The New York herald., 1873-09-18

What Mr. Jenney Has to Say About the Comp
troller and the Prison Site-Oficil Cor
ruption Generally-A Tax Commits
sionar, Against the Site, Gives
His Legislative Experience
for the Benefit
Of the Public.

for the Benefit
Of the Public.
Yne special committee appointed to hear argu-
ments for and against the new City Prison by the
Board of Aldermen on Tuesday continued their ses-
MONS Yesterday. There was no audience conse-
uuently there was spirit in the meeting. The
nrst gentleman who appeared as taxpayer to
protest against the new prison project was Mr..
Jenney.
There was never, he said, so bad a put up Job as
this one to get up new City Prison. This was his
preface. He then went ON to tell how public senti-
ment was manufactured in the matter OF getting
s.relief from the crowded state OF Broadway" two
years ago, and how slips in favor OF bridge were
sent out to certain newspapers, which were pub
iished, and how the man who had dsengineered the
alp business became finally q contractor, and
made, In the opinion OF many people, from
$50 900 to 1000 out Of the scheme of getting the
bridge over the street. Mr.. Jenney exclaimed DUR
ing his argument that he had formed at the time OF
the bridge excitement q resolution never 10 60
over the bridge except over its ruins, aud that one
day he had the satisfaction of walking over lts
Debris. He breathed freely after that ut Is sup
COMPTROLLER GREEN'S POSITION.
He knew that this affair OF the new prison was
tremehdous swindle and he charged Comptroller
Green with being an active part and parcel OF the
Bwindle. He said that the Comptroller had &C
tually already, without consulting anybody ap-
pointed Mr.. vaux, mere landscape gardener, to
be the architect OF the building and this Mr. vaux,
he said, now engaged in getting up his designs
No competition whatever had been invited, and
the whole matter looked and was, he felt convinced
. close corporation job. He charged the Comp
troller, moreover, with bad faith in concealng the
cOr N ri n da nd
with bad faith when he applied to the Legislature
to have this same debt consolidated. Mr.. Jenney
here became very dlnuse and went into considera-
BILE detail concerning the city and county taxes.
His figures relating to the taxation were only
repetitions of those brought to light BY Mr. McCaf
isrtys & committee ZEE some TINE ago In conclusion
THE PRESENT PRISON
could be enlarged and improved and made in
1t was unhealthy, and said that the cry about it's
unhealthfulnes was "a put-up Job" by parties who
were anxious to have the new City Prison project
MI. MoCAFFBRrY at this point put the following
question to Mr. Jenney:-
authorizing the erection Of new city Prison are
the Mayor, Comptroller and the President Of the
Board of Aldermen. When they shall want money
to go on with the work they VIII apply to the
Board of Apportionment, which is composed of the
Aldermen. In other words, the Commissioners
under the bill will make application to themselves
FEW MILLIONS OF DOLLARS:
and or course the gentlemen will grant to them
selves the requlsitiOn they make upon themselves.
what check is there against fraud ~
Ar. JENNEY answered promptly-None whatever.
remarked that the city debt fully 500, 600 600,
and this he could prove by documentary evidence.
1r ~ tS suppose you know @ that the
ward fixed by the assessors is greater than that in
Albany. Dutchess and Suffolk counties
II yoV UARu enpry To- hat VhoN In
Mr.. JENsBY then continued He said that there
was now In the garret of the new Court House a
model Of the dome Of St. Peters at Rome, and that
but for
THE UPsETrING OF TAMMANy,
the city would have been treated to an attempt by
s1another Michaeln to erect over the building a
dome In every way similar to st. Peters. Uaugh-
Coming down at last to the real subject under
discussion, Mr.. JRNNEY added:-I consider the
Is healthy It is better ventilated than our
churches, it is as good place to live ana sleep
build the % new prison as corrupt JOB Tue en0r' 70
Then did Mr.. Jenney retire, amid the plaudits OF
every person present (the Committee and i've out
TAX COMMISSIONERS VIEWS
NJ. S. D. MoULToN, one OF the Tax Commission
ers, was the next speaker. He confessed that he
had learned during the short time he had been in
ONCE as Tax Commissioner that the financial sys-
.'This is so" ne said, '1n all the departments.
The reason OF 1t all Is that the attention Of the
people mas Deen directed 10 Otner ana minor SUBJ
tects. The laws regulating city Affairs are scat
tered, and the way the personal tax is being levied
Y driving away hundreds Of people who prefer to
live outside the county limits with discomforts
rather than live in the county and ground to dust
BY unjust taxation He believed that there were to
be found easily In the city three or four men who
could out OF the chaos form a system which
would be beneficial, particularly so in the
matter OF robblng it Of ali color OF favoritism AS
10 the present City Prison, he said that thirtyfve
years ago he was watchman OF the city, and the
watch headquarters were in the Tom6s. It was
quite healthy place then, and II IL was healthy
then 1t certainly ought to be as healthy place
DOW, with ali the modern improvements thrown In.
He agreed with Mr. Koch that 1t was big enough to
hold the Legislature, and, he felt convinced, big
enough also to hold the Supervisors. Qaughter.)
THE CAPACITY OF THE TOMBs.
Mr.. MCCAFFERTY-What you mean Is that 1t is
big enough to hold all those Supervisors who
willing to let joDs get through the Board. think
no JOB has got through rs yet that has not been
Mr.. MOULTON-That's about my idea.
Mr.. MoultOn then went on to explain how nefari-
Gus was the special legislation at Albany and now
made the AFFAIRS OF New YORK the loot ball OF
Bchemers. The canal ring he denounced as one Of
the worst rings IN this country. Republicans and
democrats alike he said, were mixed up In 1t, and
but for the contractors and the spoil hunters who
control 1t the people every year would be richer by
thousands. He said, in conclusion, that he spoke
holder-a tax commissioner-but he would not
sacrifice his independence as citizen TO any
position.
The committee at this point adjourned to Mon
day next. Alderman Radde expressed q wish at
the close that an antinew prison mass meeting
should be held at the Cooper Institute Saturday
evening next
TIE MATTER IN THE COURTS
There was quite an animated discussion yester-
day In Supreme Court, Chambers, before Jadge
Fancher touching the appointment OF appraisers
~(f fhn