The New York herald., 1860-09-12
THE CR0TON AQUEDUCT INVESTIGATION.
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Second Meeting Of the AldermaniC
Committee.
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Replies Of Messrs. Tappan and Craven to the
Charges Of Mayor Wood.
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The Citizens Desire 10 Endorse the
Action Of the Mayor.
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Another Adjournment Of the Com
mittee,
&e., As., &ss

Aldermen N
OF Msssrs Tsppan and Craven from the croon Aqueduct
Department took place yesterday afternoon at one
O'Clock At that hour, however, Aderman Starr the
only member Of the committee present. and he informed
the meeting that he determined 10 proceed infor-
mAlly, even II bis colleagues failed TO attend. He
then commenced reading the charges Of the
Mayor his Honor transmitted them to the
Aldermanic Board, and got through with the
reading OF them in an hour. These charges and spe-
cicatons for the nova Of Messrs Tappaa and Craven
have already been published III the HrRLD Mainline
the other two members OF the Ge
net and Booleoccupied their places the committee and
the former took The chair.
After the reading OF the Mayors communication the
committee informed Mesrs Tappan and Craven that they
were now ready to hear their 1t they
prepared 10 reply.
Mr. Tappan thea arose read the following response,
which he Afterwards rendered 10 the committee In manu-
4 script
To THE HosoRAmF rHE COMMITTEE or BOARD ALDER
10 whom rcierrrd communication OF the Mayor
OF the city, ing certain caarges against Afr d W.
Crayep chief Engineer, and Tnos B. Tappan, Assistant
Commissioner, OF the Croton Aqueduct Board
Ihe unaert lgneo respecuuiy submit ,ne ,oLowing an
charges far as tho undersigned Is concerned are Of
alleged serious disagreement add insubordnation and
tention in office OF messrs. Cornwall and Conboy No
spechcaors whatever accompany the charge Of serious
disagreement and insuborduation, and the unders
existence Of any insnbordnaiion 70 the Mayor OF the
city the part Of the Offices of the Croton aqueduct
Board great having uniformly taken in all the
operations Of the Department, whenever the Mayor
thought proper TO oppose s action 70 conform as FAR as
possible TO his wishes, As the following viii sho~ and
there any exceptions this uniform tenor of conduct
and a. courtesy toward the Mayor, they have
occurred when individuals, represeDting that they
expressed the wishes OF the Mayor, have desired
the removal certain persons 10 the Department, whom
the underrgn. declined 10 unless some better
reason than mere political antsgonnm could be alleged
they retained; and inasmuch as the power 70 ap
point subordnai.s IA solely vested in Croon Board
and subordipaion the Mayor In this regard
Qured by any law tnis effort may not have been in his
mind when a,erous d.sagreemebts and nation
charged against fhe undersigned and he therefore
procecos the only subjects Of disagreement which have
occurred as 10 which the undetsgned repeats every d.
position shown to obge the Mayor, consistent with
Just performance OF public duty. The Croton Board
were by three ourihs vote OF the Common Council di
rected 70 rsoe additional pipe aeross the High Bridge
to asc the supply Of water-a OF pressing
necessity aud ITO lower the main pipe Eighth
70 conform 70 the grade and 10 do them Gays
work The fret u which approved by the Mayor
ntcember 81. 1889 the other passed during the
ysn' yea, ana spproyed ~ We nssor 30 .ooo
cessary b. done 70 complete perfect articula pb,
or any supply Is necessary for any particular purpose,
which work or JOB f 70 be Undertaken or supply FUR
uishcd or Corporation the several parts of the
said work supply snN together involve the expendi
tue of than $3.50 the shall be by contract
under such regulation concerning shall be established
by ordinance o. the Common Council unless by vote Of
three fourths the members elected % each Board II
shall he ordered otherwnen The above works
defed 10 be otherSse and believing the o,mpeion
OF the same o more i'm porance the city than the par
tcuar manner which said work should be done the
pres through shi:h The Croton u conveyed over the
fIsh Biose fma that whe the aqueduct from Cfo
tou lake the gh ricgc constructed 20 deliver sixty
million galors a per diem, those pipes ony con.
vey about haif the auAllty, ani the surplus drained
into the Ialem river Thee rlpee were laid Al that re-
duced cApacy the msiaken idea that the wants OF
the CITY would supplied BY them for many year. yet
cone but the rspia OF population, anf
the estahshnest and sxtersion Of many branches of
uaee oa'ilE ~anr, eai for eqaalzsng the carrying
power n bridge the whole capacity of the alue
Duct - that tte many dangers y .he city recruiting
frop nution, such frequently happens ~ the
quantity q vaur N the distributing reservoir, usy 20
ougcr exist Ihe Crcton BjAr1 obeflence ~ the re-
souticus q The Con Council we're proceeding with
thcse mot impoFiaD. ~orks a. directed, one q which
had ben approved "a y BIZ Honor 20 that there was no
reason g. sCpl0sc thtre would be any a. jecon
RS rafi d progressing that there would nsve been
a certainty " complexion curing the present work.
lnr stasoa, When Information was received that
the Mayor Lad expressed doubts about the
Legality - Tie manner q doing Tue work. sni
that b. would sigu the warrant cr me same. S0i
vihsisudtg Ihc great necessity or an additional PIE
acrss tne brdge = bring The water y The ey .h..
wasted The noFh side of Harlem river, md ths
mitsa tune lor dong the work - the Eghih avenue,
they immediately discontinued IN orcer that NE
Mayor uEhi have opportunity " inyegfig ting the
same and uotce cent 20 him 10 thai eject 10 ie~
Gays osmmunication received from the Nayor say
ing that he wouo approve n the work % EFhth ave
nue, aud II was irlmsdlately rccommsuoei. there
being % Icra oeiectia against one that woid uos Do
eomnpn eAson T. the Mayor urging aspecy dcc-iou On
tie xh Br &c improvement afsguste surpiy ~
water was Depending 90 ne aaaiiopsl ~ o,ins lla
,owrds the compIsison % The ~uts, ex
thus spending the work 10 complain 10 The wsh ot
the Mayor nsaeordlnstion be traced Toe above
the cny matters the conduct Of sciuAl operations
II which there has been difference cf opnion between
the and The totnn duct Board t1st have hap
rened suce The under. ru.d has been member hsreoi
snd the eoarnun 10 The e~rd Of Aldermen OF
rtous dixagrcements and nsubordinstlon s the only
occ affirmation that The undersigned has that here
R..N TrN natl
sined the commun OF The Mayor 70 The hcuora
bic the Rard q Aldermen the isth Inst all ooeurred
previous 10 ny being member Of the rOton Board, ex
cept the psvng n Forty ninth street ln that case
complaint vas made about The time the work commencsd,
phch referred 10 the Water Puryeyor for etsminz-
TO snc attention, who sited the daily whe u
progress also the General Inspector, with the
Inspector ID charge 81 the work constantly the ground,
wtoec certificates have that the work performed
"a accordance wth the cotusct, and the Undersigned has
% rocoiccton, nor y there any evidence "a the once
that say complaint ~s made AFTER that time. AZ the
burden q the communication is op1cerning mssiers
q ergipcsrrg those matters best be answered By
the Rcntlemen specially charged thcrr~dn In said con-
muhlc&sou the MAYOR says Bot There other
10 which not unly M Craven eut M rappan equally
culpshls my have retained ID once persons shs
beeu prc.eu eaa,y q cn.ia desqucncy ,. ommied A.
Cheers of toe spstmsnt and spcsks " The cse q Conn
The sary part a June, 1852 tao uoahs pfcseus " my
appointmc1t a. member u the crOtcn Bard. Ine ex
animation y The case wa made IN pcoemocr, 1889 ~
bard. hr Myndeft yan srhslcx being theo lresi.
dett Tie iesNnouy all before Mr. Van
sshack, and tue unanimous testimony OF the Bard a.
rtadered ty h. that tbse nsd bees no nte0tian cf
wroug dong the rsrtof either Counwel OF Uo0ony.
that reprmsnd sua csutleu deemed sificent
There VAS nothing the evidence tcndng implicas
Crnn well touboy colasor 70 dersad the
eV Mr. ConbOy was not an oncer 10 the
Department be Was merely . se.rns msn
wors ng 10 The gang undsr the charge Of NJ cona~o,
Are len the emp,oy of The city 10 worx on hts ovn so
count. ana vhssever -rops ~as conmltted -as sy M
Connwe IN lencnr the porder tools, sh1cn uere
TUNED and allowing cf the en 20 eave thef WORK
and sssmt Mr.. Cooboy Nr. Copuwsn hsd no nserrsf 10
The vorK s,her direct o. ladr~cs believing that the
charge ws made thronsh malice because The parties ma
king hnd been dschsged By Com vel, and a my ssso
cEee stated h has vorked nor the department for tns
rsst en ana had Nways been sfatnu and emceat
ocer, and that tocre bad been previous cnarae
against nm, NE aboye sertsiou given. Alter Me-
Van srh.ck hsd rc.igred he position his hsncr The
MAJOR scot 70 knov whether the above parties
poyed snd f copies q The evidence vhcn furnished
him, and be then ssxed tna they b- discharged s>sev
inr that The Bard hsf ses~d Justly, the u~For
auessed by Mr.. Grave snd nyseh 70 loos over the
te~tlmooy again. After fec days were