New-York tribune., 1876-10-12
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE FOWLER INVESTIGATION.

THE FOWLER INVESTIGATION.
CITY COUNSEL DK Wits REVIEW OF THE HEMP
STEAD RESERVOIR MATTEI-wHAT HE PROPOSES
TO PROVE.
The investigation Of the official acts OF eX-
Commissioner Fowler was continued yesterday after
noon before tho Brooklyn Common Council Fourteen
Aldermen answered the calling OF the roll, and sew
eral came in aferward Mr. Fowler sat near his coun-
sell Gen. Pryor. during the afternoon. The room Was
well filed with interested listeners.
City Counsel Dewitt entered at once upon the contn
uation OF his opening Speech begun the day before he
reviewed briefly what be had already said IN Tegaru 10
the water scare of ls7l and tnen considered the act
Of 1871 which authorized the building Of the Hampstead
Reservoir Upon the authority Of this act he SAID plans
were drawn and estimates made in regard TO the amount
Of land needed aud the probable capacity OF 'Ae Iu
ture reservoir These plans called FOR 800
acres OF Land. When, however the spselnc"
tions for excavation afterward appeared Ineio
we're ncluded over 200 acres more than in the Irst
estimate This extra amount OF land was intended as
spoil bank for tue contractors 10 deposit the eACa'
tious pon Two years before the contracts were Inaue
IL would be shown that MI kingsley mad oXAiDlted
strong personal interest In the rate that ~Onl0 oe dO"o
40 mat mis- connection with the first plans could be easily
detected The of excavation was OF sucn an oiu
nary Kind that any intelligent contractor could nave per
formed il: the contract therefore should h1Ve' III an
honesty, been thrown open TO public c0mpouHVn' lH-
sead OF that the competition was confined 10 lof oH
besides Kingsley and heeney, all OF whom "oi" III s'o
way connected with dependent upon tDat HH' AZ
prevent any persons OF small means competing 'He-o
was large reseryaton-2O per ceu-aud The sec0i! de-
r,anded was $4,000 The bids themselves rrmliA-
able Proofs would bc furnished ddtH% lAe la ,S ~
ing that for that excavation for Whch INC cay ~
cents cube yard the really fair prco was rom % 10
so cents; that for what the city contracted 70 p@5
81 900 600 half that sum wold be liberal pay an,
Coming now 70 the administration Of Jhe conlaet tne
counsel said even worse eonailiol C .H4S 49, " ~ be ~
Less than go acres OF the 900 acres tLa' "GV 80 ~ Il
cayptcd had been touched that ptil 43l Huo oc i
was for the mos pari on SAINT "i r @ ras be.ides
was much more difficult 20 take o'i, 1i14 .i "' I,}
demand for extra hauling, and di REM lnl.g i, ~
been used in the stone lining OF the ""h rom '' '
iO TBs AUTHORIZATION for the reservoir Mr. Dewitt con
tnued. was Il 100000. when thlo was 7vuc ny r"s
,yiv q moor excavation and unfinished oan 81 was
MIR FoWer's duty 10 have tOuud solIe Iit'i5 ~.
the reservoir 1t was ackno"icdeea tlat $500 ~ M
S3O 600 would complete 1t, bui noinE vas ,ong @ 10 80 80
end Then followed the act oil 1870. me bOl'u b }T..,l
900 Ia complete the reservoir. II ATTEMPTED 20 ht tlo
affair in that condu uHJll INC or! fuo' f -s e
showed that only $50 600 needed 90 mis-. me "1
sI1 scd HE C0mHon Council 10 ana Liza IN seeing mat
H. ,,sS done subsequently Nh. Fowler offered l'eo'
tgn 10 the Board holding Kingsley ana htle! il, l'''
bic for the OF the Hampstead I.ceIv9li 'ld tJn
after fbe attempt was made - deprive lIc clt Ui 'e
control Of the work, for ThieA IL , 5aa @ i' ~, &
But the Supreme Court denied such l"'.eI III ~ Wv - 80
Tnen the city took the offensive p",iIo' AA,4s """2
resolution passed 10y me SohlJon 1 I'm. Si,,.
Of the dam should he finished and wder-5ass be con-
strnotod. On May 29 1ulther Tgso.-tgn & Nns l'.S
that If this charge were mol oDt 5sl "a i",',.. t i
h. served upon the Board of NOrhS' colpcAIb 20
complete the WORK. THIS poslu9A was 81. 'i'lSu 49, ~ @
Supreme Court and if the board had ga & i.cd o L. I %
rugnds OF the wit this 3cuOl NOiLd not nave Da1h
bIoIgbt II was because Mr. Fowler was lihclN! ,ih.
frnTrrtal in preventing such action ny tAe pOu4 IN u
me WAS suspended. The hIst charge the c9hl''i suu
was fat Dir Fowler dlsobeycd the Octt Oh thc common
CcT,e and Inc second that be cid This in the interest o
Hmrsiey aud Kceney. The Mayor ln Eis Charges tLt4
p0Uted TO the character of tho uel Wio "eic pei'ct
io lid ON the contracts 70 The prices pad; TO tc 4i
cf Stone used IN :hc lining Ol the DAM 10 INC
excavation sand alone lnsltdu OF zoe Ho-e ul...
material 10 the hagtous 1aliuie to H+lsA TIC HY41'
~ tlc determination TO spend 100000 more AID hold
alt1a
eIoed. and by proof these facts tie counsel pro-
posed 10 show To the Common Council thdt inc purpose
If Mr. Fowler throughout all these transactions, Wa" hot
10 Act in the interest O. the CITY, but 70 gam Dy US r.
spoIation As additional facts, H. Dew ~ sil" I"t u
WouId b. shown tnut in 1872 Mr. FoWIcr was declared
BANKRUPT with liabilities OF $ZJOOOO ana no asscs' ANA
tbat since ne had Qccn COMMISSIONS, win no oeI a-
parent income than toe SJ,OOJ say OF the losItiOH,
MS yearly bauk account was 4Oo,OOV.
Tie case VIII be continued tnis afternoon