The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-13
History of the Giant Job
of Brooklyn.
A Company That 0bstinately Re-
fused TIE Be Examined.
TACTICS OF KINGSLEY & KEENEY.

more widespread interest than that Of any OF the
schemes already exposed the HERALD and relating to
Brooklyn alone. The two great towers confronting
each other on opposite shores the East River have
been raised to their present elevation without an
expenditure 80 declared of a vast Of money. Ru-
Of fraud In the conduct of the undertaking have
been rife for years. When in connection with the
exposure of the Tammany Ring Tweed's name was
found among the Of the directors Of the bridge 1t
natural enough TO expect was there for no honest
purpose. AS nothing good could come out Of Naza-
reth Tweed's identification with any public enter
prise was sufficient excite apprehensons OF
fraud In its management. That the bridge has
far cost than ever entered into
the dreams OF the taxpayers Is beyond q
douot The original calculation the entire cost Of
the S. 600 OOO yet with neither OF the piers
completed has already absorbed So 600 600,
while the right of way both sides has st to be pur
chased and the vast suspensory link between the
piers constructed A HERALD reporter has gathered
from dozen different complete and
condensed history Of this undertaking Brooklyn, Of
course, is much moro deeply interested In the fate OF
the bridge than New York To the former city its
early and successful completion will be source OF
great prosperity. Yet both cities cannot but feel an
anxiety regarding the honest and efficient management
of enterprise which, when finished, will be source
OF pride to both communities and OF wonder to the
whole world
COMMENCEMENT BRIDGE
Work commenced on the bridge in October, 1869
The President, Henry c. Murphy, was State Senator
during the bridge legislation at Albany and procured
such charter a desired II gave power to the
corporation to purchase and hold real estate build
toll houses the bridge, borrow money and regu
late the to be paid for crossing tho bridge It pro-
vded the bridge should not be lower than 100
above high tide in the middle Of the river. 1t author
the cities OF New York and Brooklyn 10 subscribe
TO the stock Of the company and TO bonds, The
charter gave to the individuals making personal sub
scripons to the company the exclusive power to con-
troll the entire organization The charter obtained
April l6 1867. 1t amended February 90 1869 The
first charter specified that the bridge should be
peted June l. 1870 and the amendment that It
should be completed June l. 1874 The amendment
consisted only in giving to the cities OF
New York and Brooklyn each three directors making
six OF twcnty-one, leaving fifteen private sub
scrbers absolute control by two-thirds vote
otherwise, as II the cities not represented at ALL
The amendment also gave to these individuals the right
to operate to dispose OF the right to operate rail-
road the bridge when 1t should be completed No
other legislation affecting the bridge had become law
until the 1874 although after the exposures
1872 many bills presented, some Of them
passing both houses but receiving the Governors Veto
RESPONSIBILITY ANYWHERE
or obligations whatsoever placed upon the who
were to control an enterprise which the Legislature
has now voted $l3 900 600 and which It may yet be
asked to subscribe many millions mores The directors
not made accountable to the Board Of Aldermen
to the Legislature to the Mayor any power what
ever There were restrictions in the charter with
reference to advertising for any proposals. with refer
ence salaries prohibiting the in control from
furnishing all the supplies at their own prices and
e,ch 80
chose OF the public money. That they fulfilled the
letter OF theiWprvioge and opportunity win be
the Developments 20 be made
THE MANAGING DIRECTORS
Senator II. G. Murphy, Senator VIM. NJ. Tweed,
Comptroller r. b. Connolly, Contractor Hugh Smith,
Park President J. s T. stranahan Park Director y l.
Hustled. Politician II. W. Slocum, Eagle proprietor;
Isaac Van Anden, Corporation Counsel, and present
Judge Alexander Mccue. The stock put down
principally in the names OF Contractors
Kingsley Keeney, Tweed, swceny, Connolly,
Slocum Stranahan Murphy and Hustled. A few others
we're allowed to hold a small OF stock only, and
we're not allowed to know much about the manage
ment Most Of the stock considered a pool and
distributed in different names but to be cared for from
a general fund
The city OF New York subscribed 81 500 O0o the city
Of Brooklyn 81 600 coo; eighteen private individuals
s., 900, OoO The stock be paid up ten per
cent instalments; each call OF Der would,
therefore produce $500 900. Each call the private
stock alone would amount TO $50 000 One Of the
order TO create fund from which to pay
private subscriptions to draw out fifteen per cent
on the total amount OF money paid In Therefore,
when $500 900 should have been paid in by the private
subscribers, $3.50 900 would have been drawn out by
them which would have gwen them their stock clear
and profit Of $3.50, 000
SOURCE REVENUE
was to put themselves in the way OF furnishing sup
plies The first thing requisite in building the piers
was TO make Golfer dams composed Of timber which
amounted to several hundred thousand dollars To
supply this timber members of the organization bought
what is known the New York Sawml and Lumber
Company located Gowanus Canal When timber
was required this company asked TO mako ts
prices, and other parties, selected only by a
\ mttee were invited to compete with them. Enough
Of the timber purchased OF other parties Just
gyo a fair colorng to the idea Of competition. some
times prices only asked OF the sawmlll and Lum.
Dor Company and Of the superintendent OF the Saw
mill and Lumber Company in his individual capacity
The next thing required stone and granite II is
stated that members Of the company had secured In
terests In the quarrics from whence this material
received soon after the organization 81 the COM
pany executive committee appointed consisting
OF s. l. Hustled, William M Tweed, J. s. T. Strana-
ham, Hugh Smith, H. W. socum and the President,
| H. C. Murphy, ez-oBico The entire power Of pro-
ceedng with the bridge placed In the hands
OF this committed. They proceeded TO carry the
work on the above pan the detailed operations
or which were not known TO the Board In the sum-
mer OF 1871 Tweed, Hugh smith, Connolly and others
became involved in tho exposures made on the new
Court House job which had been carried on under
precisely the character OF legislation that by
which the bridge directors acting. The enor-
nous expenditures upon the bridge and the little
progress made excited much Indignation the part
Of the people OF Brooklyn, and committee or fity
citizens we're appointed to investigate the bridge
affairs II appears that Mr. Kingsley, who held the
pool stock and controlled the organization, had not
put himself in tho directory. He had, however, been
appointed as
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
OF the entire work Through him the supplies bad
been furnished, the bills paid, and through him the
money take Of the private stock subscriptons