New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-05
HOW ARMORIES ARE FURNISHED BY THE
SupERHISORH

otTEhI foOhos
The Board of Supervisors, a. its last meeting, APP
proprated an additional s35, 600 for Armories and
Drill.Rooms. Jobbery under this head is Of recent
orign-the power having been conferred upon the
Supervisors about three years ago. but it has grown
with surprising uxurance and has been accompanied
by circumstances Of such reckless profgacy that We
deem it proper invite to it the particular attention
Of the public.
The financial operations Of certain members Of the
Board connected with the procurement Of premises
for the various Armores design to ventia;o here
after limiting the present article 10 showing the man
ner in which the tax-leVy has been swelled by this
new swindle. rs. o.
Prior to 1868, the duty of supplying the militia regi
mentS of this City with rooms deyolved upon the
Common Council, who discharged il to the satisiac.
ton of the regiments and, undoubtedly with some
small profit to themselves. The pickings, however,
must have been moderate. The Amories were located
over the markets and other public buildings and the
whole expenditure did not exceed $1,000 for any one
year. The Board Of Supervisors, however, induced
the Legislature TO transfer tho business TO them and
during the past three years, its duties have been
mitted to q special committee of that body, consist
ing of'he same individuals with one exception, who
compose the notorious Court-House Committee.
Since then this placer has been worked in man.
ner calculated TO astonish an old-iashioned pecu-
lator The Controller in his budget for 1864,
estimated that $4,000 would be necessary
for Armories and Drll-Rooms during that year, and
inserted that amount in the ta1-loyy. While the
document was lying on the table in the Board Of
Supervisors, some liberal-minded patriot secretly
altered figure, and thereby converted $50, O00nto
$40 900; but the fraud being detected by Supervisor
Purdy the original amountiwas restored. At sub
sequent meeting, however, majority Of the Board
passed resolution raising the amount to $4,000 and
afterward added to II another Sl00000 so that the
amount authorized TO be spent for Armories during
that year was $50 OOO The Supervisors proved fully
equal to this increased responsibility and soon managed
to expend the amounts also Sl25 600 which was after
ward obtained. Funds being layishly provided, pro-
ftabe jobs were abundant. Bills for iron-work on
an Armory, amounting to about goo, being pre-
scented to Mayor Gunther, he referred them for ex.
animation TO two of the most respectable rondealers
in the City who certified that the work was not worth
over $4,000; but the bills finally paid in full,
as all bills are which are duly certified by the ring"
For the present year, the Controller estimated that
SEQ 600 would be sufficient; but the Board exhausted
that amount during the first six months, and have
since added to it another $4,000; that the expen
dtures on Armores during the last nine months have
been at the rate Of more than 100000 per annum
Let it be remembered that this expenditure ia for
branch Of the public service which, three years ago.
cost the City less than onetwenteth Of the The
money is distributed among the retaners Of the Board
without warrant Of law in payment for jobs at rates
varying from one to two hundred per cent above
honest prices. AS specimen, we quote the following
item from the Controllers report:
Paid for fitting up 22d Regiment Armory S &c
Ddring the present year, combination Of certain
real.estate owners with members of the Board Of
Supervisors has fostedhpon the City leases (havng
five and ten years to run) for various premises to be
occupied by the militia. The Controller reported in
May last that leases had been executed by the clerk
of the Board the rents Of which amounted to S53 400
per annum. Since then additional leases have been
executed to the extent Of about s3o00oi thus perma
uently saddling the City with over $4,000 per
annum for rents. In making the preliminary arrange.
mOnts for these leases the obbers in the Board forgot
their usual caution and 1t is rumored about the City
Hall that they have committed themselves in very
Ugly manner We Congratulate our Taxpayers that
>ppbseh shssA Y sSspl y u given 70 . branch Of