The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-04


ment had the 9th TO inform the public
when the meeting would be had; he did rccoIect
whether II announced the Sd that they had adj
journed to the 5th not; the 5th there full
board the bids were taken up for considerations there
was no present but the board and the Witness the
bid OF Mr. Helmbod, OF Philadelphia, taken up
which he offered 10 clean the streets Of the city for
$500 600 per annum the board decided il could not be
taken for want OF suretes tho bid OF the Sanitary and
Compost Company was taken up and the board decided
that their certihcate Of incorporation manufacture
Ing company disqualified them legally from undertaking
the work OF street ceaning the Recorder then moved
that the bid be awarded the lowest BIDDER, except
Helmbod and the Compost Company; the resolution
was lost; the vote upon II was taken by ayes and
noes by the Mayor; the roll was not called; think II
taken by asking all In favor say aye and all OPP
posed, no; the resolution lost the Recorder and
Mayor only voting in favor Of il, and the other three
members OF the Commission against IT. possible tho
roll may have been called the resolution but
positively; the Counsel 10 the Corporation moved
that tho contract be awarded TO John McQuade at
$500 600 year; voted in favor OF this but the
mover and was lost the Comptroller then moved that
the contract be awarded 70 Brown, Knapp and
Devoe for $49S, 500, with the condi6ln that
the contractors accept any modification that should be
made in the specifications By the Commits ion; tho
vote, think was taken by tho Mayor asking for the
yeas and nays without calling the roll; the Counsel to
the Corporation, the Comptroller and City Inspector
voted hrs, think the Counsel to the Corporation and
the Comptroller voted yea but don't know how the
City Inspector voted but know that he made request
OF the Recorder subsequently that his vote be recorded
In the Affirmative; don't know how the Mayor and Re-
corder Voted but motion In favor OF awarding The
, , 70 Brown, Knapp ana Deyoe being made me
Mayor stated IN reply 10 question that he had voted in
the Affirmative; 1t was unanimously adopted TO give the
contract to Brown, Dcvoc and Knapp; the Comptroller
spoke then OF the personal character OF Mr. Brown that
he had been contractor for repairing the sidewalks and
that he had done the work very credtably to himself
and satisfactorily TO the Croon Aqueduct Board the
City Inspector spoke favorabiy of Mr. Dcvoe
tractor md the Counsel the Corporation spoke favora
bly, Of Mr. Knapp the City Inspector said the
not too much and he doubted whether could DO
carried out for the amount named by the successful bid
ders objection made one Of the bidders ho
resident of BROOKLYN this objection strongly
urgcc the City Inspector made this objection; nothing
strikes my mind continued the witness at the present
o m WuS tlp
tractors; IL was said Mr.. H5lmbold was sdent of
Philadelphia it was said Nj. McQuade contractor;
don Z remember anything else Of Importance; no one
said anything about why hcQnadc should not have tho
contract the Comptroller moved 10 pay the witness one
hundred dollars as clerk Of the board at the meeting OF
the 9th Of June the Recorder and Corporation Counsel
were not present; Mr.. Brown and the reporters were
present, and the Mayor announced that te
contract was awarded TO Brown. Dcvoe and Knapp,
the next meeting was on the l2th OF Jnne, the
contractors with their sreties were present. amend
men TO the tenth specification was adopted at this meet
ng the amendment was to strike out from this cticn
the words 'at the time specified" (The witness then
read the the requesting their attend
ancc with their suretis at the meeting Of the 18th Of
June, and also the note announcing that the contract
was awarded 10 thcin.) was Continued the wness)
directed BY the Mayor 10 write these notes 10 the
tracto the contractors executed the contract N lre
scnco OF Mr. q. W. Morton, the marshal in the Mayors
1 Office, and myself CHE ,onract now identified by
| the witness and put In evdence.)
The Witness cross-esamincd by Mr. Brady.
He testified that the Comptroller said at the meeting Of
the ed Of May that he thought would be oncrous en-
etahl elmcn,s the Aston House. that In Mr. Fishers
editor the irtiG suggestions alinsion made to
an ARTICLE In the HrRho which suggested hrs conmnn-
catonl witness supposed this article be the advcr
tsent which appeared in several papers, moth was
said R objection 10 the awarding of the contract the
on Dht the bids by any one on behalf VI the public
snyonc else II there great fall OF II would
be impossible TO clean the streets; the suggestions made
by Tie Mayor sent to the oIice OF the Corporation
| Counsel; Messis. Fishers, Woods and Whit NJ sug-
gctos may not have gone to the Corporation nscl.
but The others did, the suggestions amendments Of
the Comptroller am certain, were taken 70 the onice OF
the CORPORATION Counsel the letters 10 the Mayor sug
gcsted the contractors should state how they should
do the work aud FOR how much without any limitation
from the Commission; there were discussions on the
suggestions made by the Comptroller he did not re-
member anything sad to the effect that OF these
suggestions Mould be 10 the interest OF the city;
two changes suggested by the Recorder adopted;
the sug cs;ion OF Mr. Knapp that the contract should
not be broken on account OF any tcchLcaty, adopt
cd obviously just and fair the Recorder and Corpora
| ton counsel examined the right OF the Compost
! Company undertake the work. and 10
the conclusion h,at they could not; the rest
| Of the Commission concurrcd in their decision;
II was sad by the corporation Counsel Recorder
various times that the Commission had the right to
award the contract 10 another instead of the lowest
bidder h. certain he the Mayor vote IN favor
Of awarding the contract to the lowest b oder he Re-
cordcr also voted aye on this iostion he assigned as
for changing lis vote this quest that r
IN favor OF the contract VII The motion made to
award the to Tie present contractors said
anything against the contractors bnt several OF tho
Commission spike In their gyor think said
would be most % te interest OF the city to award the
contract 10 Brown, KNAPP aud Dovoe; til Comptroller
said that the property Of ne snoties should DO real
| estate.
4 u. n.
that ~ discussing the specifications t,c Recorder
and Corporation Counsel were tho principal spca the
form ~ tho contract w. GXct Ut cary meeting 81 tho
Commits On; ten years named maitcr 81 e.Cno-
my; Ave years Wa poken ol a. too shota term; when
the power ~ the Compost Company was spoken o, hc
did no remember seeing Nj. Whiting pr scnt; he did
not remember any couversat on the power IL this
company with him al the DISCUSSIONS in the Commssioa
the discussion were more the formaltc.,
how The surciics we're 10 bc nutc liable, MOI how the
work 10 be carried out, this subject the Commits
sion were u Cd he did not remember tina, II sid
Id rom Fal
wofk would no, be well done II said thai by TAX
ing pgr OF the arbitrary power OF the city Inspector
away the contract would be carried out more 10 tho
benefit of tie city
being cross-examiucd Nv the counsel The City In
spcctof lao testified tia, ne records were made from
rough notes taken ut the meeag by himself; that he
Board warned hInot 10 record their convc, sation but
their acts the City Inspector jways opposed aN tho
streets cleaned by contracts the ty Inspector was not
present "a the meeting Of the 18th OF June tile City In
slcclor tic Mayors office before the time tho
meeting took place. he never said hc desired 10 dodge
a meeting az one of the meetings subsequently, he cx-
pressed himself opposed 20 The oonirac AMI did not
wish a. identify himself with Mr.. Booe only
pressed opposition Ia the contrast not that he in
favor or tho highest bidder instead OF the lowest he
thought the work could not be done for the money paid
the contractors; ho would not say that he refused 10
vote before hc knew which way the Mayor would vote
when the advertisements first put in the specica-
tons were lot ready ono OF the bids Of the compost
Company Tor $500 900 year, with q descending
was for 100000 year; 1 had no hand in get
ting up these charges except furnishing information "a
any who called for w. the dscasson on the ten wears
the 18th OF May spoken OF for about fifteen
minutes; the Recorder proposed the amount Of the
security should be 10000, the Comptroller oI-
posed this TOO low; the city Inspector thought
IL proper that the power over the contract
should be vested In majority or the Commission instead
OF himself he always expressed himself opposed TO the
contract the Mayor acted like man that had some
sense rather than like wooden man. In voting and
speaking In the Commission
Being cross-cxamincd by Mr. Emott tho witness ,es.
TILED y the discussion that took place on the capab
OF the various contractors
The investigation then adjourned 10 this morning
az ten o'clock