The New York herald., 1864-03-16
Highly IatsrstiBg Report M tho Special
Committee sf tho Board Of Supervisors
ial Wsstshsstsr County.
Malfeasance Of the Contractors
Directly Charged. &c
Fernando Woods Testimony Nos
Forthcoming
Further Important Evidence KepS
Away. s
Charges Of Corruption Openly
Made,

| - AA nRsAVA oPCAAy
Made,
&C.. &C.. 60.
The following comprehensive abstract of the report
Of the special committee appointed by the Of Su-
pervsors Of Westchester county the subject OF
new Harlem bridge-a matter that has wide
spread interest in this community long time past:
| To THE HONORABLE BOARD SUPERVISORS OF THE
COUNTY OF WEsrcHEsTER-
The special committee appointed by this Beard upon
the subject Of the Harlem bridge the termination
OF the Third avenue the county Of New York.
ing that county with the county of Westcheser
look alter and protect the OF this county in
relation etc. in addition to the report by
them TO this Board the 18th OF January upon
subjects referred to your committee, report that
since making Of that report they have examined
| following wtnesses:-Bernard Kelly, James Hough,
| Abram Hatfield James Davis and Wan. "A. Robertson,
and obtained from the Secretary Of Harlem Bridge
Commissioners the statement showing the total amount
Of money expended up the 10th day Of February
in construction Of said BRIDGE and also satc
ment from E. W. Smith. ESQ.,, the present chief
gineer Of said bridge, showing the numberof pounds
OF cast and wrought iron already reported used tho
construction Of said bridge, which has partially
paid for under the direction Of the Harlem Bridge Com
mssioncrs out OF the OF the county New York.
The committee here recaptuate the history Of the oi
| bridge Me1
y In pursuance OF application to the Legislature,
the chairman Of this prepared tho which
is known s'an act in relation TO the Coles Harlem
bridge tho termination Of the Third avenue the
county New York, passed April II 1851" Ey that
1t provided 'that the ls day April 1885, tho
present BRIDGE by B. Coles and his assigns
the Harlem river the Third
should become the property OF the people tho State
Of New York, and thereafter free bridge and public
highway, and should be kept good sufficient repair
and sustained as free bridge and public highway by the
counties Of New York and Westchester." tfurther
provided that the
bridge In repair should be borne aud rad county
charges by counties respectively in proportion
their jurisdiction over toe waters Of the Harlem river
II further. IL that most important section the consid
Grafton Of this Board in its investigation known tho
"fourth secen OF the act, - provided folows:-.
WheneveS the Mayor and the street Commissioner %
hs e
therein, or majority OF them and they and their sue
cessors in oice are hereby constituted Board " CON-
missoners for the purpose TO be known the Comms
sioners Of the Harlem Bridget shall, personal in
spccton and examinations deem It necessary, ard shall
certify In certificate to be by nom sgusd and Ned in
the Office Of the county clerks Of said COUNTIES that the
rebuilding OF the said bridge requisite and necessary
the said bridge should be rebuilt and rcconsructed
the shall Immediately after such determination and
the fling Of the said certificate be rebuilt aud
structed by and under tho direction Of the aforesaid on
GERS; and they hereby authorized. empowered and
required to make all.nscessary engagements aud
have said bridge uiy rebuilt and rcconstrcted without
any delay tho and expense thereof
shall be levied and collected, and shall be and paid
by tho said counties in the aforesaid proportions charge
able to each Of them as hereinoeforc provided.
will be perceived by this last section that the Mayor,
the Street Commissioner OF the city os New York. county
Judge OF westcnestsr county and the Chairman of tho
thereby constituted Board OF Commissioner,
TO be known the Commissioners Of the rlcm r'dge
for the purpose OF doing what that section provdrd.'
| It was presumed from the nigh character Of these
officers that they would iual this trust faithfully and
usually exercise in the performance or iransac-
tions on their part involving similar services
now report, fully they desired to have done
they could have readily obtained the testimony OF Fer.
his privilege as such, could not be compelled como
from Washington and appear before your commtce also
original who resident OF the state Nsw
Jersey, and could not be compelled to attend also tho
whose residence rs in Orange county and the first and
chic; engineer OF the work, William j. MacAipne whose
residence In the Saio Ohio, having prevented tho
| obtaining OF their important testimony herein.
But. Notwithstanding the absence OF the testimony
which these parties doubtless would havc given throw
ing additional sht upon this important subject,
Your ec satisfied that with tho testimony u
Jordan l. Mott James DAVIS John Roach, AUD, I.
w. Smith, Levi Kerr 7. Sickies, Jordan Mott, Jr,
Abraham Hatfield, Charles v. iough. Andrew Findiay
william H. Robertson James Hough aud BERNARD Kelly,
which has obtained together with the documentary
testimony taken from the record bouk OF the commits
souers Of the Harlem Bridge Commission aud the docu
nent,ry testimony obtained through inspection OF tho
tho oce OF the COMPTROLLER CT the county Of
New York; who has been tue dsoursng agent in paying
enormous suDs that have already been paid uon the
construction OF the Harlem brdgc-togethcr with
analysts the several payments and tue objects for
which they have been paid. made by Mr. lassigs
bookkeeier employed by your committee tor
the purpose, and which are hereto annexei-they
have folly Satisfied themselves that the original contracts
entered into by persous claiming to have hoen the
Harlem Bridge Commission had their inception IN eorup-
tion, and that the making thereof desi'nct 10
corruptly put m ney pockets useless aud
necessary employees OF the claimed Harlem Fridge Con
mission, and likewise into the pockets OF ncompe'ens
The committee rsier to the history OF The con-
tracts under which the construction Of the Har-
! lem bridge, iron October 10, 1859, 70 the pre-
scnt time, hls been drawing its extensive, soY
length along II will borne IN mind that was
passed in April, 1857 The hrss action the Iart Of
those claiming 20 DO The officials who were nraed n tho
commenced on the Sd day Apr, 1860, Fernando
Wood, Mayor Of the city o New Y rk and Gostsvus w
Robertson, tho County Judge OF wescheser, ana Asop
H. lockwood, claiming to be the chairman o; the Board
ocs ~ s mayor r's and Claimed 10 ossne
board Of commissioners under the fourth section
An this nrst meeting these cluiued commits sioners
prepared and sigucd certificate AZ to the necessi-
for the rebuilding Of rhw the ss bridge s,sa,oa p'qva %
tho motion Of Alsop II. lockwood, claiming TO be
chairman of The Board a suneryisors and ono o. saic
commissioners, William J. McApine as Inc chief cngL
neer she work. lhoy then requested him TO fcpire
plane Tor tho BRIDGE and adjourned 70 The OIL q the
President Mayor Wood, who appointed tho 10th day OF
May 1880, as tho day Tor the next meeting.
Tue Chief tngincer made lengthy rorort Of the plan
for the construction OF the bridge IN ooucudug wbch
he stated that the new bridge according to the plans
that nc had prep lred would cost 5000 600. or less
OF Nav, 1860. At this meeting tbe plan which had
at tie prcvicus one been submred by the chief fn-
HuecT, Was hNVs'tht At 1Uitn. tno oHsts WINNIE
ri ner Of New York, decning 10 vote.
The ALLEGED commission then resolved uron the plan
OF giving the The bridge, according 70 tno
pa being required 10 be constructed principally ol iron
they resolved TO give out tho cyndcrs ar locks Sc
which by far the heaviest Ssrs o. she wo'k, .!
| contract 49,.
tho Chief Engineer at the meeting stated that at least
$3.50 600 worth "a tho be completed OF tho bridge
shouc DO contracted for, and tnat one quarter the
work ought be dopo BY days worh UNDER tho drec-
tIon on the Commissioners He then aso stated tbat Mo
en,re cost n the iron work would be size severity
per cent the cost the granite Or cut stone would
be 500 Of tho stone filling (rubbie) $4,000 %
| nca' the shOul6