New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-08
He now hoped that all the dcuic, of the church ~Ould
THE BRV0GLYy RING FRAUDS.
INVESTIGATIONS or THE TAXPAYERS ASSO-


INVESTIGATIONS OF THE TAXPAYERS ASSO-
CITATION.
OBTAINING ADDITIONAL AFTIpAvTrs-P,PFgs TO b.
LAID BEFORE GOV. AZ DI-S AND T,IE ATTORNEY
GFNERAL-THE PRINCIPAL swiNDLEs cOSCERN-
ING WHICH SUITS NAY By BROUGHT.
The members of the Law Committee of the
Kings County Taxpayers Association still busy OBJ
tanning aidavts showing the connection of contractors
and officials with frauds which been perperated
in Brooklyn. and will send supplementary papers this
week to Attorney General Pratt and Gov Tilden one
OF the most prominent members 81 the Committee viii
take he documents 20 Albany and m behalf Of the AAso-
citation viii have a conference with the state officials On
the subject Of beginning suits Immediately. The eVl-
dence which has been collected relates 70 some OF the
most giaring frauds which have been committed in
Brooklyn Following l. q brief sketch ~ them:
one of the worst of these known rs tie Hampstead
Reservoir job. IL gsatvc act passed authorizing
tie Brooklyn Common Council 10 spend sum rot eX-
cc-ding 100 900 FOR the erection OF storage reservoir
at Hampstead. The best Informed engineers claimed
TINT no such reservoir was necessary and that when
additional stoIs ~ became necessary dam con-
structed at an expense Of 100000 would answer the
purpose The members Of the Water Board aud other
interested persons got mp water panic. and the report
81 limited watr supply spread abroad "aierWa
let out Of the exis ring reservoirs While manufacturers
and hOusehoideIs were warned to use the water
sparinely BY these means the public was prepared for
approving the expenditure Of the sum appropriated On
June 9. l-72. a contract made between the water
Board and kingsley Heene contractors who agreed 70
do All the work ~ ISL 900 Tho sum Of 1000 had
been appropriated for surveys and $4,000 for lhnd
No composition was allowed bat William Beard.
responsible contractor procured cory Of the specica-
tions and offered 70 do the work for S73l.OOO. Of
$4,000 than The FOR which was awarded 10
Kingsley q Kccney afteTwgrr The contractors Ignored
the specifications and did unnecessary work, FOR which
they were paid S95O,0oO additional Under advice OF
II. Corporation Counsel 90 per cent Of the contract
price which shoud have been retained until the nal
acceptance Of the work paid 10 the Contractors
who now ask for 100000 moro to finish the work.
Competen engineers declare that the reservoir VIII not
hoid water when completed and thai could nave been
made gatertght and finished for one-Aah OF the SUN
already expended.
lie management OF the East River Bridge enterprise
familiar 10 the public. SewNork in the hrst place
subscribed 81 800 900 and il by legislative act to
piv epuiitionaly S3O)9OOG more. Brookyns share i
a. 100000 The men who controlled the management
furnished The supplies without advertisement, We're IL
tercsed 10 quarresrom which the stones were obtained
and saa-mls from which the lumber came received
commissions OH The bonds purchased and voted to one
Of their number for general distribution one-sevenh OF
the entire amount contributed An executive committee
gave Out an the contracts, authorized all the purchases
of supplies and audited their own bills. The records
were mutilated when investigation was Threatened
entries were changed, and portion OF the money
illegally received by " m L. Kingsley WIS t1N"i'"
Then the managers sought relief ana got the charter 20
changed by legislative act that they enabled to
withdraw the small amount 81 their subscriptions and
sti control the work. The control of the company was
gwen to Mr. Kingsley aud few others who owned only
s257. 900 Of the stock. Mr. Kingsley directed al the
operations during the first four years Of the enterprise
receiving immense sums for Lis services ~ superin
tendert.
Tho waliqhouf Commission empowered 70 expend
500 600 10 run a street across the Waiahou Flats dis
ont the creek, and erect b'ukhead. The Commits
sioner- expended during ne seven years IA men iaey
ever been made VI hcr expenditures, Vi WHICH hhsaie5
aud Kcentv were paid ~-Oo.0OO $3.50
,ef1ti,n al Al proerty owners for dispeu-ary cut
in two and their names attached without tislt kroT
Board then ordered worthless patent pavement 10 be
laid II a price, thus sNindns property owners
person interested a scheme 10 pave Lalayetteaye
the manner gave by decd 20 ieet OF ground ~
"a prr-ona. Their attached 10 p"iliou 10
pave that street but the movement W1s discovered ana
~ var BOARD M. euiourl from proceeding the
matter. Tie members of the Board pun IN a answer
tat ney had annuiled their resolution anu then qicy
,n"yrd te material to 81 Feiix-st. aud Porland-aye
mar AT ,u and bv using the same names and seeming
authority secured the paving ~ these streets Nheh lnt
assessments were lId against the property the residents
protested aud the city finally was Obliged To pay the en-
ne original appropriation FOR constructing Prospect
PARK was 800 900 II cost about lOODooo tOrthenst
$40 acres Of land Tue Commissioners sud Trey eA-
pended ~ 1000. but for 80 additional acres olefOr
land they paid s3bUOOG tnau for the nrst purchase
or }OsO.OOO altogether. Between tho Two purchases
tine 50 acres came The possession or friends U the
PARK Commissioners prUited To the extent OF
more than ~ 100000. . -
IN the matter Of fepavno certain streets Win Hco,
son pavement WI &. Kingsley obtained transfer ot
some shares ~ tue stock without cCnsdefat"h' ana re-
ceyed royalty of - per 81 ldre yarI Tor al hat
wss Lid, aud alter ne had obtained >65oop ana inc
work completed refunded the shares Without pay
uent. 80 o,o. -. 49,.
the original amount appropriated, and wnch had an ont
lei into tie rlyer low point that al every tide the
water flowed back prevented the contents ~ the
sever from ever being cmItrd is another one of the
subjects concerning wlCh afidaSits have been drawn
also been taken IN the ease OF the
,,owans sewer IA winch contract was gwen DY tIe
Wter BOARD bidder, VINO was soon drcarra
nv me commissioner BE- the Work unsatlssac-
forily although 10 done according 10 contact IIe
g0rs was tnrn from HIM ana gwen 10 one OF te
favored contra tors Of Board without any compeu
tom u sought Tor. The work finally cost three tne-
the amount lor winch Ohcr was made 10 DO H. ana
tr.e fines tue amount winch competent engineers say
II should nave cost.