The New York herald., 1874-08-30
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Brother-in-La Wright
Again.
KISSING GOES BY FAVOR.
Superintendent Davidson Speaks on
the Other Side.
The Hose Men and "Babcock's
Extinguishers."

Tho disclosures In the HERALD, OF the manner In
which tho business OF the Fire Department. is con.
Quoted, arc causing much discussion amoug tax.
payers. The evasion OF the la and spirit OF the
city charter In making contracts is considered by
many to be return to the worst practices OF the
Did 'ring" and when 1t was first whispered in the
department. few weeks since, that these expos
ures OF ofnctal Iavoritsm and nepotism would be
made, only then was it determined to
ADVERTISE ACCORDING TO Law
In the ofllcal paper the city Record Tor proposals
lor supplies. HERALD reporter was sent to hunt
up orOtner-in-aw Wright, who was supposed to
tave the contract for supplying all the hay and
feed Ior the department by favor OF President
Perey OF the Fire Commission. Very naturally
the flrst search OF the newspaper representative
was among the large grain dealers in Broad,
Water and Front streets in this city, but
nobody could tell who Wright was or anything
about him. At length suggestion was made that
the modest line in the Directory Of "Robert ].
Wright nour, sie Second avenue" might refer 10
the fortunate department contractor. and this was
afterwards found to be correct. Before seeing this
gentleman, however, the reporter interviewed
Jeveral OF the more prominent dealers in grain,
with almost precisely the stereotyped result as
foiiows:-
REroxrEn--Do you supply any feea to the Fire
Department!
GRAIN NERcuAsr-No, We mover get chance.
REr0RTER-Whyr
GRAIN MERcuAST-Well We cannot dnd out
what they want, when tney want II, or anything
Nbout II,
RzroRTsR--Don't they advertise for rfoposalss
GRAIN MrHcHANr--I understand they are doing
10 In the Record, u paper nobody secs except Q
handful of city officials but tnis s only lately. The
whois anair 10 JOB, family nnair, and managed
Ia ths interest OF little cqus, and II some OF tha
Commissioners mad not got frightened they never
would have advertised ~ al.
vending his way to No. sls second avenue, near
Forty,niuth street, the reporter found . little
grain store win lew bales Of hay outside
the door, iew bags Of meal and oats At tue side,
spd weak looking youpg man loading one.
horse wagon with supplies for the Fire Depart.
mept Of the city OF Now York; Brother.in.law
Wright, the proprietor OF the esta aolishment, was
sitting IDLY on bag OF mill iced at the door, and
looking dreamiy at the truck, the weak young
mau aud his honest Efforts to elevate bale OF hay
from the sidewalk to the truck When the HERALD
reporter asked him II he supplied The department.
with iced, Mr.. Wright replied IN the affirmative
and when further inquiry was made as to the
manner or voucher signed by the official at the
various engine houses in return for said feed, Mr..
wright BANDED the rel orier the lonowlng:-
NEW YoRK, ,lS7-.
Received from +. j. WRlcnr. 0l6 second avenue. be-
Rushel oa.s
Bag oats.
Bag corn.
Bass BBas neal lsea
r.. Dae e'say aay.
Lac
THIS voucher, OF course, signed py the foreman
l,he engine company Receiving 1t, is tne oasis on
which Mr.. Wright makes MS claims on the depart
ment. If person were critically inclined, now
nttO
by this loose method the chances OF col.uslon re
lncrcassd-ii officials and purveyors were dishon-
eSt-out that IN TRANSACTIONS involving over
$4,000 per annum, It looks suspicious tnat the
weighing every bag OF iced or Dale OF hay arriving
at the door OF dn engine house. has been
Wright's figures are voucned 1or by the ioremen
ures. Verify this IS reform The taxpayers may
we'll inquire how the people receipting Tor SO many
osgs OF oats or SO many bags oi meal have any
BHoTHER-IN.LAw wRIGHT's FIGURES
ire correct, and that the bags OF oats contain TWO
and nalf ousnels and weigh eighty pounds each
bag, or that the bags OF iced contain the proper
quantity and welgb sixty poundsY Yet these oils
arc audited ana prompIiy paid by Comptroller
Green.
Now in regard to the complaints that the hose
men could not get chance to supply the depart.
ment, and that there was "ring'' in regard to
such supplies, the reporter had an interview with
the supply Agent. MI A. Davidson, who was
found ut his Office at Flremans Hall, No.
l27 Mercer street. Mr. Davidson received
the HERALD representative very courleousIy, ana
in the course OF conversation said:-"I admit
when the Old Board went out OF office and tue
new Board came into power last year the e were
many com ,laintS among the hose dealers that
they could not get a chance to supply the DEPART
ment, and many rumors OF commissions peing
paid to officials by Interested parties and much
iavOrltism shown. coulu not trace these matters
to any direct result. Ihe Commissioners, how
ever directed me to investigate everything relat-
Ing to nose and make u report to them. did So
aud spent over three months in the task. told
the dealers wanted to buy the best hose thar II
there had been any Jobs In tue past-whch knew
nothing about-there should be none under my
open to lair competition. After much la
Dor ! decided tnat a canvas hose with a
gutta percna lining made by comparatively
Dbscure company was the best hose. aud pur-
chased It by order OF che Com nissioners although
the largest amounts mad previously oeen supplied
by the "Gutta Percha Manu- acturlng Company"
and others.
REPoRTER-What Is your opinion about the
brother OF Mr. Perley supplying thls depart
meDt with iced?
AGENT-Why that the contracts have been
honestly carried out. Here are the. prices PAID
him. turning to his booSs-tney can be compared
With tie prices OF other merchans:-
- JASuARY
straw, 81 IS per lo6 lbs
Feed, Feed 81 81 8! "a sas' s'S ,u,,
aay aay...............$l IS Hay. So
Straw. 95 straw-......."...... 40
Feed ................ Us Observation-Disclosures. Us
REPORTER-That may all De very well; but what
guarantee il there o. good weight
AGENT (snakng MS nead)-Well there may be
something in that, but dont think so.
REPoRTER-Why were the scales abolished?
AGENT do not know.
REPORTER--Are proposals for grain advertised
DOW q?