The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-09

Oe1n0eAA80
conf 10 sing to empty benches, and ruiaed tho
manager. They have no appreciation Of art, IL
It costs anything. Their loss, however, Is cur
gain.
THE BUSINESS OF rHz STREET DEPARTMENT
Morn FRAuDs.-The Street Conmissieaer, Ed
ward Cooper, submitted lengthy report to the
Common Council on Monday, setting forth tho
present state Of the business of his do
partueat, from which 1t appears that there
are ono hundred and forty three contracts
for work on street improvements, In W
rious stages Of operation. OF these, tho largest
number Cforty-niDe) Of any one Glass are for
work ordered BY the Common Courcil but not
yet contracted for; 90 that the new Street Com
missioner will have IN opportunity Of exercising
his skill in dealing with the horde Of contrao-
tors, surveyors, assessors, and so forth, who have
made such fine pickings out Of previous con-
tracts. OF course report from the Street De-
partment without fraud being referred to in
it would be an anomaly In these days Of public
peculation, and Mr.. Cooper's last document
cannot be CHASED a. s1ch. He draws the at.
tention of the Council TO neat little placer
amount not specified picked up by q contractor
named Mcleod, in regulating and grading
Forty third street between Tonth avenue and
the Hudson river. But this is only trife COM
pared with the placer discovered by Terence
Farley-but fortunately not yet wordsworth
$46,50O, in building . sustaining wall on
Fifth avenue between Forty ninth and Sixty
fret streets, to keep the earth from falling at
each side. Mr.. Farley executed the contract
for grading this part of the avenue some time
ago; but in April, 1857, a resolution was got
through both boards Of the Common Council
ordering the building of . sustaining
wall In the June following another resolu-
ton was got through-of course not by the
fundamentally of any Of Mr.. Farley's friends
to the effect that, as matter of economy, the
contract for the wall should be given to the
same party who executed the former work of
grading. The cost Of this wall was to be
$40 500 nice assessment on the unfortunate
property owners. Mr.. Cooper, however, not re-
cognizing the right Of the Common Council to
make . contract, their duty being confined to
authorizing the work to he done, forbade Mr..
Farley to proceed with the wall, which he had
already commenced, and Instructed one of the
heads of his bureau-Mr. Lowell, Superintendent
ofStreet Improvements-tol sok ut the work and
report thereon. He has done 80, and reports
that there is no necessity for wall; that an ad-
dition Of IL 900 cubic feet of earth, at cost of
$4,000, would put the avenue in good condition;
and Of course the job on the wall would be
clear swindle Of the property owners, amount
ing to the pretty sum Of $4,000
This il the latest discovery of fraud In the
contracts for regulating Streets and We may
expect that every days work of investigation
will develope fresh ono No wonder the taxes
of the city are running up to ten millions year.
The CHEvALKR FoRSKr STILL THE
DUxrs-The Chevalier Forney has just return
ed homo from Washington, with his peace of
mind very much broken up by Mr.. Appleton,
Assistant Secretary Of State. The particular
offences Of Mr.. Appleton In the premises are not
very clearly defined, but Forney pronounces him
the ''Oily Cannon" and the "Oliver Ls DAM
Of the administration, regular shaver of flats,
and professional barber to boot Well, we'll,
what's the use Of taking on 70 about III Was
not the ChcvalIer Forney the "Oily Cannon"
and the SOLVER LIE Dain" Of poor Pierce; and
didu't he seek to al these two characters, and
that Of Cardinal Richelieu besides, under Mr.
Buchanan We do not wonder that the unfor-
tunste Forney, In revisiting the outside of the
kitchen ct Washington, should feel the loss Of
the savory viands inside; bat Il only makes the
matter worse to raise an uproar about II. Re-
Gently the Chevalier Webb, while nosing
around the kitchen, was completely fascinated
by the delicious smell Of those fat contracts for
the Mormon war, and be set up terrible howl
Ing over them. But. oa bonof The cock came
out With his broomstick and drove him off Let
the Chevalier Forney keep cool, and remember
that
What can't be cured
Must be eacured-