New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-10

their removal Is insult TO them. WDile am oPPV
to the new Bridge bill and believe that the orie" ~
ettion was afford Tweed, sweeny ana 'ther eon'ou
crates an opportunity for plumber, am sn'iS
fed that not n single dollar has been misap-
proprated or improperly disposed Of with the eNceP
of the sl25 600 paid TO Mr. Kingsley although IL was
doubtedy originally intended to permit MN 10 reoo,o
Is per cent on the entire amount e1pehueu uPO" W
hrdga Moss,s stranahsn and McCae. believe aro
honest gentlemen, and their error Ia In perihi.'ns
an arrangement TO be made with Mr. Alhgs'eS' ~
were not confederates and shared In no part Oh .o
amounts paid 20 him. They we're led 70 agree 70 ma,
arrangement by the statement made by MI hinesieS
that on Government buildings. such as inc Ho"
York PostO1ice, 1t is customary 10 aho" '
Superintendent 10 per cent on inc eAPo"
When sent In my resignation at the hst mee"n1'
had not been made aware that Messrs' 0'o0u'" a'N
Hustled had been displaced from the urec,o' sn'p'
o,hory,se 7 would have added the fact OF their re-
moyal IA an additional reason why woulu refuse ="
serve longer as a member Of the Executive Oou''n
vas nrobably reelected simply because IT was UNDER
stood that represented Controller Green, ana u was
deemed advisable to retain the favor ana goou"ni VI
the public officer. who would influence the pay ~'n' "
the amoupt subscribed by the City of New-forK am
opposed to the new Bridge bill, aud trust IL Will Oe
vetoed by the Governor.
Mr. BARNES DESoUSCEs THE RING.
TRIBUNE reporter called upon Demas Barnes one VI
he former stockholders expelled rom TIC Di"s'
tory. Mr.. Barnes said:
This hill s the most clumsy transparent fraud OF any
thing recently attempted lt Is virtually two bls III
one Section G. under which the managers proPoSo ~
act repeas Section OF the DILL which was pun III
ne foil The champions OF the bridge interest nave
endeayored TO make the public believe that the pro-
vision giving four new directors TO the Cities IN
Section l. is the entire bill under discussion Ihey
say nothing about the clause which reads, 1.-The hrst
section shall be imperative and Of effect" The only
mandatory thing in the entire bill IL, ITO compel New
York and Brooklyn TO place 100000 more money III the
hands Of these gentlemen" Elsewhere 1t 49, Inc di-
recors may do "if the directors SHAH so DECIDE exc
The intention Of this single compulsory phrase Is TO re-
eve the Controller Of BROOKLYN from the enecl OF Is
suiug city bonds which maintain he had no right to
issue while private subscribers were In arrears as some
of them have been for nearly TWO years. ,,,.
The hin has seven vital points aud aims; l. III relieves
the private subscribers. who are The directors ana man
e"ors from fulfilling their contracts under the condi
tous OF which the City OF Brooklyn subscreu s3OuVVV
n pavs back TO these gentlemen sec 81 all the money
hicS tbey have mt in with interest from the public
treasury. s. II relieves them from personal ana IMAM
cal responsibility yet allows tf 10 ~,
of the failure which they admit g. IL MAKES an any OF
IT, mi sl03 600 more money in their hands without
any restrictions as TO It's use l. IL removes the nha
dav of settlement To next year 80
You ask me whether the Governor will sign the
hill have heard IL said that Gov DIX docs not slgn
bills which he has hot read. have always supposed
GOV Dix to be a sensible aud an honest man. simply
saw mat no man who is both sensible ana honest can
read This h aud approve OF IT, Whar will he the effect
~ tbe bin If IL becomes law First, the issue Of
100000 more bonds by tho City OF BrookyD ana $4,000
more bv NeH-York; second the withdrawal from this
fnnd Of nearly 100000 by the private stockholders
third the expenditure OF the residue OF this money with
ont localized accountability, and then abandonment
enterprise OfcOurSe consider that the bridge will
ien The cbsrter provided that IL shall be completed
by JuEe l. 1874 Brooklyn needs the bridge II is one OF
her vital necessities. Sire cannot do without IT, But
o ,a ahout her placing any more money in the hands
,oo
and who have conducted this enterprise. think speak
fhe sentinente OF every honest taxpayer in Brooklyn
when say she never Will and these gentlemen know
e. This knowledge is the parent OF the present iegsa-
Tor relief become Indignant when think Of this and
similar things done by these men. IneY are retardlug
the development OF the City, adding 10 the burdens OF
our people and driving capital from our borders These
men their hands upon everything OF public nature
ia this City, from lanppo'ts to bridge, parSs reeYos'
Streets sewers canals gas, public deposits, etc
have always believed in the feasibility and necessity OF
bridge the East RIVER, as heleveln the future
and uuion OF she two cities. have writ
e ~ on The loor of tbe Chanber OF commerce. ana in
me nails VI Congress secured the necessary consent
OF Congress for bridge 70 OF the
bo v ivep $40 m toward It, $1,000 " which have been
when know what Is 70 be done with 1t. AT home aud
abroad sought to give II character hnd support
requested aud then demanded that / aud the public
might know what being done with my own anu the
peoples money. The records were locked from my
Barnes opposed 10 the great brdgeOur colossal IDEA
vlJic6 had not charged, or OF which had not then
dreamed too, became alarmed Tor my city, ana Tor
made OF my money and looked INTO me bridge
sented 10 the public on the ION OF last January Efforts
made TO keep It out OF the NeW-f9rK newspapers
so far "a the management or the bridge Is concerned,
these gentlemen have mad their own way. They have
encountered no adverse legislation Ihr only thing IN
which the people nave appeared before the Legislature
was with a respectful petition aslng tLit committee
might be appointed to examine the bridge
President OF the Bridge Company, and state Senator.
three years these gentlemen ned ther meetings. Ia
10 allow the presence OF taxpayers whose
money they were spending. Yearly meetings came and
pissed 600 mad been expended and the Clairmln
of the Finance Committee could not report tnat no had
ever examined voucher, and yet he hal lust been re-
appointed that position for the nth year For three
years not dollars worth OF material had been adyer
tsed for IL for their interest 10 maze the eXpenl
lures a. large as possible. for the enormous cOmpcusa
ton Of Is per the entire disbursements ndd been
voted nomnaly 10 the purchasing agent including his
trolling the whole thing Tle fact for long time
concealed from and deuied TO Inc, cO-dlrectOr
covered up the books the entries
were finally erased ana new ones nterpoa ed Material
were fixed without appeal. j. T. strandhan admitted
TO than year agO that stock stood IN his name,
Sranahan and Is OF the Committee sitting with
DOORS until they were forced open by public sen
witnoutany restrictions except as one OF their papers
say " their own measure OF profit"
the benefit OF the cities or for the pr0ht OF dozen
on this question Brooklyn sentiment Is divided.
least GOOOO voters the other. There has
been ABOUT S27OOOJ OF private stock paid IN. They,
of course, mold majority OF this, which under the
Charter controls the election or Directors. The bill
says: Whenever a majority Of the stock held by
private subscribers shall be acquired By the
cities, etc" How Is this majority" OF stock
10 he acquired" except upon terms entirely
satisfactory 10 these gentlemen. One OF the terms
being appoint their successors forever suppose that
the directors are formally named by the Mayor yet
their influence with him IS said be absolute Were
they well assured OF TINS they wouid never have
named him their appointing agent. But the bill nicely
provides against recalctraut Mayors, and allows these
men 10 this direction at pleasure. Vacancies
caused by DEATH designations etc, be filed by
directors hot the Mayor tbs time. so reads the bill
Should It become law 1t would indefinitely retard the
completion Of the bridge, aud be Of ieparabe damage