The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-21
An Abundance of Work for Com
mittee of Seventy.


From certain reliable information recently
impaired TO q HERALD representative 1t
seems more than likely that ere long
this same Droverb may be properly applied
TO places other than this great city OF Manhattan
Newark, New JERSEYS pr0udest ana largest city,
not having surfeited her appetite for unenviable
n0torfety IN the matter OF extraordinary social
erupti0ns, must needs now come to the fore and
utter cry OF "Save, Lord, or We pertshp' and IN
the same breath demand tine appointment OF COM
mittee OF seventy TO Investigate series OF
ALLEGED HIGH.HANDED swINDLEs
covering period Of at least Ave years. few days
ago an interview took place between the writer and
q distinguished member OF the Bar OF Newark, the
substance Of Which was as follows
LAwYER-There is going to be before long one
Of the biggest sensations stirred up that this town
has ever known, and Thought likely you might
wish to get O little insight beforehand. l tell yOu
sr, It's going 10 raise cain here IN some quarters.
Observation-Disclosures double elopements
LAwYER-NO.
REPORTER Perhaps another ''Buck' Alexander
bubble, chr
LAwYER-NO.
REPORTER-Well, surely, not another Laura
Nichols Park place rOmances
LAwYER-NO; you'll guess 1t by and by
REPoRTER-I guess you'd better put quietus
on this guessing. or the HERALD Will go to press
without your sensation. Come. what Is itS
LAwYER-We, I'll tell You; It's 81 ammany, Tam
many" IN Newark. What have to say simply
this:-It has long been matter OF wonder to me as
well as to every other inquirtng taxpayer how It's
these street and sewer contractors acquire riches
rapidly. Men that few years ago were scarcely
worth one copper to rattle against another now
able TO count their thousands. Last year, you re-
member, we were let into some Of the Secrets but
not all Some months ago my eyes were largely
opened on the subject. young man came to my
Office and desired my services IN O case Of his. lie
AN INSPECTOR OF SEWERS
His duty, according to law, was to keep sharp
eye on the contractor ana see that proper material
was used and the work properly done in the con
on sewer In course OF construction in South Orange
avenue. After going on duty the contractor took
can't make enough on this business to pay you fer
your time; no more could at the rate I've taken
make something. though, the same as The Others.
Wen go shares on the rock What do you say is
You nes e.; ;Ss feel so they an
GIT any show out o. the city; we've got
to get square somehow" George told me
that he gave way to the temptation and agreed to
the proposal or the contractor. This was That he
should sign certificate declaring that quantity
OF rock had been excavated whereas the tru III was
there was no such rock excavated nor none there
to be excavated. For his completely In the fraud he
was to receive One-thrd Of the amount charged for
the rock-some eighteen hundred dollars. The con-
tractor obtained the money from the city treasury
along with the amount OF the other items In his bili
footing up about seven thousand dollars altogether.
He had paid the inspector about one hundred and
forty dollars but the latter could never effect set
tement George tried him repeatedly and threat
ened him with exposure Ii ne was not paid; but the
believing ne WG1d not dare DO that
finally, that he could not bring his feow-rogue to
terms, George resolved to
EXPOSE THE WHOLE TRANSACTION.
He felt sore and said that he was determined that
"honOr among thieves" should be observed. 1t
MS carriage with the money in his pocket for whcn
he had conformity committed crime. He said he
Enc as ous
equal share OF justice. ! TILED. In my capacity as
lawyer, to eject settlement OF the trouble, but
to account. The contractor was still as stubborn
as mule He knew that 1t was not case that
could be brought in Court on civil suit, and
relied upon the inspector preserving himself
from the state Prison at the expense of his
pocket. Since then my client clam0rs for an
expose, and says he Is bound to have satisfaction
shape and am virtually released from that secrecy
which lawyer owes client am Tree to character
lie the business as the
BIGGEST PIECE OF ROGUERY
known to us hereabouts. 1t ought 10 be exposed,
learn am convinced That this case have told you
is only one OF thousands in which the taxpayers or
your Iammany IN New York! tell you, SIR we've Got
1ammanys here In Jersey that arc just as infamous.
LOOK at the monsrous measures foisted upon the
people oil Jersey CITY by local ring UNANIMOUSLY no
uoriOus, and here III Newark shameful system OF
pubic robbery has been carried on Tor years. 1t
certainly ought to be shown up. It's perfectly nfa-
nous. The storm is brewing ana Is bound TO burst
upon us sooner or later
This concluded the interview, and now for some
further light on this sewer swndling business.
Just about year ago considerable OF sensation
was occasloned by
made by q NUMBER OF responsible clLIzens, who,
taxed beyond endurance, resolved themselves into
properly owners, held on January 10, 1871 OF which
Mr.. John W. Reock was Chairman, and Adolpnus
LaOy secretary, the report OF committee ap-
pointed to investigate the nOdus oDerandi by which
THE MULBERRY STREET SEWER
was made double the amount called for In the con-
tract was read by the chairman ol the committee,
Mr.. Teran Benedict. THIS report set iortn that It
was '.fairly evident that the inspectors and city
officials charged with supervising the work
had shamefully neglected their duty in passing
work and materials entirely UNIT for the purpose,
anu IN making extra allowance for materials winch
were unnecessarily used, II used at ALL and at
entrcIv irresponsible and united TO discharge
such duteSn had been appointed oy the common
Council Committee to supervise che work. that the
COMMITTEES smade SUCH report with reference to the
manner OF constructing sewers generally througn-
out the city as to MAKE IL evident mat the whole
ductive OF fraud and conduces to the great dlsad-
vantage OF the taxpayers OF the city,"
Al TINS meeting Mr.. Jacob SKlnke, O large prop
erty owner, and well known In Newark, declared
among other astounding things that on some OF the
sewers the cutting oil rock had been charged Tor as
extra work. and he had ascertalned that some OF
the inspectors who had allowed such extras were
not capable OF measuring the quantity OF rock
which might be encountered IN constructing a
sewer nor Of writing their own names, even.
on the same day the property holders on william
street unearthed some equally extraordinary facts
ana figures about
THE WILLIAM STREET SEWER
They found that the sewer mad been constructed
and paid for without the contract having ever been
eXecuted that they were assessed SO % per foot
each side OF the street. whereas the price for which
II was agreed TO be constructed at the time OF the
giving out OF the contract only So 20 per foot;
that the whole cost under which the contract was
given out was TO be but SIS 344 whereas the amount
actually paid was $4,000 less q few dollars TWO
days afterwards the contract was signed oy the
Mayor and hied In the City Clerks Office. lew
days subsequently meeting OF thc IN
dlgnant property owners was held. when 1t
was declared IN preamble TO set or
resolutions passed "that by the accounts wnlch ex-
hibit SAID payments II IN shown that large amounts
have been allowed Tor certain tnings-among others
for rock excavation TO the amount OF 2,3ll yarus,