New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-02
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY FOR BROOKLYN

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY FOR DhOOhLI w.
Tho Legislature has been asked by the
Committee of Fifty of Brooklyn to investl-
cate the manner in which Mr.. William Z.
kingsley, as Superintendent of the East River
Bridge, has made contracts with himself unuer
various DISCUSSES of firm names. The request
appears all the more needful to be granted
since Mr. Kingsley himself opposes inquiry
instead of counting it. We have caused care
full examination to be made of the facts ana
figures which the Committee of Fifty have
obtained from the books of the Controller anu
of the Bridge Company, and have no hesitation
in saving that, if examination of the Bridge
affairs be not now made and its management
placed in the hands of practical men in whom
the public have full confidence, Brooklyn tax
payers will have TO pay for the work many
times its actual cost. Mr.. Kingsley and bis
treasurer have both stated that it cost the
former a quarter of million dollars to obtain
the necessary legislation before beginning work
on the Bridge but no sooner is this admission
made public than Mr.. Kingsley denies 1T.
Remembering how Charters were sold in the
time of Tweed g. Co. at Albany, and seeing
the names of the old Tammany Ring leaders
subscribed for 1900 shares, representing $780,
600, we have no doubt that Mr.. Kingsley was
right in his first estimate. But since he now
denies this and yet is proved to have had
$4,000 as part return of expenditures OF some
sort, which he assumes to have made as pre-
liminary to the work, it seems to us that
Brooklyn taxpayers are entitled to know the
items Of the account. And for this reason we
urge the Legislature to appoint the Committee
Of Inquiry asked for, and beg some member
not influenced by fear or favor of the Brook
Ign Ring to take the memorial of the Com
mttee of Fifty from Mr.. Perrys desk and put
il before the Senate for immediate action.
The fact is that Brooklyn is positively suf-
fering for lack of investigation Of its public
affairs. 1t has a Ring only less audaciOus than
that of Tammany because it learned lesson
from the latter's overthrow, and avoids for
greater security the recklessness which ruined
Tweed and Connolly. 1t has set of Super
yisors who in two years have quadrupled its
expenses and made taxes double what they
should be, and much heavier than they are in
this rnisgoverned city. The purchase of sup
plies for the Water Board (the Public Works
Commission of Brooklyn has been as extrav-
agant, not to use q harsher word as those of
the indicted forger Cooke were for Tweeds
department; and we are assured that invesh-
CATION of its accounts and examination of wit
ncsses will develop immense frauds in this
department. Az far as the purchases for the
Bridge are concerned, the accounts require in
slant oyerhauling. We shall publish in detail
the result of the Investigations of the Com
mttee of Fifty and our own reporters. But
meantime what is demanded is q Committee
of Investigation with power to compel the
production of all papers and the answer OF
witnesses to all questions calculated to develop
the truth We hope Senator Perry will not
ignore the duty he was sent to Albany
specially to perform.