The New York herald., 1874-09-18

ooohb
ussnea are CHARGED or deDlted, and the supplies
os.routed TO the various institutions are credited
auu tne DOCKS balanced at the end OF every month
and thus the stock of supplies on hand ar tho end
books. ~ ~
We found on assuming our duties tha, m. .,or.
keepers DOCKS were correctly kept, and on ex-
animation we became satisfied that the stock OF
supplies on hand corresponded with the stoct
which the storekeeper's books called for: we saw
no necessity, therefore, OF taking an inventory az
that tune. On the lst OF January. 1874 the rule or
the department was carried out, and the annual
inventory made out OF the stock OF supplies on
hand.
.second-Mr. Howe charges that no separate &C.
counts were kept with persons from whom pup
cnases made To this charge we answer
department. but have been kept since the lst day
OF January, 1874; hut at all times the store
Heepers He books a have Contained correct copy copy
the names OF the parties and the prices of the ar
Thtrd-rne balance sheets presented by the
bookkeeper on April 25 may have been incorrect,
The books at the Central Office books OF
original entry, and are not copies OF the books OF
the storekeeper on Blacgwels Island, and are
made from original bills or invoices returned
from the storekeeper. These bills or invoices Of
supplies, &C., are hrst entered upon the books OF
the storekeeper, and then are forwarded to the
Central once, where the bills or invoices are en-.
that the two sets OF books these respects should
be mutual checks, the one OF the other, and it Is
dicult 10 conceive why TINS system should be con-
sldered ground OF complaint against the manage.
ment OF our department..
Fo,trth-lt is not mere theory, az Mr.. Howe
implies, OF the department that purchases except
drugs and supplies for the outdoor poor, maze for
the department are delivered to and received by
the storekeeper IN charve Of the store but an es-
tablisned system and faithfully carried out, with
such exceptions, however as common sense, con-
Senlence Teni and economy demand Thus our system
vue Hospital, or brick and lumber for Hart's
Island should first be transferred 10 the store
amlned there and then reshpped at q great ad.
dltional expense, or that 100 barrels OF nour
first to the storehouse and then reshipped or
transferred TO the bakery at double the cost, or
that horses which are purchased tor use at Hart's
island should first be sent to the storenouso
on BlackweIl's Island Economy and con-
yenlence demand that articles of great
place or institution they are intended ior
where they are examined by the proper warden
or superintendent whose certificate or voucher
goes TO the storekeeper, and the storekeeper
relying on the correctness Of the certificate OF the
bill or invoice IN tae books and in his turn GER.
titles the same to she COMMISSIONERS With these
exceptions, which every man OF common sense must
admit are unavoidable, the supplies delivered
at the storehouse, received and examined by the
storekeeper and hts su0ordlnates, are compared
or bill therefor is entered on the books OF the
storekeeper, and then transferred with his cer-
1cste OF the receipt OF the goods 70 the Central
simply frivolous and absurd-whe his charge that
toDo no BOOKS containing record Of the goods de-
Island Is wholly false, as q single inquiry would
have shown him.
Ftfth-Mr. Howes fifth charge is substantially
as loows:-
The received by the storekceper are distributed
by him upon his own responsibility, &c
In this charge Mr.. Howe makes wilful misrepre.
sentation OF the iacts, Notwithstanding he was.
made fully acquainted with the system OF the dis
tributlon OF stores and supplies carried out by our
storekeeper This system was carefully eX-
planned to him IN its details and ne emphatcally
approved OF It. The system in operation and
strictly carried out is this Each warden or other
mead oil an institution required. N
fortnight, to make requisitIon for such supplies
OF lood and other articles as he may IN his jndg-
ment, require Tor the ensuing two weeks. These
acquisitions are made upon the general store
Keeper The quantity OF tne food called for is
VINO are each, according to their Glass;
allowed per capita amount, based upon
u dietary table established by the Medical Board
of the department; other articles are called for as
the Judgment OF each warden may dictate. The
requisitons when received are examined by the
storekeeper personally, calculations made to see
II each complies with the dietary table, and when
the storekeeper Is satisfied as to their correctness
he 40 certihes them to the commissioners, VINO
each at his leisure passes upon, and II he ap-
proves signs the same, and the rule requires that
the storekeeper is allowed to or does distribute
dollars worth OF ANYTHING.
StIth-ln MS sixth charge Mr. Howe states:-
their discretion order the Supplies
heSe 20 DC it no
paid by the Commissioners the provision the ninety
any ecesy Be S
for Or Sf Or o
10 be undertaken supply furnished the Corporation
ns S hsn
bid ieE" " WV ''"'''
This allegation OF Mr.. Howe, that in making pur.
chases OF supplies no regard Is paid by us TO the
provision OF he nnety-drst section OF the charter
Is wholly false and untrue, and Mr.. Howe must
have known when he made this allegation that it
was utterly lase He. city Ofclal himself had
only 10 consult the files Of the city Record, the
official paper, where advertisements or tnis KIND.
10y law, must be published, to find the advertise
ments from time to time by our Board lor supplies
needed for our department..
The allegations contained in charges six, seven
and eight OF MIR. Howes report are in substance 10
the enect that we have violated the letter and
spirit OF the nlnety-hrst section OF the charter aud
cover up and conceal these violations OF law.
The same spirit OF unfalrness and hostility which
pervades the other parts OF the report is also ap.
II is clear that the report is intended to convey
the impression that erasures Of kind to 0bte-
rate the original entries have been made In the
stOrekeeper's books. This Is not the fact; any
alterations that have been made have been made
SO that the original entries are still preserved and
it IS perfectly obvious what tney were. These
erasures, SO called, have been made In the manner
na m as Is
Sunn 0Hs s'F'sa a ress ss lass sss
entry and all the part in writing, without any
erasure whatever, and the figures in black ink
under the line in req ink perfectly egible. There
HAS Uceu, tucTtlOTc, uO COuCe8lWenL OF 6Ctemp6
~ conceaiment or deception In the matter, as
clearly appears from our repeated invitations TO
the Commissioners OF Accounts to come and ex-
anime our books. II Is but just to us to say thas
we did not direct these alterations to be made,
and were not aware that they had been made in
any instance until after the publication OF Mr..
Howe's report. We do not claim to be skilled in
the construction or Interpretation Of the statute
In question. We have acted on the theory how.
ever, tnat the section OF the charter In question
should be complied with, both In It's spirit and
letter. We cannot but think that this fection
Is In many respects obscure and difficult OF
comprehension TO the mind Of thesordinary
layman. We believed that the intent or
the section was TO Insure economy In pur.
chases and to guard against fraud and
j0bbery. We have found by experience and actual
tIial OF the system OF advertisements contracts
for supplies that IL Is almost impracticable when
applied to our department., which Is called upon
to supply the actual daily wants OF from 5000 TO
10000 people. We have found, as rule, that the
lowest bid received In answer to our advertise.
ments was considerably higher than the prices at
which the goods could De bought in open market.
The reasons for this are many. Thus the adver-
ttEement and cOmDIetiOl