The New York herald., 1877-02-28
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL's RECORD.


THE ALDEnMANrc INoUrsrIoN-A DEFENCE By
THE COMMISSIONEI--STATIsTI or HIS STEW.
ARDsHIp.
The Committee on Public Works OF the Board Of
Aldermen, Of which Mr.. Thomas Shields is chairman,
met the City Hall yesterday afternoon. The main
before this body in relation the charges
preferred against Com mmissioner OF Public Works
Campbell 1t alleged by Alderman Tuomey that
the gentleman could not ill tive 7osons-that OF
Commissioner President Of the Consolidation Coal
Company-and that he erred In appointing Mr.. Hor-
bert O. Thompson his deputy The latter charge 10
made the ground that Mr. Thompson is not capable
OF aing the position Deputy Commissioner OF Pub.
lie Works
Alderman Tuomey addressed the committee, and
suggested that as the Consolidation Coal Company had
failed again Mr.. Campbell its President, he
would press the charges In that direction. He
would, however cali Tor exam natlon TO the tit
OF Mr.. Thompson Tor the position Of Deputy Com
missioner. Mr.. Campbell had no right to make such
appontm Two years ago Thompson
messenger in Wall street, and later he was clerk
in the department. at 5000 year He was next ap-
pointed Deputy Commissioner at salary OF 81, 600.
Tho Alderman contended that this was u family
tercst Thompson being relative OF the Commissions
cr's.
Alderman Simonson-Are you prepared to prove
that Thompson is not proper man Tor the placef
Alderman ruomey-l am not paid Tor dong that
IL is your duty TO make the proper investigation, as
OF this committee. want, however, to substan-
Liate my charges against the young man.
Alderman Pnkney-Tweed Deputy Commits.
sioner OF Public Works Ho was not an engineer Do
you suppose he was capable mans What qualnca-
tions did Mr. Gumbeton possess that Mr.. Thompson
has not?
MIR. cAMPBEIL's DEFENCE
After some further learned skrmshng between the
members Oi the committee Coone George w. Wingate,
and that he represented Commissioner Camp
bell who sick and unable 10 attend He contended
that II Mr.. Campbell held both positions he
prevented doing under tue provisions o
charter On the question attending TO public busi-
the Commissioner always fully ready to meet
that ISSUE For four he had charge OF the Fourth
avenue improvements, which cost over So 500 600,
one-half OF which had been paid by the city lie was
NJ the time president OF the coal company, and
able to attend 10 botn duties He was then rendered
the position Of Commissioner OF Public Works. but do
clined until again nominated after the conclusion Of
went on to po,nt out the efficiency OF Mr. Campbels nd
mnisraton In connection with this subject he SUBJ
mitted tho following statement-
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT SHOWING THE EXPENDITURES
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS FOX THE LAST
FIVE YEARS
On appropriation act 81, l65 $l,76S951 $l45l O23
On street improve
On funded debt
count tor Croton
water system. 1,399,S93 747,l16 ssS.3o0
Totals .........$7, ,609 13l S. 9l9, 1852 $4357.095
The reduction Of expenditures Tor The past year as
Compared with 1875 49, ,562, CSC
Compared with 1914 Is......... 32o2.O36
compared win 1919 is. s...........-...... 29O, I4l
separate com mparson Of each class OF expenditures
for the several years and the amount of work dono
shows that the reductions are principally tho result
Of economy and the abolition Of the days. work sys-
TEN and not. OF any proportonate decrease in tho
work.
The current business of the department-viz, tho
maintenance OF the Croton water system, streets,
roads, sewers, buildings public lamps, &c-has been
Increased within i've years by the transfer Of the
bouIevards In June, 1922 the consolidation OF the
city and county governments in 1873 and the annexa-
the Twenty third and Twenty fourth wards in
1874 as well AS by the constant addition to stroet
pavement. sewers and water pipes TO be maintained.
Yet the expenditure these has boon thus
reduced as tolIows:-
Average expenditures for four years pro-
ccoing loto.. oIZ,UoS
Expenditure for 1876. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l45l,O23
Reduction s22l, ,O2o
On the expenditure Tor street improvements the re-
ducion ST. 800 003 so compared with the previous
year, and 81 633 67S % as compared with the average
annual expenditure ior the four years preceding 1876
About forty per cent OF these reductions is due 20
decrease in the amount Of work carried while the
remaining sixty per may be credited to the abo-
tion OF the days work system and the snrnkaee Of
effected by the substitution OF for days. work
may be formed by comparing the average cost Of work
Average Cost Average Cost
Nature Of Work. by Days Work. by Contract
Rock excavation, per cubic yard 81 70 81
Earth excavation, per cubic yard 80 -
Earth filling, per cubic Yard. 81 "a
Curb ana gutter per lineal foot. 81 az
Flaggng per square foot. ........ 81 13
Teliond Macadam roadway, per
square yard. .................. Oh 81 GO
Receiving basins each .45O 20 119 90
In the expenditures Tor the Improvement and exten
sion OF the Croton water system the
greatest saving has been effected the principal por
ton OF that work. the laying OF water pipes
formerly done by days work, ana carried on by
contract. aud reduction OF thirty por cent, about
$SO 900 In the cost OF iron pipe, has secured by
supplementary agreement TO the old for ur-
nisning pipes.
The following are tho quantities of pipe laid and the
cost Of the same Tor the past 1--WE years.:
Fear. Quantify Tons Total Cost Cost per Ton.
1872 .............. 5SS0 $S0l, sos $l31 SO
1873 .............. 9,2t5 l,29l 2l9 l39 66
1874 ...-.......... 5,I6S 739y yS3 1873 Is
1879 l, 4S4 271, 46S ISL %
1916 .............. 300 339, S65 90 So
Colonel Wlngate also argued that Mr.. Thompson
was an excellent Official that hon Commis ioner
Campbell ofiic he found The gent loman with
u salary of $1,000 year. He was then appointed
Secretary TO the commissioner which position ha
held Tor year, and when Mr. Gumbleton entered up1n
his duties us County Clerk he promoted to the
deputysh'n In the position Of secretary Mr.. Thomp
son had learned the duties OF the department
and the mooe conducting various branches un-
der Mr. Campbells supervision.
Alderman Tuomey again delivered one OF his charac-