New-York tribune., 1873-06-13
REEoRM IN BROoKLYN ASSUREp.

We hope the taxpayers and Teformers of
| Brooklyn will see from the proceedings of
the Bridge Company yesterday, as well as
from what has been accomplished in other
| directions, that they need no longer despair
of breaking the Ring which misrules them.
1t is perhaps, the most perfect organization
which has ever made public plunder profes-
sion; but there was never any conspiracy Of
the kind compact enough to evade the jealous
scrutiny of taxpayers and the public press or
to resist public sentiment. Had Brooklyn pos
sessed a press Independent of political
control and incapable of being bribed into 81
lence with municipal patronage, the reform
which is now afoOt would long since have
been accomplished. Tier people, groanng un-
der taxes at higher rates than those of New
York or Philadelphia, or perhaps any city in
the Union have found opportunity to express
their indignation and to declare their wrongs
only in the metropolitan press; and it is some
thing for journalism to blush at that only one
of the great dailies of New-YOrk has been ear
nest in this work. That the exposures made
in THE TRIBUNE have not been without effect
is clear from the following statement of what
has been already accomplished:
/. Ii has shown by figures which could not
be disputed and facts which are not gainsayed
that immense frauds are committed in the
"opening of streets" in our sister city. In the
case of the Washington opening, it was
proved that three Commissioners received
$1,000 as fees which legally were not more
than $500. 1t has been shown that John N.
Taylor, Controller of the Department of Parks,
in receipt of large salary as such had charge
Of the opening, and was paid $4,000 as fees for
work for which 500 would have been ample
and legal payment. Further, it was shown
that the other charges were so eXOrbitant that
the assessments upon property holders to pay
for the "opening' had been made double
what they should have been. The result of
this exposure by THE TRIBUNE has been the
commencement of legal proceedings by tax
payers to have the oppressive assessments
vacated; and the appointment of a committee
of citizens to investigate the frauds further,
and to act for the relief Of taxpayers.
II. In the opening and regulating of Union-st.
equally gross Outrages were committed, and
concealed until TIE TRIBUNE exposed them.
A special commission appointed through the in
fluenCe and action of Senator Henry G. Murphy,
were shown to have paid that person and his
sons and other lawyers $4,000 for Searches
"Of titlesn and for legal advice which the
CORPORATION Counsel was bound to have fur
nished without charge. Other expenses equally
excessive and unnecessary ran the assessments
on property along this street to nearly double
the proper charge The Reform Committee
of One Hundred since THE TRBUNE's ex-
posure, has been investigating the charges,
and ii is said will report against the legality
of the exorbitant assessments.
Ill 1t was found that the Board of City
Works was forcing upon taxpayers the use of
patent water-cock, upon which a royalty of
fifty cents for each one introduced into house,
(and every house was required to buy one,)
had to be paid to one of the principal officers
of the Board, named John II. Rhodes, Water
PuryeyOr. The consequence of the exposure
was the introduction of clause into the then
pending Charter to prohibit this vexatious in
Fiction and since then the Board has discon-
tinued the outrage, and has also abandoned
the purpose of compelling all plumbers to use
implements of their trade manufactured only
by the patentee employed by the Board.
". At the same time it was shown that no
competition in the furnishing of water and
sewer pipes is permitted. A single contractor
has for years performed this work under ia
voritism of the Board Of City Works, which
results in the profit of officials and the
needlessly severe taxation of property owners.
SO oppressive are these last named regulations
of the Board, that an argument against the
signing of the Charter, which continues the
Commission in power thus misused, has been
based upon them and forwarded to the Gov
ernor as reasons why he should veto the Charter.
V. What has been accomplished in the re-
form Of the Bridge Management is familiar to
all. The Aldermen and both Reform Com
mittees of Brooklyn have been aroused to
united opposition tO bill for tho bOnOQt of