New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-12

fec OF tie public money IN their estimation would be 100
great When the means by which Hickey obtained
lis cnntrac, come 20 light ehd the exrNdients rcsorted
to TO cover up that fraudnow at wCrKa the expense
of the city are exposed the public VIII then be enabled
TO Indigo If condition OF things which their wort ap
prshensons have heretofore iaied TO realize
The City Inspector in bis Communication 10 the Com
mon Council Of recent date shows that he is expanding
from $3.50 900 to sGOO year in cleaning tLo streets
Two weeks longer woik upon the streets, when CITY
Inspector DELAY an was removed. would have been ali
sufficient 70 have thoroughly freed IL of the large accu
imitation of filth left by contractor Hackey AFTER the
ACCOMPLISHMENT of TINT result tie work would have been
done ~ about onebalf Of what he then expendng
aud was the knowledge this fact that caused his re-
moyal. -
rive here the amount which Il would have cost the
civ for cleaning the streets under Col Deayan had he
been nermittcd retain ms place The data were pro
cured y nc tho several Street Inspectors attached
TO this bureau. The total nnInber of street sweepers
anC carInen required 3S. W 10 the first Of the
present month under the administration Of the present
Incumbent We have from $50 to eOO--and other xpnn
lures IN proportion The total cost 10 the city from my
estimate amounted 10 s25C0O for the year. Under the
present system il IL at lenrt e5J1OJ0.
Within the last four months wealthy contractor
presented 10 me in person "a written and signed agree
iuont by which be offered 70 freight from the city ITS
ashes and dirt for term OF yeefs free o! expense ana
to give security for tie faithful performance ~ lhe
wOh IN sums Ol from $4,000 10 elOoVr. REFERRED
him 10 the Cify Inspector but not meeting VIII sue
cess, he subsequently called upon the Controller and
MAYOR urging the acceptance Of his proposals 1here
was no Just why the proposal should not have
been accepted the spot nv 10" Ivy Inspector ipu
VIII perhaps ask why then was it rcfuscdi At present
an not prepared 20 answer The question One thing
however s certain, that the city sti continue, 70 pay
for work that need rot haze cost II one cent tho ,nln ~
from orc 10 SSOOO0 annually. In ndditlon 10 this
there are clerks in this Department who receive from
e6CO 10 $1,000 O year who have never performed AZ
hours wuiA.
Let ne now see the difference between tho nc,ua cost
OF The Department az present managed and what 1t
an be done for under different system. Present cost
OF the Sanitary Department for salaries and conin
~ ~ cf4 = to
S-3 O0D Other estimates liberal scale would b.,
for sanitary purposes salaries and contingencies in
cluded sGJOJO. street cleaning allowing for increase
Of pay 10 men, serves the completion 81 my estimate
$50 0oo-,otal s3l00O0. Difference in favor Of the
city S33 600 or $4,000 more than sufficient TO carry
on al the legitimate operations Of this Department III
the plans suggested by tho City Inspector 10 be sub
mitted TO the Legdsinre should be adopted. this Do
partment VII have tue uncontrolled disbursement Of
nearly million of dollars annually.
Rni osde frsu this waste Of tho public money still
create! injury il inflicted upon the community through
r. influence upon our elections The City Inspectors
and the Street Commissioner Depsr ment have al com
inand By means Of patronage "a controlling influence
A. thew aloge over The votes OF ~ least lnUD persons
They claim a. their the leading politicians 81 every
ward of The CITY and II s only necessary that these de
partmcnts should combine and make known their choice
for Office 70 have their ayortes nominated The honest
men ~ the party have 20 choice IN tho natter They
mrst either vote for the men thus presented or be made
to suffer he usual peny, o. syhs ee1-Sa ~ btm
is b., snecia act Of legislation last Winter, pos.
eion oftheir Offices for four yoars there y no power
outside the Legislature - d mem oe,ors 'he eI
bc amount Of injury which they are thus enabled 20
infiioi upon the community pecuniaIy ond political
dnrng these four years may Dc estimated by the thor
uity OF their acts committed since t1cI assumption OF
power. go
A lew items showing the manner IN which The public
money was expended In this department Tor political
purrse- during the late election NAV not prove Enin-
sting The particulars received ron tho pay rOl
clerk on the nth ~ last month Al that imeihcre were
eupoyed - distributors o. ordinances, - notice dis
trbu,Ors 40 special Inspectors and 40 .dd0na fore.
men Of street cleaning numbering n e. ~ az 81 per
day. OF sya1l per aunLIu ioI which tho city doc.
not receive in return the amount Of one mans Work for
single week IN the whole year. This was lees than
hal! ~ the actual number q, men similarly employed.
iut without definite position In tho department. aud
pad from the City Treasury. Whether these men arr
I'll. under pay not am unable 70 answer ~ every
avenue 10 further information has been closed 10 me-
when by law and ordinance the TcFertc sbonld have
been ne case In nv bureau (saniiary) there arc ~
health and assistant health NaIdens a. cot iothe ety
of s4s lOs per hnnurn. Ten sci!rc. Intelligent men
Win the CITY, properly Distracted would be all sufficient
fos the work. and ,,v.ng TO the city Of IS. 600.
Tad by tie pa rolls now before me. thai the cost
r ciasnr the streets for tie FIRST two weeks In 40.
ye,nber amounts 10 within fraction ~ thirty Fix thou
-ard dollars or six hundred AID seveniysr thousand
dolars yeE. shoall on! "ehken ne mpo-tAree OF
his statement by adding 20 II any statements Of my
own mention these cases a. instances 81 ~hai lay
be practscd under the present unchecked mode OF trans
scng bu.iu.ss There IL enough 81 lat IL known TO
have been pracsci ~ warrant The CONCLUSION mat to
unlimited license thus allowed 20 this once has bad ia
abundant necsfssTy results IN tie dnbafsrm eHt- o'
m 81 never intended and 10 extent 90 carefully ooh
c@ard that IN many 90 ,ances II VIII D. lculI '" atcer
tain either the tie objects % which they have
benn appropriated. Could an examination into The
nlfrs u this department De made. Tie NHst" 81 tho
o. q money Tor personal and political purposes would
found 10 exceed in iiuinensy ANYTHING al The Kind
ever before known in ne l-tory of this or nDy other
civilized city Of the world Under the present system
ne Clty Inspector i, invested eiA re double duties Of
preparing the semi monthly pay rolls OF rs department,
and at the tine permits him 10 ~ m TIE capacity
~ paymaster. He h1s thus BnbOunned discretion IN
nsking olt his own pay.rols ami equally unboundci
cans At Tia command 20 make such Payments. lesyng
no single check upon hi disbursements. ard holding
him liable 20 no account Tor sny abuse Of his trust.
resolution permitting the City Inspector - al IN
the double capacity of receive ana dsburser u public
moneys was passed IN the Common 'oincD foW days
before the present incumbent went into once ard thus
power. we're conferred upon that department no, only
never granted ~ any OAtr department OF The cty gov
errmei bat practically ignoring me EXIST nee 81 the
CoupiIolers Department. except a. mere Instrument
convenience " pay over 10 the 't inspector on hs
order. any suns he may demand 10 D. paid why u
The rule IN tie City Inspectors Department u correct
the would no. be correct n other city departments
IL would BE- difficult 20 distinguish. The practice once
admitted every check upon these departments IN The
unlimited control over the public MONEYS would De done
away with and the Compiro'ler's Office would be a
mere c!erkship IN this instaDce 10 has practically
become 40 far The City Inspectors Department Is
co; cerned.
let NJ look az such results a nay occur under an
interruptions Naturalization Of tue oice. The City
In Decior makes out his ssmimOlioly pay rolls,
amounting % say S250J0 for 100 leb0r.ng men anu
employees transmits ihe same 10 tie Controller and
demands his draft or that amount. TIE Controller
may have reason 20 question the correctnoss 81 this
payroll and may Insist. % be las done. Ia paying the
himself Bot the city Inspector. az has been the
csto under tie present incumbent erhblts the newly
adopted resolution. end compliance with its proSitoas
on the part OF the Controller n 1ssted upon ~ IN
ayoidable The pay roll beag In ts form all that tie
Law requires Is ihe alsuifcens alihofity 70 receive
The gross sum which IL indicates.
And now q word az 10 whoi may BE done with almost
entire IMMUNITY under tho operation Of the resolution
t.. it b. prostBed-end the presumption 70 no, bold