The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-18


would be fully prepared at the next meeting.
The names OF those parties VINO had been sum-
moned were here called by MIR. Purroy, only two
OF whom were found to be present Some discus
sion then ensued as to the powers OF the commit
tee to compel attendance Of witnesses, and 1t vas
finally determined TO subpoena those whose at.
tendance was deemed necessary.
A gentleman from the County Clerks once ex.
planned the absence or Mr.. Gumbleton by stating
that he had not yet prepared the list Of judgments
With costs, &C., IN the Supreme Court which the
committee desired 10 procure, and that to
obtain tho list OF judgments In the superior
Court MIR. Boese would be the proper party
to subpoena, and that Mr.. Nathaniel Jarvis, the
Clerk OF the Court OF Common Pleas, could lurDish
the judgments obtained in the Court OF Common
Pleas
Mr.. Purroy the chairman Of the committee,
said the absence OF many OF the witnesses was
caused apparently BY their timdty but that mea-
sures would pc taken to compel the attendance OF
all witnesses hereafter
Mr. Wales said that he for one did not propose to
take counsel with his fears IN the investigation.
He SAID that he had memoranda OF certain mat
tiers which ne wanted 10 call The committees at
tention TO, and that, as he might DE out OF town
next week, he wOulu submit them then ana there.
ceeded with his statement. He said that one Of
the objections made to the conduct or Comptroller
Green on the part or tne pubic was that he un-
oBsrRUcrs THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
HIS statement. he SAID, would be confined to the
relations OF the Dock department with Mr.. Green.
The commissioners oil Docks, lie SAID, as organ
lied under the act OF 1873 lound pier under con-
expensive piece OF work, and inc only one OF its
KIND, ne believed that would ever be Quilt Tor the
city. 1t was an Important work. IN hat II was
connected with the construction OF the whole
plan.work OF pier construction now gong on. The
records OF the Department OF Docks show, he
said that during the summer ut was the month
OF Angus y that the commissioners deemed 1t adj
visabie that . contract for. granite for The pier
vertlsed on the sth OF OCTOBER 1873, the contract
was awarded, and this was sent to the Comptrol-
Ter on the eth Of OCTOBER. le7a Tor his approval Of
the sureties. The contract involved an expend-
ture OF $25 900. On January ~, 1874 three months
and nineteen days alter the contract was sent to
HIM Tor his approval, the Comptroller disapproved
OF the sureties. BIOS were again received on the
9th OF February, and new contract awarded on
the sureties on the oath Of March. Mr. wi es said
ne Understood that one OF the suretes In the nrst
MERCHANT OF HIGH STANDING
in the city, yet the Comptroller took over three
months to fnd out whether the suretIes were
an important work IN the departments and the
expense OF having on hand the necessary force OF
judgment Of the Board the minimum rental OF the
pier would be $40,0 900 per annum. SO by the Comp
troIei's delay q loss OF $4,000 at least, Tor SIX
months rent, TO the city was lost. Mr.. Wales then
explained now also the delay involved otner
losses 10 the city; Tor, he SAID, during the time
the Comptroller was dlliy.daiylng ABOUT the con-
tract the organized force OF the depai tment was
held intact as the steamers. tugDoatS ana the
various mechanical appliances necessary to carry
on the work could not De dispensed with. the
Commissioners not showing when by the comp.
:roler's approving OF the sureties the work would
have 10 pe oeguD. All TINS, ne said, was brought
about oy Mr.. Green taking over three mont his 10
delermine whether two men living IN tine city
OF another '.oDstruction" OF the Comptroller ana
alluded 70 the prosecution OF the work on the bulk.
DOCK Commissioners be said, deemed it necessary
THE WORK FOR THE SPRING,
that four scows should be built Tor mixing con-
crete. ON the lllh OF January, 1875, bids were
opened Tor the building OF he scows. On the 2lst
troller Tor MS approval, and ten weeks were given
to the contractor to iulnl the contract. Inc 0ids
H sad ID sae ID
we're Pullman Brown, and the next lowest
Tooker d DAILY, the difference in the amount OF
tour scows. After the ngures were taken down
me Comptroller took up Inc Old OF Pullman
not exactly correct, as there was a single word
omitted IN the a!fidavt. The Comptroller called
II was no part OF his duty 10 enter into criticisms
as to the bias, as the commissioners alone had the
right to decide what oids were 70 oe accep ted.
The COmptroler's objection 10 one OF the parties
on the bid believe arose from prejudice. Alter
tne Comptroller mad lett Mr.. Wales said he re-
marked to mis- colleagues that he knew
WHAT GREEN INFANT
by his allusion to the Dids not being exactly
correct and ADVISED that before they proceeded
any further they should make sure whether the
Did was legal, because he did not want to award
contract 10 any one otner than the lowest bid.
der The corporation Counsei's opinion was then
asked for on the matter and he decided that the
Did, because OF the OMISSION OF the single word.
upon, said MIR. Wales, awarded the con.
tract or the building Of the scows 10
the next lowest bidders Not feeling fully satisfied
about the matter himself however, he said that he
TOOK advice with an eminent ex.Judge, VINO, alter
carefully looking over the bio winch LIE Corpora.
ton Counsel mad decided 70 DC Illegal decided that
II was legal bid, and the omission oI the single
wore complained OF oy the comptroller was an
error OF form only. mot being lawyers ourselves"
SAID Mr.. wares, I'VE we're CON PEELED, DESPITE tins
ADVICE to act In accordance win the opinion OF
THE CORPORATION COUNSEL.
he being by law the legal ADVISER Of the Board"
Mr.. wales then went on 10 state that the Depart
ment o. DOCKS Was very much halnpered in It's
work on the North River oy the existence OF
private eases &c, and that the department was
beng pressed BY ocean steamship com.
meet these demands everything had been done,
and among other things the commissioners decided
sPowu Ou as shOs 'na! a1s
WORK were duty advertised, the awards were
proposals, within which the work should be com.
pletcd. Here Mr. Wales naveIy remarked: ''rhe
Comptroller Is YET no doubt very busy looking up
the sureties. Tor az yet we nave no iniimation
whether ne mas approved or rejected them" Mr..
Wales tnen continued HE said that at the time
the bids Tor the construction OF these piers we're
opened the lowest bidder. II was discovered had
omitted the same word which Mr.. Geen mad COM
planned about Ia the lowest bid for the building OF
the Iour scows. The Comp iroler was present
and he tMr. Wales, called his attention
10 IT, saying That the bid could not be considered
legal IN view OF the opinion gwen oy The Corpora.
uon Counsel on the scow bid. After the thirty or
forty persons who were present when the bids
we're opened mad retired the President OF the de.
partment remarked that he was very sorry that
THE LOWEST BIDDER
had omitted the same word wnich had deprived
the lowest bidder on another occasion from oeinR
awarded contract. Tue comptroller, Mr.. wales
said, retorted IN his peculiar style, ~ am not the
legal adviser OF this Board but the city Is losing
money In this way" Mr.. wales SAID that ne re-