The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-06
THE WAY yHE CITY TREASURY Is PLRsCED.
Alleged Frauds In the street DEPART
meAt-A Curious Development.
h his annual report for 1859, Street Commissioner

Alleged Breuos In tine StEect OopexV~
ment-A Curious Development.
h his annual report for 1852 Street Commissioner
Smith SAID
the superintendence Of Mr.. John Nesbt short
time previously inimated tina! there was an
important difference between the amount OF material OF
certain KIND actually furnished for road covering aud tho
amount charged for IN his vouchers; whereupon mme
diately declined to draw further acquisitions upon the
Comptroller for payment Of his certified Vouchers and
directed actual examination 70 be made without delay
into the affairs Of his buresu which resulted N Mr. Mes
bits resignation. The details in regard TO tue matter 80
far a. known at that time se before his Honor the
Mayor, and statement writing MAIDS 70 the District
Attorney, copy Of which rs herewith transmitted (5ee
pptpdx Since that time, by direction, measures
have been taken by which hoped 70 have arrived at all
the facts the The result OF these Investigations
which were but recently competsd will ne found in state
signed by Mr.. S. b Cozzens Acting 6upernten dent
of Roads during the illness OF The SUPERINTENDENT which
are appended 10 the report OF that OH herewith trans
mltied. Fine whole Of the facts in this case far
Known reformed 10 the Superintendent Of Police
for such acton as dee med proper.
Ia order 10 show the system by which frauds
municaton the Street Commissioner TO the District At
torney together with the report Of Mr. Cozzens above
ferred 70.
LITTER OF COMMISSIONER SMITH.
SrRKEr COMMISSIONERS OFrcT,
NEW YORK, Sept 3, 1859.
NErsos J. WATERBURY,, ESQ DISTRICT ArroRxEy;--
SK-Herewth enclosed transmit to you statement OF
the result OF investigation made thus oic In relation
to the purchase and ment for limestone chips by the
ters addressed by TO the Superintendent of Roads
while the investigation being made and of the replies
thereto and copy Of the report Of the clerk sent to the
different places from which the material was said
to be obtained. also my statement, which read
on the Both ut, TO the then Superintendent Of
Roads ip the presence of his Honor the Mayor
and Edward Cooper Esq Copies Of the have been
sent To the Mayor. have converted with Mr. Doyle, OF
your Office in presence OF the above named gentlemen
upon this subject and have called twice him, but
have not succeeded in finding him in These documents
are now sent to you for such action as you may deem ad
visabe, and any further information within my power
which you may require will be cheerfully furnished.
G. W. SMITH, Street Commissioner.
STREET COMMISSIONERS OFFICE,
August 81, 1859.
We have drawn acquisitions for payment Of 14442
tons Of limestone chips, material for road covering,
s anS s Vouchers hsye sen1 IN or
tons, at IS ccnz, amounting to 81 ,30S 70 in addition
thereto.
tbs amount Of materials, appears has been received,
and money expended without any record to show what
number Of cargoes have been delivered at what time,
nor how much IN each cargo and when an investigation
Ia made cannot obtain thus information from the superin-
epden nor the foreman from the books OF the office
Of the Bureau Of Roads original bills have been
dered for this material nor were any required by the
II seems that the general foreman was required to inform
the Of the arrival Of the vessels
different points along the re which he did bat kept neither
record memorandum The other foreman flor portion
only OF the tme) kept tally Of the number OF loads
brought by the different vessels and handed q rough
been preserved in the Office Of the bureau and some have
not.
memoranda, and that the entered upon the
vouchers in "cart loads ana the price per "tons was
charged What the superintendent says letter of the
24th In not satisfactory upon this point
The circular letter Of instructions from this Office, upon
which based the whole system Of ofoe business Of
the Street Department. dated June TO- 1885, urnshed
to the Superintendent Of Roads requires that shook
Of materials shall be kept, in which will be entered
der its appropriate head any kind Of materials received
sOecuy,Dg kind. quantity and No book has
been kept
This circular also requires that "Tme Ledger shall
be kept in which will be recorded daily the tune made by
each individual employed by the day This has been
kept The circular referred to closes with following
paragraph, viz
1.-The disorder, confusion and doubt pervadng every
branch Of the department. including the Office
well as those Of the bureaus, call for immediate change
The Comns sioner confidently relies upon the opera
ton Of all the superptendents and subordnaes in the
department 10 aid him in regulating the public business
find that only 1856 tons in all have been procured
from The quarry by these vessels within the time spcc
FED above.
Roacs by the Street Commissioner presence Of the
Mayor and Mr.. Edward Cooper, on the 3oth OF August
1889 at which time the accompanying statement also
presented
AUGUST 81, 1859.
HoN. u. +. THMAyN, MAYOR
S-Herewith nclosed transmit 10 you statement OF
the result Of investigation made this office relation
10 the purchase OF and for limestone chips by the
Superintendent Of Roads John Ncsb copies OF letters
investigation was being made and OF the replies thereto
and copy Of the report Of the clerk sent to the different
also my own statement which yesterday read by me
to the superintendent Of Roads IN your Honors presence
G. W. SMITH, Street Commissioner.
REPORT OF J. B. CoZzENs.
SrREET COMMISSIONERS OfFICE, Dec q, 1850
G. w. Smith, ESQ SrRKEr CoxMrs1oNKR:-
SR:-By order have TO report the facts developed
purchase and delivery OF the limestone material used on
the roads during the administration Of John Nesbt late
Superintendent Of Roads.
This material comes from the Tompkins' Cove line
Company. cannot be had at any other place in large
quantities.
On the 18th OF August you addressed Mr. John Nesbi
JoHN Nxsmr, ESQ.,, Superintendent Of Roads
sE-Plesse inform me from what place the material
the Of the employed in bringing the mate
rial the Whole number OF tons delivered by each vessel
and the price therefor, and to whom paid. wish this
State Inent on Monday morning next
G.. W. SMITH, Street Commissioner
10 which be made reply, copy Of which is annexed
viz
BUREAU OF ROADS, August 9, 1859.
G. W. SMITH. Esq, Street Commissioner
SiRln aswer to your communication Of the 10th would
State that the following the Of the vessels en-
ployed in bringing the material TO whom moneys were
paid, and the price per tom
Samuel Blair, per s;Ar W rurno. $500 at IS cent?
sloop Ann Maria. i 800 9"
Simon Gage, per :" Henrietta. .2I56
Mat. lawson, per sloops Glide and Gene.
Thomas Morgan per scop Star soS
A. worden, per sloops Ann Amelia Emil
iy and james Smith. Observation-Disclosures
Thomas Csu.kin, per schrs Star and Ma
~ NaulDg.
Tho mstria has for the most part been prouSh. from
soney Point, Kingston, Rondout and verpancIs Point
the Hudson river.
JOHN NESBIT, Superintendent Of Roads
STREET COMMISSIONERS OFFICE, August a. 1882
!onN NfsBlT, Esq Superintendent of Roads
You will please send To this ofice the original bills
upon which vouchers drawn In your office for the
material used road covering also the record of the
material received You will please say what manner
the number OF tons was and also state wha
number Of cart loads have been used.
G. W. SMITH, Street Commissioner
BuIEAu OF ROADS, August a, 1862
&. W. SarH, Street Commissioner
SRln answer 70 your letter of the oath inst can only
say that the vessels carrying so tons turned from 100
to ITO leads and thoee carrying 100 tons out from
40 TO $50 loads The foremen Of the several gangs kent
the amount Of material delivered.
JOHN NESBIT, Superintendent OF Roads
There were original bills with this note as re-
nor were there found the Bureau Of Roads
on the resignation OF Mr. John Ncsbit
VIM Berrsgan, Aborer on the Bloomingdale road says
that he kept account Of the carloads OF this matersl
whpn frorn Tho In \