New-York tribune., 1873-05-09
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
RROoKIYN WATER FRAUDS.

I PATENT COCK THAT is BOTH USELESS Anu to0iht
EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGES GIVEN TO FAvonTEs
OF rIK BOARD OF CITY WORKS. RIGID INvEsl-
CATION DEMANDED
The action of the Committee of the Brook
rn Common Council, to whom referred the matter
sf investigating the proposed introduction Of patent
waerc )ok into every house in Brooklyn by the Board
Of City Works is looked for by the taxpayers OF Brook
TN With a great deal OF interest Only two or three
witnesses were summoned the last meeting but the
Committee win again tonight The witnesses who
gave testimony united in the opinion that the cocks were
unnecessary ana useless. Reporters OF Tus TRIBUNE
have been investigating the matter, aud the result
shows that the whole matter conceived with view
10 plumber, and wSs designed TO impose needlessly
upon the prOperty-owDers tax which Nih amount to
silhons OF dollars
Tie Board OF CITY Works short time ago ordered
patent stopcock TO be placed in every building within
she city limits which would have to pay water tax
The OF the order applied threeiourths OF the
buildings 10 the city This cock patented by John
II. Rhodes, the Water PuryeyOr of the city, II Is said
with the view Of securing ITS adoption by the Board OF
py Works aud after understanding to that end had
reached with certain meIaber Of the Board who
Is delegated TO attend such matters royalty OF
ATTY cents apiece Is paid by the manufacturer 10 MT
Rhodes for all the cocks made and Sold Ihe purpose Oh
putting tho cocks into buildings Is ayOwedy 10 enable
Board of City Works TO shut OF the water IN the cell
nrs the houses OF default in payment OF the
water tax but it stated by every who has exam
med the that It utterly fails TO secure the end
esred and be regulated by person 50 that the
water can turned with the greatest ease by the
occupants Of any house II similar 70 ordinary plug
soc except that the is made hollow, so that rub
Der plug can be Inserted. This kept within the core
sy a brass sercw-pluC which is fastened under
neath cock in ordinary faucets The rubber plug,
Of course prevents the passage Of the water through the
pipes the handles may be turned as II fills up
the aperture IN through which the water enters
tho of ne has
ais payment Of the tax and the water has been turned
Of by one Of these cocks he has it in his power to use
the in spite of the official by simply unserewng
Me metal plug Withdrawing the rubber one replacing
The former turning the faucet when the supply of
water will he abundant. 1t is as simply manipulated
ana easily regulated the ordinary pugcOck These
patent cooke the householder s. CO. while the price
N the ordinary cock is only 81 IS.
Many persons contend that there necessity what
ever any additional cocks in the cellars the water
san be cut Of in the street the curb, where
,ock generally placed while the lawyers say that the
oicias have right to enter dwelling and handle the
cocks II they belong to the property-owner Lawyers
refer TO the OF the gas companies who own their
meters in buildings in order that they may have
bontrOl of them whenever default in payment occurs
MI Rhodes the Water PuryeyOr, and patentee Of the
sOck says that the object Of the faucet is 10 prevent the
earng up the when the water is be turned
81 building and that the plug be so tightened that
will require the OF a wrench TO remove il, and
that, II ls discovered that people audacious as
the after 1t has been turned off by the
BfCials the water be shut of in the street lie
rays that very few persons would dare to act in oppos
hon u Department and incur the perpetual displeas
OF the Board which upon Of its permits
reserves the rght AT all times 10 Visit every part OF
building where the pipes run.
The action Of the Board the matter of meters
reCklessncss the the
Department Of City Works in dsregardng the rights OF
citizens. The Water Puryeyor gave the privilege Of
supplying meters to MI O'Bren, who does the Nork
and sends his bills TO the Department Of City Works.
1odeTs Tine charges IN some cases have been most
sxorbitant, few samples Of which are furnished
SAMPLES OF ExroRTIoN
The President OF an insurance company who resides
In Carltonave., owns a building filed with business
sfBees, in the Eastern District, and although such
edfces supposed be exempt from the Introduction
OF meters he received notice that two meters would
have TO be obtained. Accordingly the meters
put IN and bill returned for two
at e2s apiece pounds Of lead pipe and pounds OF
solder. The owner Of the building, amazed at
the amount Of lead and solder charged had the work
examined by plumber. who SAID that there were just Is
pounds OF pipe and two pounds OF solder When the col
leeOr called for the money the owner told hm what had
been done, and refused 70 pay the blh The collector
sad that il identical with oBrens bill to the Board
the Board Of Audit, and which he produced in verhca
pay, aud the collector, without ado and as if
perfect understanding existed that II objection were
make the deduction, altered the items to
st the wishes OF the owner Of the building aud reduced
the amount $40.
gentleman who owns an oil refinery at Red Hook
received notice that he must put meter in his works
He Immediately called Armstrong d Blacklln,
plumbers, at Court and UniOnsts, and asked them to
put meter IN his factory. They told him that they
could not do II, all OF that kind of work done by
Mr.. OBrien, who allowed by the Department Of
CITY Works 10 have the exclusive charge or these mat
ters but that few permits had been granted
other plumbers ~ them ln Ihe oil renuef Lnen
applied the Board City Works for permission 10 let
Armstrong Blackn do the work, but his request was
refused. The put in by OBren, who
charged for "a pounds OF lead pipe and Is pounds of
the work was made. The result showed that only l6
pounds Of lead and pounds Of solder had been used
The deduction the bill made when the gentleman
threatened TO contest the matter in the courts.
An brewer in the Eastern District had two meters
placed in his premises by OBren The pipes which had
been covered up dirt represented IN the bill
sc feet long, weighing three pounds 70 the foot or
los pounds altogether 1t represented that 1t
necessary ~ lay the pipes in crcuOus course In order
10 ayOd a ldTgaVat The brewer became suspicious
that the bill incorrect had the earth removed and
the discovery made the CiTcuitOus had
been taken but that the pipe had been ald under
the aud IS feet Of pipe 80 pounds only mad been
used in the work. The deduction IN the bill imme
aatey made by the Board OF City Works, and the
proper amount was paid.
IL rs stated that the price of the lead pipe is also
placed at high figures ana that in number OF the
sXcessYe charges discovered -Four different
Kinds used by the Department, and the
amount received that in 1872 S9573 26,
according the annual report. 1t Is believed tga at
intense feeling Brooklyn gasd the whole sub
boct
THE GAMING SALOONS DARKENED.
The doors of the gaming houses, for the first