New-York tribune., 1874-09-12
ALLEGED IRE DEPARTMENT ABUSES.

ALDERMAN RHuLY's viyws-A DETAILED STATE
MENr FROM ONE LONG IN INNATE WITH THE DE-
PARrMENT HE CHARGES Thy COMMISSIONERS
WITH ExTRAvAGANCE AND FAvoRfTIsM.
The alleged Irregularities in the Fire De-
parment have been the subject OF considerable com
ment among tax payers during the past Summer At
the meeting OF the Board Of Aldermen on Thursday, AL
derman Reilly called the charges against the
Department in set OF resolutions which we're printed
In yesterdays TRIBUNE In these resolutions
IL VIII be remembered IL alleged that the Commis-
sioners were In the habit Of letting con-
tracts for materials and supplies TO their friends and
relatives without allowing open competition for the
contracts, whereby the expenses of the Department
we're enormously increased. He closed with PROPOSE
ton that the Commissioners of Accounts be authorized
to examine the accounts Of the Department, aud the
manner In which its affairs conducted The reso-
luton was adopted by the Board. TRIBUNE reporter
was sent 70 Alderman Reilly Yesterdaytto ascertain the
details Of the charges against the Commissioners In
reply to the reporters questions, Mr. Reilly made the
following statement:
dd not introduce this resolution about the Fire De-
parmeht irregularities yesterday from any vindictive
ment put because had heard from various sources,
ana had read several articles in the Press stating that
considerable toboinR was being done there. deemed
u ony Justice TO the taxpayers and thepubc in gem
era tnat he truth or alsy of these charges should
gwen out without advertising them This knew to be
Illegal tor the law requires tnat all contracts OF 1900
over shall be published in The City Record that bids
may De received and the lowest K j. Wright OF
NO s6 seeond-ave. Orothern law Of Joseph L. Perley,
enc OF the Fire Commissioners, had been for time
past, as | was told, supplying the Department
win hay and feed. No records Of goods re-
ceived were made by the Property Clerk, but
vouchers were signed instead by officials at the
yarous engnehouses For instance 500 feet of hose.
or 100 bales OF hay bags Of bought proper
records We're not mad1. believe that the recent talk
about TINS mismanagement has had tendency TO MAKE
the oInm,sioners little more careful in transactng
tnelr 0icla business; but hear that useless expend
lures nave been made under the new Board Of Com
ssl9ners SURPRISING even the amount squandered In
the old Board under the Tammany regime All that
wish Is to have a thorough investigation made
Alderman Reilly refused to speak in detail, saying
that be wished to know about the himself.
Several other officials at the City Hall, when asked
whether there any truth reported corruption
in the Fire Department, stated that, however
they might regard the stories afoat, they
had taken no measures toward verifying them.
c. X Smith, who for four years superintendent Of
the Telegraph Department Of the Fire Department and
who resigned his position about month ago. was
visited by the reporter his residence at
and secondave He said he deemed hardly proper
give detailed account OF the Boards transactions for
he wanted to keep out OF the but. inasmuch as
publicity had already been given to some OF them the
whole truth might we'll BIO told. Mr.. Smith
tinued:
Since the installation Of the new Board OF Fire Com
missioners May II. 1873. many improvements have
been made in the Department, but the Board Is sgnay
a
Board the expenses are greater ana the fayortsm ana
nepotism shown is more fagrant than under the old
say that there are three bureaus in the
Departmrnt-the Combustible Bureau, the Fire Mar
Though six clerks easily the Bureau OF ComDus-
tbes the Board lately increased the number TO 49,
bringing Ia men whose political influence was Thought
more OF than their business capacity. la order to
properly compensate these extra men the number Of
From May TO Sept no vacancies had been hled. In
the latter part OF May there were about 20
in $4,000 TO the Department. allowing sl00 a month
In June the vacancies were Is, and by
Sept. the number had advanced to 80 Only l3 addl-
tions made Sept and these were to the ComDus-
tible Bureau. Now, pertinent question arises Us to
Department every mouth ana 1t may also be asked IL
u required for engine-house when only 10
IL are deemed suficentror some The Hay and Feed
Department mas also been poorly managed The
annual expenses OF TINS Department amount to from
s3l 10 s6OOO Under old Board there three
districts winch horse feed was delivered by different
II Tnese persons wers the lowest bid
der, as the law required But now, X J. wright.
Drotherlnaw OF the President OF the Commission, has
the exclusive right 10 furnish hay and feed. which he
leaves at the englne-houses without weighing The
Commissioners for Il months did not adyer-
tise or receive bids thereby acting directly contrary
to law. month ago, however. the Commissioners
saw that something must be done to keep up appear
ances If nothing es they advertised for bidders.
and Vroomtn, ConOver Co. at the foot OF Perry-st,
and Ftch friend Of Commissioner Van COtt doing
nus ness on Third-aye.. Twenty-fourth-st-botn
feed deaers-entered their bids. Yrooman, COn0ver
Co. made their bid at the same rates they had been
selling supplies To brothern-law Wright, who only
joDber. They underbid by Fitch, but the Com
mssiOners scared him Of his offer and the brother
inaw went before. Another advertisement in
The Cy Record resulted in new bids, for all how
the played
Again, the transactions OF the Commissioners In
pairing improving the engne-houses have not been
in accordance with the law. No contracts have been
advertised Barney Sheriden, ex-assstant engineer
u friend OF Commissioner Perey has done the bulk OF
the mason work, and one has been allowed TO COM
pete with him, All the painting has been in the hands
Patsy Egan the former proprietor OF the notorious
place at Houstonst. aud Broadway. He Is
painter, but he Is the friend Of Commissioner
Van COtt. This repairing amounts 70 $4,000 year
When this Board entered upon s duties the Department
had been the National ExtInguisher for three
years. ana had just been supplied with ones; but
after months they suddenly changed TO the Bah
cock Extinguisher. No could be gwen except
that John r. Perley brother OF Commissioner Perley
was General Agent for the BabcOck Extingushers
seven chemical engiDes, valued at 5000 each,
purchased from the samelirIn. and though eOnsd
cred perfectly Dut In vacant angtne
houses. and men taken away from the regular
houses 70 ruu them. Other instances might be cited 10
show the misman3 3gement OF this Department
Fire Commissioner Roswell ID. Hatch stated yester-
day, relative the action OF the Board OF Aldermen
directing examination into the accounts OF the Com
mIssoners by the Commissioners OF Accounts that he
knew OF nothing calling for investigation, nor did
he know anything OF the Objectionable matters re-
erred 10 IN the preamble OF Alderman Reily's resou-
always been open for nyes gaton IN accordance with
the section OF the Charter permitting any citizen TO de-
mlnd view OF them and he knew OF no objection which
any OF the Commissioners could nave 10 Their being
examined