The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-22

Board OF Aldermen.
John Clancy, Esq, President, in the chair.
number Of petitions received and referred The
petition Of Bryan McCahil others for wing Of the
new City Hall 10 be built in Madison square-reerred; the
petition OF Abraham Post and others for the or
an ordinance to compel the Eighth Avenue Railroad Com
pany 10 their Fifty ninth street and Eighth ave.
Hpe-referred the petition of Nathaniel Niles and others
70 allow country produce 10 be sold at the intersection OF
Sixth and Broadway without charge to persons &C.
supying the said stand-referred.
PROPOSED TAI RAILROAD CARS.
Alderman ADAMS presented the following resolution
That be referred to Committee Railroads to in
qure and report rate to be fixed and exacted by the
Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty as license fee for
each car by the several railroad companies in this
ety. such license fee to be less than $25 per
Tor each car Adopted
resolution calling upon the City Inspector to report 10
S ssne Of sy the
In this city, and if So in what streets and what amount is
collected.
preamble and resolution in favsr of stopping steam
On the Eleventh below Fifty ninth street Of
Sered by Alderman Bradley and referred 70 the Commit
zee on Railroads.
THE STREET COMMISSIONERS DEPARrMENr-MR
pKvLIN's REPLY TO MR.. CONOvER's COhMUNIcA-
TION-CRIMINATION AND DENOMINATION.
The following communication from the Street Commits
sOner was read and ordered 10 lie on the table,
10 ALDERMEN OF rE CITY OF NEW YORK
GENrxMkN-From boyhood up, through life Of toll and
honest industry have been q resident of this city.
have worked hard worked steadily, worked honestly
and have matter Of course, met with that
which honest INDUSTRY sure TO meet with in our coun
try During that long life, my fellow citizens have known
me- and those knowing most Intimately, will be, be-
keve, the most ready TO indorse what say, when de-
car what the proudes and dearest heritage wish
leave my children that through that long life of
tO breath Of SANDER suspicion raised against
a unprinciped that cutched at office have
bned TO divert attention away from themselves by sys
tematic attempt to crush me down, as stand in their
way u power, which they seek only TO abuse. Though
democrat, by education and conviction and living in
democratic CITY, where office is open TO all who aspire 10
i, and though had strong and numerous friends, who
would have stood BY me- il desired it, and frequently
urged upon me, yet never sought Office, and never
held one, thought Of holding till the death of
late worthy Street Commissioner, Joseph Taylor After
death solicited accept the office left vacant by
that sad event. After much hesitation, induced
greatly 10 my pecuniary loss TO accept nomination.
rendered by the chief magistrate of city, and
frmed by both branches of our city government filed
he bonds and entered on the discharge OF my
duties with that determination TO do right which has
been the guide Of my fe from boyhood TO the present
TIME and will be till its close.
On the second morning after assuming the responsible
ties Of my office, cited to appear before Judge Pea
body, to show cause why should not surrender my
was arrested without the color Of law justice, and
thrown into Edrdge street prison. The books pertaining
70 my Office taken from my control, closets
broken open and locks were picked and the books sub
jected to unknown risks of mutiation and destruction
among the jail birds and shoulder htters, then rushing
COnOVcr, ref0rmerS
What alteration mutlaon may have taken place can
not say, though the contact which befe them cast
suspicion on their safety YET this can say for myself
N my Office never did place pen hand finger upon
any contract book belonging TO the Office to alter in any
particular The malgnity which has not had the manl
make the charge direct has nsnuated the false
hood, and fsls,hood it is, as they well know
Previous to accepting office sold out all and every
contract-awarded or progressng-in which had any
interest Honestly, too, sold out bogus Sales which
stand between me and my creditors made purpose to
At his creditors That kind Of sales leave to my
cusers-they better versed in them than can
hope to be Ny sale was bona de had the right TO SELL
know and see through the dim twilight of moral
perception in which they live and move and have their
being
have been too busily employed recently TO notice
and doubt even now the proprety Of notcnga paper
Gently presented your honorable body by Daniel
D. Conover on the awful frauds pepetrated the Street
Department, Of which he promises to show you more
hereafter 1t is not my place TO interfere bet Seen him
and the dead mans ashes which he is revilng He aud
The late Street Commissioner brotherhood of love
ever Q lantern dark the soul of the survivor.
belonged 10 the political creed Of either Mr. Taylor
or his reviler but il hardly generous him TO be
Wiling ashes Of Joseph s. for per-
petrating the injustice designed against the weeping
his dead brother, who was always the enemy Of po
Itical chcanery and the foe Of moral turpitude both
meeting in corrupt conjunction in the same man, need
expect mercy from him. defy him. however, TO lay
his Hnger upon single act Of my whole life that would
make my children blush 70 think that he had found in me
degraded as himself.
Az 10 the further Developments promised there lit
Tie doubt that he manages to continue himself in the OF
but will show 10 all the city, frauds enough hereafter
The first charge against me- and the only one which
shall at present notice. is founded the Fifty seventh
street conr ant what charge against hereY
The original contractor failed, assigned his contract, and
dicd. With great reluctance was Induced 10 undertake
4. The wall about which 30 much Is said was recon-
nended by the surveyor long before the death OF the
original contractor, and contracted for under Mr. lay
Ior Was wrong for honestly to undertake 10 finish
n
which others had for doing it, and failed do?
worked hard honestly and steadily al il until accepted
Office in June last made fair and homes. profits
prices where others had failed; and feel kind of
desire exchange the memory of my hard honest indus
try that job for the memories OF of gambling
and dissipation which the lobbying genius Of my
blossomcd like night blooming ceres in the coz
servatory Albany ask any Of my fellow citizens,
whore the dishonorable thing done by me in this mat
ter, even Conovers own showing'
Ihave preferred the quiet road TO moderate indcpcnd
eDce through honest toll to the moro ashy and perhaps
fascinating pathway Of my emnenuy pous and spotless
aecuser Ills example has Vaccinations for What
ever the record OF my life may be- humble II s the
s Ha '' '"'0'"'' ''D' H'' n1''' ' " 'A'Ds' ="
The other cases, numbered from one To twelve, up or
down, which he mas tried 10 make out against me,
weaker than the have Just dissccted. One by
they could be met and explained, but my time Is too pro-
cous and so Ia yours, 10 be waited. The Of the
whole is the lowest contractor does not get the JOB,
and that the city is swindled. Now, II such immense
profits are TO be made out o. these contrasts Why have
tractor He could bid low any else could, and
one could compel him to sell out But he and every
knows that the lowest bidder seldom II ever the con
tract: nor ~ II well that he should get H. Cheap
tractors like cheap doctors and cheap lawyers Bet
ter pay for doing thing well, than have II
for half nothing half done for nothing The very
facts developed In the cited by Conover show that
the lowest bidders scarcely the contract and
they do the city after suffering for time has
to get done by who work for prices that will pay
and finish what they contract 10 do Very often estimates
are put in which Is impossible TO perform and impossi
BILE 10 lind security for their performance These failing,
the contracts 10 those who have offered 10 do them
and 10 give good security 70 do them well and nj paying
pri,os This is the established law and just and equa
BILE one; and yet many have seemed stand aghas
Corovers exposures, when really this is all he has
posed, except hts own