The New York herald., 1864-03-16


ing up the 1901 800 49, under the and super
structure contracts ass gned 10 HIM. Bearing n mind
that twenty per cent OF the to be paid und this
contract was TO he reserved TIL the work was I'm
ished, s60,OOO (say) IN addition is due TO Roach
under tie three contracts making up to January last
the total amount OF s3el 500 SO paid paid him
on account Of the work thus far done by him.
From these statements IT Will also re that the
total amount paid for salaries Of engineers, superin-
tendents aud property clerks down 10 December last
amounts TO s47 SAG 49, From these statements it viii
also be observed that the amounts paid Ly the very
liberal Comm ssoners, who assumed to act prior to
the act OF 1851, 10 the engineers ard the two
superntendeDts from The 25h OF May down 10 the l7h
OF August, lo6O-ong before any contracts given
out and when with the exception OF the preparation OF
the Plan by the Chief Engineer Mr.. MeApine, nothing
was done or could have been doDereaches the OF
IL will also be by these statements that these
collect rent the sum OF So ,372 33 his charged
at the rate Of $40o for small Offices in Harlem, and
IS paid TO A. IL Lockwood and f. W. Lockwood, accord.
ing to the Comproller's books These Offices the
Judgment Of your committee required for the
use OF the engineers and are, rs they are informed sell
Another charge q $500 Per annum for office rent
Yok, part Of a small Office No. New Chambers
street, which the testimony shows s only occupied
for few hours once in each week on Fridays
Your committee n referring 10 the act Of 1861 which
supernduced to be passed by Alsop II. Lockwood
and James Hough, deem IL proper TO state that desire
expressed for change Of the commission made
by the act of 1857 the part Of constituted
authorities Of the city Of New York tho county OF
o the change hs she@ng
those who had originated the exravagant contracts OF
the 10th of October, 1860; and the object which they
had 10 view Of obtaining the change may be judged OF
by this Board and the community from the enormous
amounts which have already been paid out of tho
Treasury OF the county Of New York for the salaries Of
unnecessary officers connected with the Commits.
sion, and to Mr.. John Roach and those interested
with him under the contracts for the furnishing
OF iron The first commission gave TO westcheser
county two commissioners ana TO New York two
Commissioners. The two counties were thus equally
presented 10 the commission by the act of 1851 three
commissioners were given 10 New York and two were
left for Westchester county Thus It viii be perceived
that for oil purposes o protecting the rights OF Wescles
ter in the new commisson the people of Westchesier
county are at the mercy OF the majority the commits
soners, who are from New YORK And although Judge
Robertson and Asop H. Lockwood have reported TO this
Board that II s their understanding that Wesichesier
county only 10 for the construction Of such parts
Of the Harlem bridge within It's boundaries yet
the testimony Of james Davis, ofthe Commissioners
from New York previously quoted radically differs from
their under standing
The committee proceed to show the alleged injustice Of
this and asser. = nat n the Judgment o. majority Of
ducing section one Of article ten 0. the constitution OF
1886 in support OF their position
been by the legislature bring and
duties Of the officers who were appointed to build the
bridge under the dec ion in the Mcrop tnn Police case,
your committee suggest that the Legislature had
sttuonal right to appoint the five individuals named in
soners In the act Of is57 four officials ali Of whom
had been elected by the people, constituted,
efcio the Board Of Commissioners But assuming, for
She sake Of argument that these commissioners appoint
ed by the act o. April H. 1861 legally appointed,
your committee insist that their duty was to have dsro
II was the duty Of the Commissioners TO have pro-
secuted for the penalty OF the bonds OF the
the fuhmeut OF the contracts to have advertised
anew and given out and honest contracts, and 70
have had the work long since completed.
Your committee are Of the unanimous opinion that all
OF the engineers who employed paid salaries
excessive rates, with the exception o9 engineer
should never have been employed or paid The employ
ment OF chief engineer aud two three assistants
work which 10 be done by contract, under a plan
which had bcen adopted and the specifications OF which
haAh haon aA ts,ntu
extent Of the two three assi.tahis who were paid
originally at the OF 90 600 per The aproint
made 10 secure saecnre paces-one for James Hough
friend Of Alsop H. lockwood, and the other for VIM.
H. Mchaeis, the appointee Of Mayor Woodland
wholly unnecessary. And especially the sp-
poutment as such superintendent Of so important
as Bridges % ns By as
II superintendsnt had been necessary.
This individual who, with Mr. Lockwood. has already
fastered the people OF the county Of New York
taxation q the extent OF s4o4 600 In connection
with this bridge which is little than half fnished
State Legislature, since January l. 1860, at Albany,
sometimes 10 company with L ckwood and others. as
sble operations OF lobbying"
The total sum paid for engineers on this bridge down
to The 31st OF ecember last amounts to $35362 The
total paid to the superinendents and the property
clerk Charles V. Hough whose services equally
unnecessary, down to 3st December last has been $l2
2s4 US. The county OF New York which Is always boun
tul in its payment OF salaries, has exhibited very
marked and striking lberality in the payments the
hvo Commissioners claiming TO be the Comm
OF the Harlem Bridge II will be by the statement
OF the payments made to them hereto annexed that
each one CT the FIVE has received at the rate
Of three dollars per day for his services, for
every day. excepting Sundays, In each year, since
his appointment but not even exceptng or excluding
holidays Tho act provides that they shall be allowed
three dollars for each days actual Tie total
paid TO hese>Comm missoners, and for rent Of Offices,
stationery &C. TO November 1862 out OF the Treasury
OF New York, SIS ,092 33, and follows for Clm
missioner:-
William Miner $40
James JAWS .......... os
Joseph Southworth. ........................ 2,379
A. II LOCKWOOD. 2,379
William H. hooertson. 2,5sy
This TO the 1st OF November last. The bills or each
OF them for tho quarter ending February I, last,
s237 each, being still pending the New York Board OF
Supervisor upon the thereof by Mayor Gnnther.
Your committee call the attention OF the Board the
loose and careless manner in which large payments have
been made out Of the Treasury OF the County New York.
under the action Of the present Commissioners, aud
pecaly refer to bill o, Roach 4 Edwards, upon
than bis own adavit OF the correctness OF the items
Of the bill
Alpine, before the contracts were given out certified that
the entire quantity OF iron which would be used at the
rates per pound charged In the conrac, osd not exceed
weighing and the only certificate under the plan which
tue Commissioners thus adopted for asceriainng the
weight emanates from Charles " Hough, the OF the
James Hough that iron has been paid for
as used (bnt really no.. used) upon this work TO the
CURED according TO the certificate OF present ebef
engineer Z. wIsmth, and to be paid for at the
prescribed in the contracts amounts to $50 900
pounds and viii cost the sum Of 500 900; and
$60000-the twenty per cent reserved under tho
tractss yet TO be paid for iron alleged 70 be
furnished by John Roach Thus total or over S460 900
and will be required according the statements
OF Mr.. Roach. according 10 the payments which have
been made him, and according the certificate Of the
existing chief engineer TO the iron which yet
qured Tor that which the frs. engineer (Mr McAlpne)
certified would not cost over $10 900 $3000O II the
difference between what had been furnished and what
had been estimated for was few thousand dollars or
few thousand pounds OF iron the discrepancy might bc
assumed 10 be fair and honest. But with accurate
estimate made by skfui and able an engineer as Mr.
McAlpne TO conclude that iron has been properly paid
for that correct weights have been certified TO- TO
say the least TO convot Mr. McApuc o gross ignorance
10 his profession and 10 endorse extreme creduy Of
our people.
The new Commissioners is true, altered the plan Of
Mr. McApne in using iron piers where stone piers had