New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-24
THE STRENGTHENING PROBLEM.

TESTIMONY OF JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON, JOHN L.
BROWN. COMMISSIONERS BLUNT, AND OTHERS,
BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE.
The investigation relating to the cleaning of
the streets OF this city, and the disposition OF the refuse
was continued yesterday. by the Assembly Committee
on Cities at the Ffthave Hotel tJohn Taylor Johnston
President Of the Jersey Central Railroad Company
testified that the American Dock and improvement Com
pany OF which he is President, ten years ago made
contract with Messrs Brown, Devoe Knapp for ni,ug
in Communpaw fats; the company agreed TO take ali
the dirt and refuse city could furnish the company
was TO furnish all the the city merely dumping
OH them; the Company takes from the North
River dumps only; those on the East River had
gradually been withdrawn from the Company; the
Company would have been willing to continue taking
All the dirt at present much stuf Is not needed for
filling in and the number Of scows has been reduced.
so that the Company would not wish TO take 50 much
the street refuse useful for ng in low ground but
is Objectionable during the Summer months the Com
pany therefore partly discontinued the work during
summer; dsinfection had been tried, but was attended
by increased expense, and was only partly successful
the stuff was sufficiently valuable for Killing t. make.
contractors willing remove Tor tna. nc
dumping of the refuse In the harbor was prohoed I'D
all places above Sandy Hook. -
Vincent King testified that he owned some properly on
Jacks Creek adjoining property OF the Long Island
Railroad last summer the city put some arr on .v
some on land near by but he did moi know whether u
was owned by the railroad by Mr.. Charlick Capt
HYATT came To and asked PERMISSION for the CITY 70
dunn dirt on mis- iand II doing that WORK IN inc
neignborhood; tue witness willing, ana saiu ne
would pay 10 cents per yard the city had
NOT called upon him for this sum. ou. ne
had paid Capt Hyatt cents per yard, OF soOo he uiu
not think mat much lQOoo yards wac nlleo. al
Though Captain Hyatt told hlin that was me amount
nrng This time the city nllng IN the low isnd
OF tae Long Island Rlroad far back as 200 ireet 9n
the b,Ibesd he was told by Captain Hyatt that the
company paid nothing for IT, and that he need not pay
mi The witness wish 10 have inc ciy 90 any
work for without payments when he paid tno money
In Captain Hyatt did not know whether the latter
son keep t or give the city the last time he was
visited nv Hyatt about month ago the price OF 10
,snts per ward was nxcd by himself he did mol think
n was good bargain his property IA about loo ieet
nearer tue East River than the Long Island Railroad
lots. 80. ,....A, -. .,...,..
contract with the city for years made IN 1865 ex-
Judge whiting bought him out paying t2cooOo ne ala
he wora for two years AMI tho witness then took BACK
the contract he contract for delivering dirt at
Is or 10 cents per cubic yard on Mr. Charlicks lots
he simply dumped Il, having nothing 20 do with It's
distribution he thought he was paid 1000 or saooo
the manure was sold; it amounted to about si5Wo
this did not mora than pay the cost Of oolleo'
toa bv che original oopuaot the witness WAS