The New York herald., 1872-08-30


City Comptroller have got into controversy
in regard to the work done in the former de-
partment The Croton water pipes, in con-
formity with long established custom, are laid
by day labor, and not by contract, the impor-
tance of the work rendering it desirable that
1t should be done in the best manner. The
wooden pavements in the city, nearly all Of
which are original frauds, but which, never
theless, have to be kept in order until they
shall be removed, are repaired under direction
OF the department, and not by contract. Both
these arrangements meet the Comptroller's dis
approval, who refuses to pay the acquisitions
of the Commissioner of Public Works, tells
him that he does not obey the law, which, in
the Comptrollers reading of its provisions,
requires him to advertise the work and let it
by contract to the lowest bidder, since it costs
over one thousand dollars, and declares that
the city loses money by the day work system.
The Commissioner of Public Works replies to
the charge of not obeying the law by quoting
the opinion of the law adviser of the Corpora
ton, to whom the matter in dispute was re-
ferred, maintaining the legal right of the Com
missioner to do the work as he is doing it, by
day work and private contract. The Com
missioner aptly says to the Comptroller that
where difference of opinion or doubt exists
as to the correct Interpretation of a law he is
in duty bound to respect and abide by the de-
cision of the Counsel to the Corporation,
whom the charter requires him to recognize as
the legal adviser of his department. The
Commissioner maintains that the laying of the
Croton pipes and their repairs can be better
and more cheaply done by day work than un-
der the usually fraudulent and almost always
unsatisfactory system of contract and shows
that in this work the delay of ''red tape'
would be injurious to the city interests. He
makes point by quoting from the Comptroller
himself, who, as Commissioner Of Public Parks,
has condemned the contract system, and has
declared that under it the city has witnessed
''frauds in bidding, combinations in bidding
abandonment of contracts, straw securities
lawsuits, injunctions, claims for extra work,
and the whole swarm of vexations, arts and
artifces in the mystery of contracting that the
ingenuity of men bent on gain could devise, in
many instances carried to such an extent that
reliable, competent mechanics and contractors
have left the field Of competition, finding it inn
possible to compete with the arts of dishon-
esty." The Commissioner of Public Works
further shows that the Comptroller, as Park
Commissioner, has held the following opinions,
embodied in his report, in regard to the work
Of Croton pipe LAYING
Although the Croton Board Is one of the depart
ments OF the city government, and is bound by the
yet none OF the laying Of their pipes Is done by
isenasacss SeRas s snI perIanegg sege5 81
this kind Of work, and OF the damage that might
and prudent conductors Of this department are un
Willing to subject the public to the Sc aefs tSs
ter by contract.
We are inclined to regard the opinion of Mr..
Green as Park Commissioner as sounder than
the opinion of Mr. Green as Comptroller.
Under an honest administration of the affairs
of the Department Of Public Works it is far
better that such work as laying and repairing
the Croton pipes should be done directly under
the superintendent of the department than
entrusted to any contractor. The Importance
of sufficient and reliable water supply cannot
be overstated, and the business Of the Croton
managed than it is at present. 1t is unfortu-
nate for the city if there should be, as we can
not believe there is, any ground for the sus-
picions Of the Commissioner Of Public Works,
who says to the Comptroller, 81 am compelled
to admit that it would rather appear that it is
r,,1rrN f0 ,tor i, ,ort-
ment in its energetic endeavors for
practical reform as to detract from
its usefulness and bring discredit upon
its administration. Promptness and
despatch are essentially necessary in most of
the business done in the Department of Public
Works, and it is not desirable that so impor-.
tant department should be embarrassed by
the personal unfriendliness of the Finance
Department, especially when the former, like
the latter, is in the hands Of a ''reform"
official whose honesty and capacity have been
endorsed by the friends Of reform in the city.
If the work under the Croton Board and other
bureaus is properly and honestly performed,
the Comptroller should be satisfied, and we
cannot believe that he would allow personal
prejudlces to involve him in a factious opposi-
ton to his. fellow officials to the injury Of the
public interests If there is any corruption
or dishonesty in the Department of Public
Works the Comptroller should expose it at
once.
The Comptroller has also commenced
singular system with the Health Department
which appears to be Of questionable expedi-
ency. That important department has hereto
fore received its appropriation and paid its
own expenses. The Comptroller now requires
that all its bills, of every description, shall be
sent to the Finance Department for auditing
and payment. As that department is not
famous for promptness in the despatch of