New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-18
p1,CTNaUJNG Builders.

., minds Of an who have recently investigated inc
workings of tAc Building Department Of this city tha'
systcm of fraud and matchmaking is practlceo unoer
the sanction and for special b'nct of superintendent
Nacgregor which IN full exposure, Will bring th Dc
nartmcnt into a clad oniiuoncc' scarcely cIua"u
nv any OF the City BmcaIs under IammahF'
Hut it Is very difficult TO get ri 'h'
facts in this matter. Several Hadhs ai'
chitecS who were asked about ii 50 entirely ana lhho
Gently ignored all knowledge OF frauds IN this conhec
tion-of ildrauccS put in tic way of hUi.Inc by the
Department and Of the blacknang of buildcrs-ast 10
give the Impression that serious evil OF TINS soi e1
ised said il such practices prevailed arcDiec's
would be the first to know about them, their plans
oud he tIfced He had had TO be sure, Ilttle
truhc Of mat sort years ago. and small sum of money
had been paid to settle it. Another thought II there
was any trouble this sort il among the builders
of tenement houses and spCcuatOTss Another hau never
hai the slightest trouble with the Department HIS
n had Iuycr been ntcTf,rcd with, and his builders
rad never planned Of Matchmaking. The fact Is that
il is delicate matter for those who have paid money uli
lawfully to the Department or lis officers TO make
plain statement Of the circumstances because" III the
first place. these always paid Tor hu'hihg
M" real or cgcd violations of the building law, anu IN
the second place. the Department has it in It's power to
cause its enemies in the building trade great deal OF
trouble and delay.
An extensive tour among the uptown builders whose
Offices arc widely scattered oil the upper end of the
island and who very hard men to find resulted in the
obtaining of full cOlrODOIalOn or the CndEEtS against
Mr. Macgccor and his subordinatcs from the few build
ere who found at their offices.
An iron founder who first visited spoke OF several
frauds had to his Knowledge. For instance III
Fftynth-st south side, about 20Ofeet from IhrdaVe
there is n thrce-story dwelling with cghtinch brick
wallis "wilc" said he, around here We are afraid 10
put up brick fence which less than y inches thick
lie understood, further, that Judge McCnnn
was putting mp three or four houses WIN
eght-inch walls. He also mentioned the name
Of a builder who paid $500 for the privilege OF
building "A Finch wall in Fifty-siXthst. Again, he
asserts one man in FoIyOurthst is forced TO put up
i6ncn walls. while another Just hchind him in Forty
ffth It, allowed TO D"ii similar houses with l2l"eh
walls TIs little game, they all say Las to be played
through a third party Some man approached Mr. Mac
=, gvr IotoIy and asked HIM why he could not build
l2incn walls well as his neiehbors and was otherwise
rather nuusive. The valiant Superintendent inlncdl-
atcy knocked him down, and lie was speedily thrown
with the remark Now l hone that Committee OF
Seventy business, and will go ahead strong th
they want money, there plenty OF lis VII give I I
ali they can use in a square h-ht aGaiuF'
thieves" -. 1t specializing builder
near TINS way, and docs not hesitate to say
that he was nnng hG lima 20 81 hi bp ca,c1 in
dance of Macgregor and al ms sang was r, Only
down there at that Office hut take mp lots and build TO
sell. and 10 l am at their NJ rcy; IhoSe VINO pro
aud finish them safely in spite of all his
suits il makes difference 10 them 10 have suits hang
there is av incubus it, build 50 OF 20 houses
year. aud If these thieves woal Jet me alone would 90
together and build house suit them 5ofoot lot,
and then Tciy the superintendent and fight him to the
death. Ny lawyer tells that his whole course Is He
Ra and Unconstitutional. They llncn Us most on the
one Of rc independent builders who is able and WILL
ing to keep his houses, gave very thorough exposition
OF these frauds As his DISPUTE with the department y
name mentioned without consulting his Legal advisers
lie told first OF a named Stephens, who hdd pad
icJ ana Of another named Kirwin who had paid $500
hackml II houses i'll Forty->lXthS ana Il IN OIE-
Nm t ~ " tIot me- ,st see iiS loIyTer anf
IT, The lawyer told him that ne had come Just IN tinc
"a, had just been begun against him; ana that
was all the satisfaction he received
Th- independent builders own experience was as fol-
lows: tried TO build two houses. fi>t contracted
When the ciiar nearly finished one OF Ma, ETe-OTs
and tOuEd fault Win il, and said the mortar
ID: The contractor said it was, and he would
aud ui>h lis part an! how. MaccreEOr summoned
me on pa Of bad mortar sent to see him ne Sad
hc wouli no two men to 'ook y me tGlia ana eond
in two days. called again IN two days, ana
he showed lne tntlr report when wa adverse, ana n
That's bad amt I" EYES, | said ia like yOu to
t t ana '"Ck al me mouse ne ''u .HHf no Touu;
li, thcl DOWN L. kinc up ,I p!ck tore down q
chem dow toImo,iyys foucilI tbem down SAID
D." &C SIM ia in two Ui three DAYS. dld 30.
He thou >,id TIosc two llcn have been up again.
They Wall the plans and Say now jhit the
Jher AID Mr. arIr Win gi>c You your plans Ii0und
Ft1c had In" plans hack of hm, wen out OF my reach
u ,h"I!d get mad and grab for them. said, Now,
ar. Fdrrrl, what is 10 b. done aboat my plans" He
said, "Soj must pay mr 50 an viii give them To
t"n iO0S out my checks and wrote one for That
amount and ne LANDED me tn' l.i,s. then Insisted GA
hic@tc-I:, giving me written pClmit Ia uiS!! IL
building He told his clerk, ARM ron, do tni, and
AfhNtlOh- ave III" Wntcn statement that me very
Who sad must hc puilod proclaimed Il
All night. that's what SIS did.
When a." basement they zane ana found fdult
With The mortar again, ana >".t rOcc. kcid ~.
Lucy NM EoIice that must come down within three
q sI WOUln Inc lee tii MT .f,Y
han done NI"grc2Or said that they had conclude to
fGonerat me non that charge Wien gOt IN" roof
plank on. ir owen zone of Mac gOrs head mcD)
up ana lOOhcd all the houses. He brought two
WIN him. who paced up and down and looked wise
ml7l 20 ''"n and settle. went several times, bht |
gould NOT md Ma grcgOr 50 1 sued again !
ti9r Go;A houses. Then saw Owen, and asked |
mn What Was the matter nOwi lie said that the terra
qua Wa not set properly. Then ne wheeled around
ahd went off. They knew that good naturcd man.
ahdthOnrit that would stand bleeding Farrell sued
me- aud Ii! lawyers have the matter in hand. ! want
tridl by jury know another who paid 500 to
these bac Kailers last year There Is rnohcr case OF
NY own. When was putting upIy factory Ain,sIong
tane 10 and said "You should put iron shuters on
that building but II you do nj 20 to that cX
pense (abOut 81 200 can speak in favor can gtt
you exempted by the Court III recommend you where
10 go TO get exempt. by paying >jO" He Inc To Mu
ray; VINO niid Yes can get you exempt. How much
'Oh you got OF cheap" lie made ont the papers aud
signed them and gave him NY check. Inc shutters
This builder Las concluded that he Will quit the bust
a. ~ ., ms s1acii2S take away AL the profits Those
ing universal Tho following letter g,ts additional
evidence concerning these ncfariOus operations:
IS me Edttor OF The Trt6unt
SIR would Ike to know why Mr.. Macgrcgor OF No.
fourtiave. prciends that he don't know u certain
HirrAy III PIhest. when all applicants Tor a building
permit are sent To Mr.. Murray Office by the Binding
Department, when IL they pay M. exnrbni,t SUN de,
ouri IN