New-York tribune., 1872-02-01
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE UNPAID CLAIMS.
MORE INDUSTRIOUS BILLS TO BE SUBMITTED
TO THE BOARD OF AUDIT

Il
| soME OF THEM - THE wATER-METER BILLS
AND HOW THEY ARE EXPLAINED A CHAP
IEk FOR THE CAREFUL STUDY OF TAX
PAYERS.
The partial list published yesterday, exclus-
ey In THE TRIBUNE, OF the unpaid claims against the
| city, which are to be passed upon nv the new
| Board OF Audit, attracted general attention and
| were careruly perused by citizens interested I'm
the economic administration of affairs II was re.
marked that while citizens had grown indifferent
to the repeated exposures OF the past swndes OF the
Tammany Ring and no longer read them In detail they
seized with avidy any revelation OF frauds likely 10 be
attempted In the future Many citizens called at TiE
TRIBUNE Office and pointed out items in the accounts
which they believed TO be scandalousy exorbitant
charges, and others which they claimed to be intention
ally fraudulent Reporters OF THE TRIBUNE were EN-.
poyed examine into the facts and when the inten-
tlona fraud Is established 1t viii be exposed. Some OF
their reports given by the reporters below their
vestigatons will continue and taxpayers invited TO
aid IN the thorough examination Of all these bills and
| the exposure Of all OF fraudulent character.
Below are given additional lists Of unpaid claims both
against the city and county. II must be remembered
that these not the fraudulent accounts which have
already been published These were paid II will be
the fault Of the people the Ring rOgues get any
| of the like punder.
| In the list published yesterday the claim OF the
Printers Cooperative Association for printing for the
Department Of Finance from Sept 80 to Nov 13 1871,
was put at s1ll3o. Thls was erroneous The amount
! should have been stated at sl35.
The bill OF Frank E. T0we amounting 10 $40 So for
regulating and grading curbing gutterng, and tagging
F1rst-ave from NInetysecondst. to one-hundred-snd
nnthst, published below seems strange ia view OF the
fact that no such improvements appear yet exist and
the reporter Is aware, from personal knowledge, that
nothing has been done that portion of the line OF
Firstave other than the dumping Of sufficient earth to
warrant the belief that extension Of that
| proposed. How many more such instances can be
enumerated 1t is impossible TO state but it would be
well for citizens interested TO examine these bills for
street improvements and learn how far work has pro-
| gressed for which payment is demanded.
The amounts claimed to be due on unpaid contracts
are given aggregatey. under the heading OF statement
| of unpaid requsOns.
Among other curious and significant claims in the lis.
below will be found that OF b. f. Brady "for engrossng
resolution complimentary TO Assistant Alderman Riley,
| $3.50"
for frame around the resolutions complimentary tho
| late Superintendent Jourdan, $50"
Three items charged TO the city, amounting 70 t37eo,
set forth being the expenses Of the Tammany Hall
| reception OF the exiled Fenians.
The item Of sli2 81 charged by James Mead for
papers supplied, to whom is sad from June 10 TO
July 29 This would amount to nearly s,5Io 81 yearly,
and would buy daily about 100 copies Of the most ex
pensive newspapers.
Two items appear for cleaning streets from August 2t
70 Oct O. 1871. One for under contract
amounting to s56Os1 25 the other to the
Association for $4,000 making the total cost of street
cleaning during these three months the extraordinary
OF Sl42,Osl 25.
claim is made by Thomas Canary for s. ,i25 being
charges for the use of horse wagon and delivery
book during April. May, June, and July. 1871. Mr..
Canary at this rate, charges about s63 per day.
THE NAVARRO wATERMRTER.
Among the items published in yesterdays TRrRuSr I'm
the list Of unpaid claims file i'm Auditing Bureau
was one Of s235O0 claimed by Mr. J. F. Navarro as duo
for 1850 waterneters furnished by him 10 the Depart
ment OF Public Works. Among the measures assed by
Mr.. Tweed's Legislature, 1870 was one allowing tho
Commissioners OF Public Works to select waterneters
and have them placed on all buildings where Croton
water used, dwelliug-houses excepted. In July
1870, Mr.. Tweed advertised for a trial Of meters
at the ppeyard at the foot Of Twenty -eighth-st.
large number OF meters presented
and the trial continued from the Sd Of October the I'D
OF November. No public report made OF the
conclusions reached, and the opinion OF many unsuccess
ul competitors is that the design of the trial make
notes on the good points Of the various Instruments IN
order TO combine them and make a"Ring" machine.
Subsequent TO the trial il is asserted new meter
was presented, and, receiving favorable report from
the Chief Engineer patented the "Moore meter
and adopted 1t is customary for municipal authorities
In selecting meters 10 place different varieties trial
for year more making final choice OF the one shown
to be the best IN most particulars With the Ring
nothing OF the kind was done. After a trial OF ono
day it decided 10 be just the thing wanted.
q month later was patented, and afte:-
ward a contract made between Mr.. Tweed Comrnis-
sIoner Of Public Works. and Mr. Navarro owner Of the
patent. Ten thousand were TO be put up, for which
propertyOwners would have had pay each, and the
costs Of putting in pacea lien the property securing
payment The contract with Mr.. Navarro is on file In
the Department OF Public Works II is dated August o.
1871 and requires 10000 watermeers TO be furnished on
Aafnvn T,,lty
Patent No. 134, dated January a. 1s7O be OF the
best quality OF brass and best style OF the
price to be paid is SO each meter The contract was
signed and sealed in presence OF Alex. Frear" and
approved by Edward W. Tracy. Chief Engineer.
aR. SAvARRos STATEMENT.
TRIBUNE reporter obtained the following statement
from Mr. Navarro, yesterday
"The Moore meter adopted by the city authorities
in January, 1871 Only 1850 have yet been delivered
The manufacturing is done by the Hydraulic Machine
Company, the officers OF which j. f. Navarro Pres.
dent and John Baird Secretary The meter was tested
at the time OF the three months test in 1870 been
stated that 1t tested but this is not true IL
the last invented and there was no patent on t
at the tme but the record OF its found in the
Department Of Public Works. and shows that ft was SUBJ
ected to the severest tests OF and the approval
OF the examiners. Mr. Moore, the patentee, was an
employe of mne owned some half dozen
patents, some OF my own invention. 7 have
eNper1menffn
at IL at heavy expense for two years The trial of the
meter lasted two three days. longer time than was
given TO the others Some 70 tried from all paris OF
the United States, and some nom Canada Not half
dozen stood the test 1t has not been adopted
have been too busy here Ia attend 10 IL else where
Have had many applications, some even from Europe
The weight Of my oneinch meter is about IS pounds ali
brass. IL has capacity VI 90 gallons per minute The
price is less than the city has paid for an iron
meter It has been using meters for the last Is years
The City Of Boston paying per more for
meter Of less capacity The first ever met any
OF the Tweed Ring was at a meeting OF the VIA
duct Board. should probably have had any per