The New York herald., 1872-07-07

port In regard to the Hampstead Storage Reservoir.
Tho Elan for increasing the water supply Of
Brooklyn BY the construction Of large
storage reservoir at Hampstead Valley was passed
at the session o. the Legislature in 1870, and as s
well known, the contract was advertised aud
awarded to Messrs. Kingsley Keeney, they being
the lowest bidders
The Reiormers say that on the 10th of December,
1871, the Committee Of Fifty was informed by the
Water Board "That no contracts or arrangements
OF S any KIND ior the construction OF the Reservoir
such contract c0ntemplatedr IL appears, how
ever, by an official publication OF the Water Board
and their chief engineer commenced the formal ar
rangement Of the method OF contracting the work,
which which resulted s.1 IN the letting to Kingsley 4
privately arranged between the engineer, con-
tractors and Commissioners. 1t also appears that
on tn, I'd Of January, Mr.. William Beard an expert
enced and responsible contractor, personally and
by letter, requested through Engineer Adams an
opportunity to examine the plans, &c, with the
view OF making pro- Osal Tor the work, and was
practically refused 1t also appears nom official
statement published In the Eagle of January TO- that
by the Water Board which had been received in
response to circular issued by their Chief Engi-
neer; which proposals were referred to their said
Chief Engineer who submitted his report on jan
uary o. 1872; and in which report he advised
the awarding OF the contract to Messrs. Kingsley
Kee.ney Tor an aggregate sum siis772S aud the
exclusion OF Mr.. Beard (contractor) whose offer
was made several days before tie bids OF these par
ties were opened by the Water Board. seems to
throw very grave doubts on the prOpriety OF the
whole transaction, and puts the Water Board on
defence which they have not yet made in any
satisfactory manner. There Is one other feature In
tie so-called competition which, In our opinion
bears with great force on II, whole character As AS
have an equal chance; but II appears from the
official history OF this letting that after the
bids were received the tenor OF the specifications
was altered on the material item OF excavatiUn-an
item OF over S797, ,500-with the knowledge only OF
Kingsley Keeney, and on which their bid was re-
shown what we consider strong proof OF the illegal
manner In which the contract was awarded. First,
clusion OF Mr.. Beard, an absolute competent and
responsible contractor; third, IN the prices at
improper and excessive; ana lastly, in the secret
alteration OF the specifications on the item OF
vat0n. TO which may be added the published
aflldavit Of George W. Mcdonald, wherein 1t ap-
pears that Kingsley, according to his own state
ment, had been promised this work some years be-
fore the scheme had been put through; and TO which
may be also added the influences brought to bear
on the Legislature, on the Governor and on
the public mind by ''water scares," and subse-
quently on the Common Council to override the
Mayors veto These we consider facts OF large inn
portance for public consideration, and believe that
active measures should be taken to so slit the mat
ter that censure and condemnation may rest where
IT Is deserved. Reference to the Water Roard re-
cords, rs for instance, to the "Report the drain
ege q sne epry y
Engineer, Brooklyn Water Works, dated May o,
1860, conclusively evidences that without this
storage reservoir nature had Already stored OF
pure water an abundant supply, sufficient
In fact for many years. use, were 1t but properly
and economically secured. That such supply was
In quantity sufficient to yield 2O0OOuO gallons per
day for nearly nineteen years. ''This supply lying
unused In the basin prevents the now OF any OF the
streams being seriously diminished by drought y
..n0r probably, would the stored amount vary much
from year to year." and consequently, 'that the
small variation OF seasons, or even years rain
fall can AFFECT the reserve height but slightly. COM
pelling us to recognize, without hesitation, the
tainty and permanency of our supply"