New-York tribune., 1873-02-27
BROOKLYN STREET CLEANING FRAUDS.

HIGHEST BIDDERS BY THE BOARD OF CITY
woRKS-sERvICEs OF THE COMMITTEE OF
ONE HUNDRED.
The powers and duties which have hereto
tore belonged 70 Office OF the Street commissioners
ef the City OF Brooklyn transferred by the Legis
last Winter 10 the present Board Of City Works
After deiberation the new Board decided TO re-
erganse the street cleaning service Accordingly spec
prepared by them upon which bids were
cleaning the streets for 1873 the contractors
T. begin worR Jan Certain features of these
specifications attracted the attention OF con
tractors asd complaint made that they were so
drawn 90 render it uncertain what duties were eX
lected of ,the contractors and what rights they
had. Rg the second section all paved streets
aud lanes were TO be thoroughly scraped and
swept sp1 an surface dirt, rubbish and loose stones
removed often required by the Board
that pror scrapng and sweeping the streets, they
should ,n every instance be sprnked with sprinkng
10y hand" The contractors complained that by this
specification the Board Of City Works could compel an
ubroDdy contractor TO sprinkle all streets by hand and
rerape and sweep them 10 times day, If they chose,
whereas friendly contractor might not be compeedto
do wort once in 10 days They also claimed that the
provision OF specification which compelled them to
call twiee each week each house for garbage, and
the 20 any place which might be deter
mined upon any time by the Board indefinite and
onut altogether and gave an opportunity for the Com
10 exercise favOrism, which was incom-
ystbie with their making the lowest possible bids for
astDe the work in a fair aod responsible They
sl-O complained that the Commissioners reserved to
the right dictate that amount Of work.
however unreasonable should be done within "a hours
and that In case a contractor unable 10 do IT, his
would he forfeited They also complained that
per OF the contract price unreasonable
amount TO be retained the hands OF the Commissioners
anl the close Of the year. powerful effort was made
by the contractors induce the Commissioners TO
change specifications but without avail When the
bds opened 1t found that the lowest bidders
had offered to do tho work for SlO9,549.
The Commissioners proceeded. however, 10 award the
contracts to the sctimshaw Company and p Dunngan
nj s477O0 There were some bidders, whose bids
higher than the amount at which the contracts
awarded but there 10 believe that these
bids put simply blind" and that the
awarded IN reality TO the highest genuine
bidders OF the bidders who offered 20 do the work
of the highest responsibility, and they
rendered the very best security William Sweeney is
contractor who has been engaged fer thirty past
the business and who has the reputa
pou Of being Of strict integrity. His bid the
lowest for the contract, which was awarded TO Dunn
gan. The DOndsmen whom he rendered were both men
great wealth. and represented upward Of $OOoO Of
real estate In Brooklyn.
Great dissatisfaction at once expressed at the
seton OF Board Of City Works and investigation
made by the Committee Of One Hundred, with the
view. n possible of protecting the Treasury Of the city
from what appeared upon its face 20 be fraud
meeting held in the Directors room at the Academy
al open session Of the Committee. Their evidence
unanimous that the specifications drawn 10
render uncertain what work TO be done by the
contractors and that certain Of the specifications
compel the contractor, for sefpreservation,
10 higher than would be necessary if the work
wa 10 be done in ordinary and reasonable manner.
shown that the contracts had been let at ad-
of t3sl and above the offers of thoroughly
responsible contractors who were supported by the
very best securities.
The facts developed in this investigation have induced
Board OF Aldermen to take action in the matter. Al
Wyhe introduced resolutions which provided |
frst for thorough Investigation into the relations
which existed between the Board Of City Works. the
EcrlHshaw Company and Mr.. Dunnigan; secondly, an |
vestgaton the the manner in which the specifca-
tons had been prepared and thirdly into the RESPONSE
tnty OF she lower bidders whose proposals had been
rejected.
The public, by this time, had become thoroughly |
aroused, and inquiries made every hand 70
sertsin the motives which had governed the Com
nisdoDers in their proceedings. II
certained that within two hours OF the
opening Of the bids, the contracts were
awarded 10 the scriDshaw Company and DUNN.
gan IL also ascertained that the bids of the scrm
sbaw Company and Dunnigan had been altered during
fbc-e hours and that the awards 70 them
upon the figures originally presented. II found
during those two hours consultation had been held
the representatives Of the scrInshaw Company
and the Commissioners, at their Office The Corporation
Counsel appealed to, and he decided that enough
had been already discovered 70 demonstrate that the
contracts which had been awarded TO the scrimshaw
Company and Dunnigsn were Illegal and absolutely
ss.d and steps taken 70 test the validity OF the
in the courts At this stage the Scrmshaw
Company addressed note the Board OF City Works,
unering to rescDd their contract, provided
the Commissioners would reet the street |
rlesning upon the specifications, with
cut any change This condition the Commissioners |
foh ha ia
upon same specifications Now, the examination by
the Committee Of One Hundred showed that almost
all had upon the streets during Janu
sry February up the time OF the investigation, by
The scrimsGsw Company, and yet, by the terms on
which they surrendered their contracts they TO
ceiye pro rata share Of the amount Of their contracts
those months During those two months not street
IN the whole oity has been cleaned nor any attempt
made 10 clean the same, have the crosswalks
kept free from snow and ice. IN accordance with
ihe specifications yet by the terms Of the compromise
they made giving up that contract they
receive one-sixtb Of the full which was to be
I,Sid o them under their contract.
IL has ascertsned that the stock Of the scTm-
,nw COMPANY CHANGED hands az about t1e t,ne OF the
irtOug OF these contracts ana u is openly charged that
large share O II found us way into the pockets OF
friends and relatives OF the Commissioners. The scIm-
shaw Company bad never engaged IN the street cleaning
before and by ts charter Is not permitted TO
bid friend Of Commissioner Whtpg and always cleaned
he streets IN Writings ward when he wac Alderman. |
pfowp, 10 fereung out the frauds in these contracts
nd has foeeIed the ea tat greet things were 20 be
ator.ty Of the members seemed determped 70 stide
very proposition Tor g1VlDR publicity 70 their proceed
se se5i ana 10 '''''0 WA ''''' " 'N' DO"H '' 0''
The contracts for cleaning the strees OF Brooklyn
oHesny, who unlswfuy receiving $4,000 more |
$ alleged, lbao the sum aagprePriated fPr the pur
49, ssse FsseysTiisso w the beaa u Cp Works