Common Coaacil. They then de-
mardtd blank Copies of the contracts AID bonds for
tbs purpose suppose. Of making the contracts
themselves
As consider myself perfectly able to conduct the
business OF ibis department. ], of course. declined
In their card to you and the public, they state
tat their proposals. are 10 due form Of law. They
DO not state thai tbey were SO when presented,
leaving the public to believe that they required
time tor alteration, snd that they were, when pre-
Rnttd, correct.
They also state that they we're filed in due time,
wien the facts are that they were not filed in due
form until the third day after they we're tferei AID
legally aled.
There arc other parties whose estimates are the
lowest tor eight OF the wards No complaints have
been made by them Of the action that has been taken
by nee 10 regard to all the estimates received. II
seems sing ulsr that 80 much interest should be
manifested entirely for this mpsny, and that the
others, who ore equally entitled 70 their claims,
should be overlooked. For my part, shall endesvor
to deal equal and exact Justice to all parties
All complaints that may DO made 70 you In regard
10 tie streets win be after ded TO instantly by send
,y IN Ma ~ faA Lad ot~ Ia
without cause, BY parties interested in bringing this
department into tisrepute.
Hoping that my Views ray meet with your Ap.
prevail remain yoofs, respectfully,
J. Z. EBLfNg,
Commissioner Of Streets and Lamps
FINANCIAL AND GAL.