New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-22
PUBLIC MEETINGS
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

1
rule, anung which wa- 4 report of the Committee on
Fire Department for the better regulation OF iremen
1t requires the renan and Secretary # each and
eVery ~ zine hose, anG hook ana ladder Jmpany q
Yep, r. 10 the Board # Fire Commissioner the ri
Monda, in April aud October in each year, l-t of
members, with the number OF fire alarm, the duty
performed, &c, which must be- sworn ton neglect
| ing which they shall be expelled.
| The resolution to give the Mayor authority to ap-
/ point Superintendent of Fire Apparatus, Who shall
! be machue-t aud exempt fireman, at salary Of
81 eco per annup to superntend the construction aud
repairs OF engines &C. came up under the rule, when
Mr.. ADAMS move that the Street Commissioner
make The appointment.
Mr. TUcSER opposed the measure as a useless ex-
penditure the CHEF having that business to al
! tend 10.
Mr. ADAMS urged that the officer asked for
necessary, that the Chief could not with his other du-
ties supcfiItend repairs and the city, by having
Superintendent whose business il oud be 10 attend
solely to the business in question, would save large
amount If money.
II would be interfering with the Street Department or
Department f Repairs and Supplies as well as with
the Chief Engineer.
Tie motion to have the Street COMM sioner make
| tie appointment was carried. motion to refer tue
paper To the Committee on Ordinances was lost A.
| amended il was adopted.
Mr. STARR presented a preamble and resolution,
with urouosed ordinance providing for Belgian pave
ment instead Of cobble--toues in all streets that may
be paved hereafter. Referred to Committee on Ord
| nauces.
A report was made in favor of the ordinance sent in
By the Controller providing for an additional Issue OF
! stock, amounting to SJUOOoO, for the Central Parh
| improvement. "
the present. a. the members ought to learn something
more OF the necessity for such sum- and the prOpr!-
! etv Of authorizing the issue.
Mr. TUCKER opposed delay in the matter. The APP
preparations authorized by the Legislature lne
Con ssioneIs doing their best in laying out the
Park and it was the duty Of the Common Council t.
give them all the support they could, instead OF throw
ing obstacles IN the way. .-o.oo,, o
enough 10 last some time: aud he only wished 10 lay
the matter over till next meeting, III order ma th5
Common Council might learn what disposition had
been made of the last $500, 600.
MIR OWES remarked that the Commissioners were
Dot obliged to make report TO this Board oitener than
once a year.
Mr. RrFD said if the members wanted report they
should 90 and see the work how rapidly il was pro-
eTessI with 2CO0 :, 800 men employed. II would
be serious matter to throw ali these men out OF en-
ployment.
laid over The Commissioners now had over 2,'Oo
men al work. They not expected to make re-
port more than once year. The expenses were up
ward of s. 900 year.
Mr. BooIE withdrew bis motion to lay over, and the
ordinance was adopted unanimously.
An invitation was received from Stephen II. Branch
requesting the members to attend concert of his at
Hope Chapel on Monday evening to - laugh and
sigh with him, and see representation OF fenten-
tary life Accepted.
a Accommodation received from the Controller
in regard TO a swindling contract in Fi.ty-seyenth
street. -
Aroilcr of The Derlia Bargains Erposcf.-The fol-
lowing was received from the Controller;
CONIROLLERs OFFICE, NEW-l0 ORR,
Oct. Is, 1853.
To The Common Council
The Controller respectfully invites the consideration
of fine Common rouncl to a newly Undiscovered fact IN
the history Of the lob of G.. c. Ellis Ffty-seventh
street from the Eighth to the Eleventh avenue, por
tinn Of which history has formerly been gwen Ill
report from this department.
The recent decision OF Judge Woodruff IN the Supe-
rior Court a copy of which has been placed IN the
hands Of the CleIk for each member OF the common
Council a. well AS previous opinion gwen III tue
Supreme Court 10y Judge Davies, concur IN OPINION
that contracts $3.50 must be given 10 the lowest
bidder and that these positive provisions OF the Char
cannot be evaded 10y any oil tue stratageus whch
have been artully devised to damage the interests
Of property.hOlders III the execution OF assessment
contracts.
In the case Of Mr.. Ellis, he is now in the execution
of contract and charging the city 20 cents per cube
ward for excavating rock, which, "a bidder when
The Job advertised, he proposed to do at 40 cents
per cubic yard, being the lowest bidder on the Jop
The question now arises whether he shall be allowed
In take from the property-hoders on tfty-seVenth
srcctj5 cents per cubic YARD more for exc 'vating
rock than what he offered to do II Tor when the sealed
bids were opened.
II is desirable that the Common Council should
adopt decided measures to prevent the assiSneeso t
Oscar Taylor from being paid larger amount tlan
can be collected from the property -holders Inc III
between
bid Of Of {. &. Ellis about $4,000. IL this illegal
excess should be included in the assessment roll, the
property-holders Will resist the payment, ana defeat
| The whole asst ssment of about sW,OW. II, on the
contrary, legal measures are taken oy oru9r ol lc
Common Council to hold Ellis and his bondsmen 10
the fufllment of their agreement, the sum Of about
sS 600 nav be legally assessed and collected from the
propertyholders to reimburse the treasury. The full
history of this is given in the following state
/ meIt:
| Rerulqfinr and Grating Fffy-sereRfh Street from
Ninth 10 Eicreafk AreRue, and Setting Chrb and Out
| ter aud FaggHg from Etgkh 10 EiereRh Arcaae.-
In the annualeport from this Department for the year
| 1857 dated April 80 1855 page -, statement Is
given in regard to the payments made 10 e. u Ells
on contract for guating and grading Fity-seventh
| street from Ninth to Eleventh avenue and setting
curb and gutter and tagging from Eighth to Eleventh
| avenue Ii shown by that statement that pay
ment of 90 993 90 was made To Mr. Ellis on Oct y,
1857 and was enormously charged by j: b. Smith to
Job ON Seventy street, ON which MI EAs had
been fully paid several months before.
II was stated that Mr. Ellis had receipted for - 100
of the advance referred to, being for bonds issued IN
his name but that he declined TO receipt Or or ac-
knowledge payment II him Of check of s69J %, on
the ground that he di not receive the proceeds o the
check or any portion of H. although his name writ
| ten ~ the back of the check.
Since the publication of the annual report Of the
Controller containing the above facts, settlement
ha, been made in regard to the treasury warrant and
receipt was given for the same by Slwell Swain,
as attorneys for {. {. Ellis, on June 10, ls5s.
In making some further examinations with view OF
bringing about settlement between the receiver OF
the Bowerv Bank the contractor and the Corporation,
il was discovered that Mr.. Ellis, who was executing
this work under a contract made originally t. Oscar
Tayor at % cents per cubic yard for rock excavation
and cents per cubic yard Tor eafth excavation nau
been himself bidder al the same time, and his price
for excavating rock was 20 cents per yard, and the
same price for earth. This j. shown by reference u
the book kept in the FnaIce Department containinga