The New York herald., 1875-11-10
Specimens Of the Methods by Which Brooklyn
Taxpayers Have Been Bled.
PROSPECT PARK AWARDS.
Contrast Of Prices Paid to Ring Pets and
to the Average Citizen.
KINGSLEY, EEENEY s co. As CONTRACTORS

hide its msdeeds from them. On every hand are found
complanants, ready willing testify against it, 50
that the work OF compiling charges for the Governor
and Attorney Generals consideration grows hourly
less difficult; facts numerous and witnesses
ready. The details OF the swindles which have been
perpetrated by the Ring would form interesting reading
to students of municipal reforms nasmuch as it would
acquaint them with OF the most perfectly matured
schemes for mncting property holders and skfulegisla
ton for screening rs we facilitating official rascaIty
Not Of the following Jobs is simple bungled. The
Atlantic street was the job by which Mr. Fowler
sgna!ized his advent to the Board of Water Commas
soners and helped repay Mr.. Kingsley for aiding him
after his disastrous oil specuations short time pre-
yous. This cost the city about $500 600 Then there
Is the Walabout Improvement, another plum for
Kingsley Co., perhaps than ST. ooo 00o again,
THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE,
in which the gentleman had the manipulation Of
all the contracts 1t might DO well to call attention
here the fact that in order make liberal lumber
contract the foundations Of that splendid piece OF
sonry were made Of wood, plan OF which engineer
OF character would approve. 1t is said that the South
Brooklyn SawmLl and Lumber Company, in which
Kingsley & Co. were Interested, benefited by these
contracts. Contrary to all precedent cases Of the
kind the Of the bridge proper forced
before the right Of way had in the cities Next
have the Hampstead Reservoir Kingsley's pet also;
the patent pavemens, 100, out Of which Mr. Kingsley
is said have got $4,000 from Bonesteele; another
the Third and Hudson avenue sewers and
THE PROSPECT PARK EXTENSION.
from tho records Of which few entertaining items
have been colated The Of the original $40
was 1857 COG 27, and the first acts Of the Legis-
lature confined the original and contingent expenses of
laying out and governing, SC, to $5oo,OOo Ia 1865
the Ring Commissioners got bill through the Legis
lature empowering them to take what is the plaza
about nineteen acres-at cost Of $15S55S. In 1866
they got bill through on the same principle extend
ing the Park Fifteenth street. Coney Island road and
Franklin avenue. These $50 acres thus added cost
$751;, 745. Then, in 1868, waxing boder by success
they made the Litchned purchase Of fifty acres
at cost OF ST. 7o5 24S Naturally the question presents
ITSELF "who benefited BY these enormous expenditures
OF the city's moneyYn The following Of the
real estate transfers Instructive
W. c. Kingsley purchased in December 1866. and
January, 1867 ninety nine lots and cores Of the
LichGeld property for SOL sos At that time not
outside OF the Ring knew that the Park
to be extended by the addition OF the Litch-
led blocks. In May 1862 Mr.. Kingsley parted
with his proberty pro bono pubiico, receiving
therefor an award Of Sl4l,54e, making thereby
$7e S54 less interest. just before this transaction
i'Bossr Mclaughlin bought January, 1868 four lots
for "a 250 for which May, 1869, he received as an
award from the city, because 1t had appropriated TO
Park purposes this little piece Of property, sssS6
William A. Fowler's vie, Mary f., purchased seven
lots for S35oo and she similarly Awarded
s1o44a 1t is instructive to look at the
different awards made to honest citizens who
have been deprived Of their property and TO the
pets Of the Ring who bought land 10 have II taken for
Park uses. The former for $50 acres only
8752 745 the latter for only hftyseyen acres received
nearly So COO 600 II may be noted, n passing that
Mr. LitchGed still lives in the house which was pur-
chased from the Park, and that that portion Of
the purchase has not yet been improved for Park pur
poses
Now, the history of the Litchhed property as re-
lated by citizens who have been following up and
ferretlng the absolute ovcrcharges OF the Ring is
succincty folows:-By act passed by the Legis-
laIure in 1868 the &rd extension Of the Park, viz,
addition Of The nly-seven acres az cost oi nearly
81 600. 900, effected. Mr.. Edwin Z. Litchhed
owned part the twelve blocks needed and received,
1t is alleged, nearly SASS 900 q the whole sum awarded
The Commission Awards Tor the Litcheld property
consisted Of Henry 2 Murphy, Jr, son Of state Sen
Murphy; 7. g. bergen and General Slocum. With
three experts John keum, J. French and Booth.
The duty Of these last three to appraise the
buildings fence and wall Mr. Ltchheld's part OF
the property Messrs. French and Booth made
thorough examination, MI. kelium being unable TO
serve and agreed upon he following report Of esti-
mates, which submitted 70 the Commission on
A"''1' " 80 go Baook1Yx, Feb ., 1868
Henry G. MCRPHY Jr., Esq, Chairman Commssion;-
Sig-At the request of the commission you repre-
sent the undersigned have estimated the value OF
improvements
Third and Ffth streets and Ninth and Tenth avenues
az follows.-
For dwelling house 81 3G6
for stable 5000
For greenhouse. 24S0
For stone wall aud IRON fence .............. 1000
Total i......................... Ss7, ,44e
Eighty.soyen thousand four hundred and forty SIX
SAMUEL BOOTH
JOHN FRENCH.
II is publicly alleged in the city Of Brooklyn that
4rrfN
made further allowance o s63 0U0 for dwelling house.
green house, stable, wall and iron fence Mr.
Ltchleld Tie 81 lhe house. paid by that genue-
for a long lime alter he received the award Of
$49s 600 believed 20 have been not than 80 500
year.
The Ring is said TO DO composed Of William G. Kings
ley, William A. Fowler, Hugh Mclaughlin, Keeny and
Murphy These SAID 10 be tho head centres Of
minor rings distributed through the county Their
power Is extensive and having always been careful
sscure Legislatures permission consent for their
geaggrandzing jobs, they have proceeded in
comparative safety and taken INTO their ranks
other men Of quasi respectability. The pub
lc regard every who held commissions or
places trust under the Ring its coadjutors; hence
II thar Messrs s. L. Hustled, A. f. Campbell, strana-
han and other lesser lights have come to be considered
tools Of the central power. Nearly al the jobs that
have gwen much offence 70 the good people of Brook
lyn have been conducted by one or all oi the
several commissions appointed by the Ring Samples
of these msdoeds be found IA every part Of the
city. And perhaps i s only just 10 say that while
Kingsley IS said to have had whole hand In each OF
them, his partner Fowler, and the permanent Board
Of Water aud Sewerage Commission, il is alleged,
had another IN May 8 1870, the number q
required consult property owners on the line OF
streets before repairing them The next session OF the
Legislature changed The name Of the commission 70
Department 81 City WORKS. and aided 10 its duties
the opening 81 streets &c. Mr. Fowler Is one Of the
three Commissioners to-day, and said to be the prime
spirit N i, although Mr. Woodward Is the President
However, tie latter gentleman not IN very good
rcpute with the committee OF Fifty, rom whose nves
legations into
rnE THIRD AVENUE SEWER
The following iacts have been obtained M Joseph
Van Wnke entered into a contract with the Water
Board 70 build the sower this avenue from Twenty
eighth street Carroll street and after partly com
peting the samel he removed and Mr. Keenv
lkipgseys partnerl directed 70 complete the work IL
appears that, according 10 Mr. Van Winke between
the awarding Of this contract and tho sign
ing OF tie same be Mns offered 81 600 nrat thnn