The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-07

REPORT OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON AC.
coUNTs.-The joint Committee on Accounts of
The boards Of Aldermen and Councilmen, ap-
pointed by resolution Of February IL, 1858,
made their first report yesterday and we pub.
lish it in full in our columns this morning.
Prepared as the public have been by the re-
cent Developments of fraud in the Comptroll-
er's and Street Commissioner departments to
learn that the city is miserably governed, and
the taxpayers cruelty plundered, this report Of
the way in which the city's affairs are managed
will appsl them. The joint committee, when
they entered upon their duties, found that they
had an Augean stable to cleanse. They found
the books and accounts Of all the departments
almost as worthless in unravelling the systems
adopted as a mass Of old rubbish. The books
of the Finance department, and those of the
stock clerk, showed difference in the amount
ofstocks issued in 1857 of 1891 1886. The Comp.
troller's chief bookkeeper, in his examination,
swore that he could not tell from his ledger the
amount of stock issued, nor did he know for
what specific purpose all the bonds were issued
at all. 1t is no wonder, then, that the report
condemns the loose manner in which Mr.. Flagg
does business and earnestly recommends q
prompt and radical reorganization of the
Finance department. The conduct of every single
bureau is found to be fraught with Irregularities
andfrauds The books and accounts regarding the
opening, widening and extending Of streets are
go full Of eIasures and alterations--the original
contracts and copies differ so materially in the
figures, and so many necessary papers gone
that the committee altogether have been unable
to tell how the accounts stand at all in many
instances; and where they have come to any
conclusion, the result shows the most frightful
cases Of over estimates Of surveyors, over
charges for work not performed, and fat jobs
never ordered-for all Of which the unfortunate
taxpayers have been heavily mulcted. In one
case alone regulating Second avenue-over
S35, 900 was paid on contracts never authorized
at all while many other contracts were so
loosely drawn that they might have amounted
10 million dollars II the contractor wished.
Such a stem Of doing business was never heard
of before. The committee find that there are
six millions of assessments, ard three millions
Of taxes put down as not collected. How much
VI tuccS cullAr nus Dccu dDu
put in the pockets Of the collectors, they will
never be able 10 tell from the means at their
disposal; but they will attempt 10 get some
clue by publishing the names of the parties
entered as not paid in the hope that these indi-
viduals will take some steps to remove the liens
which are on their property.
The committee are only commencing their
labors. 1t will probably take a year to COM
plete 1T. and even then it is doubtful whether
any good will come out Of it, This system OF
fraud and mismanagement has been going on
for twenty years; but since Mr. Flagg has been
at the head Of the Finance department, IL has
reached fearful point. If the joint committee
succeed in radically reforming this department
and turning out all the employees, as they re-
commend, they will be doing something for the
city. The committee, we understand. intend 10
report more frequently In future, and 60 more
into detail The report we publish to day,
though lengthy, will repay perusal 1t lie a
pice history Of the government Of the wors.
governed city in the world We invite the
attention Of our readers to it,