New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-25
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

THE BROOKLYN WATER BOARDS DEfENSE'
ALLEGED REDUCTION OF THE WATER SUPPLY
FOR THE BENEFIT OF CONIkACIohs-A
SERIES OF AFFIDAvITs lMPEACHlNG NC
D0NALD's TESTIMONY.
William A. Fowler, one oil the water Com-
missioners of Brooklyn when visited by TRIBUNE re-
porter ON Sunday in relation to the affidavit of c. W.
Mcdonald published by the Committee Of Fifty, prom
ised 70 make an explicit denial Of the charges against
him in connection with the Rdgewood reservoir.
Another reporter called upon Mr. Fowler yesterday ana
was informed that the statement Of the Commissioner
was embodied in the following a1idavis:
Frederick u. Hart being duly sworn. depoSes that nc
fs Chief Engineer Of the RdgcwOOd Engine house, anu
as such has entire charge and control IN regulating
the flow of water into the pump wen from wncn d
he has read the affidavit Of c. W. Mcdonald ana is sat
isled that the is falsely and malcOusly made ana
designed to inure his reputation engineer in main
tenance Of the water works; that IN regard 10 mcDo
AIDS first statement, as follows; during me uIouth
of 1870 was frequently informed at midnight by the
engineer having charge OF the pump Mell' lnhI 'nc
yter was Settg low and the engine would have TO be
stoned :" he Tepiies that during his whole term
of service extending over period OF se'erai
or or three times at any hour in the night that the
low in the pump well and that at sich times
two engines running and not one as he states mat
in regard to McDonalds second stptement; lnyari
ably found investigation that tIey tled 10 deceive
me wOuld go up TO section 5, on the conduit nhe anu
there find the water wasting the waste gate, thus
demonstrating that the water eight feet deep N inc
pump wen, the usual depth" he replies that ~ Is q
physical impossibitY for the water to be running 70
waste at section at the time that there IS only
from TO feet in the pump well as the wafer 1os Ro
waste at section untl it reaches depth OF feet
inches in the pump Well that the records at the engine
house that at that time the depth OF water IN the
well was about five feet, and that Mcdonald was IN
formed at other time by him, the said Hart or any
one else. except when the water was so low
in the well, and that this can be fully suo
stantated by the records OF the department, as ~
his charge, and Of the said Hart himself IN 0ppo-
stion TO the pered statement OF McpTn1 t ad 40
DO running OF the engines: and notified parties tha
never had ANYTHING to do with running the
gnef in his life and that the said Hart has mad sole con-
ro OF the pumping engines for the past nine years
and that the man Mcdonald Is not an engineer ana
knows nothing about machinery ana was simply "a iore
man OF abOrers whose duty 1t was TO superntend re-
pairs TO fences ana conduit banks anu OCCASIONALLY ui
der orders OF said Hart 10 supernend the hoVenng and
Hart considers Mcdonald person entirely devoid ~
principle, and whose word has never been relied
said Hart is concerned denounces the affidavit Of g.
W. Mcdonald as utterly false and seandaious
william C. Kingsley, being sworn, says: That he has
read the affidavit Of George W. Mcdonald, and In SO lar
as the same relates TO the depOnent or any alleged con
yersatiOns or act OF dep0nen II Is wholly and unqua-
hedy, and in every PARTICULAR false and unfounded;
Donald as conversations of this deponent ever occurred
under any circumstances whatever and deponent posi-
advised talked about the reduction OF the water III any
pond or ponds used to supply or sPoke 70
waste Tor the purpose OF aeceiVihg the mayor or
trne and real quantity of the same and that
the facts sworn TO by Mcdonald. involving
the assertion that water might be allowed
60 run To- waste or into the CONDUIT and that the person
so allowing the might remain in Ignorance as 20
he direction taken by such water is everybody who
has examined the said ponds must know PROFESSIONALLY
and absurdy and deponent further ayers that he
fnv and thoroughly believes that of such water
ever permitted TO run to waste by anyone for any
such alleged base and deceptive purposes; that the
d Is G dc demands Of the city Of Brooklyn was matter
of public discussion and investigation for several |
months during last Summer, and during all those |
months said ponds were open TO the inspection and |
visit Of the city officers engineers and the public gener-
ally without restriction molestaton; aud this late
affidavit of said Mcdonald is netnrst direct ntimaon
which depOnen ever heard that said ponds had been III
apv Improper manner worked or manipulated and de-
noent was never directly indirectly, by intmatiOn,
word, act made pyy TO any sueh Dase ana lrtudn-
proceeding ana that any assertion 10 me contrary
samuel r.. Probasco. being duly sworn deposes and
saws that he is Assistant Engineer in Brooklyn Water
Department, and knows G. W. Mcdonald, the man who
for the Committee Of Fifty false and hbelous
affidavit concerning him IN the Brooklyn papers OF sat
urdav June p; John Smith was never instructed TO
waste any water at time or by any other person for
me. and Mcdonald was Instructed 10y me 10 see tat no
water wasted at any point either at the ponds or on
the line of condusi any waste mat TOOK place Was
owing entirely 70 McDonalds acknowledgements ne |
states that the delegation found the next pond dry"
and also states that the next three ponds, which
charge of said Smith. had been drawn of and the
water wasted" the delegation never saw any ponds
save Balseey's and Pines and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Clear Stream ana r. SoIhes Were not seen at all; ana
those they best filled with water AS in |
strucons had been gwen any one 10 lower these ponds
but every precauOn taken @s supposedl 10 save the
water, 1 can only suppose that McpQlpd wasted tho
EaifF Wi 5ie % allowed VA 64s Dfn b
running Of the engines for two weeks and at the end Of
statement is false and ridiculous heD9nqld wac |
foreman of abOrers, whose duty TO look after the
banks ara fences ana 10 manage the aborers gang en-
ked in shOveng coal at the engneh house; further
he go and down the line when told to do so by
Mr. Hart, and close open the gates 10 regulate the
proper supply to the pump well the engines are ana
were under the OF Mr.. Hart and else and
never allowed Mcdonald in any way direct
the running OF the engine Mcdonald was discharged
from this department Tor fasehoods and general nsub
Robert Van Allen keeper Of Baisleys Pond denies in
an atidavit, McDOnalds allegation thai the depOnent
know which gate hoist Mr. Van Allen states that he
had no orders from the Water Department 20 let the
water ito waste at any time; MS orders from the
Department have uniformly been 10 do all possible to
preserve the supply and let none run 70 waste Depon
line Of the works was known to be ufaithful TO his
duties.
report of conversation with the deponent is in FORM
substance and intent wholly absolutely and unqual
fedly falsei and that depOnent especially desires to
lating to the visit of the Nayor and Common Council
an infamous and atrocious lie"
70 prosecute MIR Mcdonald for perjury in making the
affidavit published in yesterday IEUSE TIE whole
and elsewhere in Brooklyn.
1t is also SAID that Alderman Richardson has begun a
suit against The World for hbe in stating that he
ceived bride from certain pavement companies for al
legged services.
WORK OF THE CONTRACT COMMISSIONERS.
MAYOR HALLS STATEMENT CONTRADICTED -
MEMORIALS AGAINST THE STOW PAVEMENT
STREET PAVING CLAIMS AMOUNTING TO
NEARLY 100000 APPROVED.
Commissioners Sutherland and Van Worst
met again in the ST. James Hotel last evening for the
purpose Of continuing their examination Of the contracts
for street paving Commissioner Jacques beng absent
Surveyor Smith of the Department of Public Works es
titled that he had made thorough examination OF the
paving OF Macdougalst from Spring to Eighh-ss and
that it done by Christopher Keyes according
tract Roswell Graves, inspector testified that he