New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-23
THE PARK DEPARTMENT TROUBLES

DISUNION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS.
CHARGES AGAINST COMMISSIONER LANE-A PRO,
TEST AGAINST PAYING THE RIVERSIDE DRIVE
BmL--cBARGEs AGAINST Mr.. LANE.
The Park Commissioners are divided in mind Al
TO the proper way of administering the varous ~.
fairs of the Department. For the past year thera
has been rasely meeting at which there was not a
difference Of opinion about every subject that
came up for discussion between Commissions,
Lane and President Wenman. All through tbe
YEAR there has been conflict over the Riverside
Drive. Mr.. Lane as treasurer, refused to audit the
bills Of the contractors, Decker & Quintard on tho
ground that the work had not been properly per.
formed. commission Of the engineers that was
appointed to test his allegations reported in Decem
Der last that they were substantially true As a
consequence, the contractors were not paid and
Commissioners Wenman, COnoyer and Wetmore
were severely criticised. Last Spring the coutrac.
tors again began their work and have since carried
it on vigorously with large gang Of
laborers. The work was supervised by
William J. McAlpine, the experimenting
Engineer of the Park Department. Recently Ia
certified 20 'he Board of Park Commissioners THAI
the sum of 1924 81 was due TO Decker Gum
taId for the work they had done IN the oIiye the
past year. The Board Of Park Commissioners at
their meeting on Wednesday lat approved Of Ito
bill, and sent il TO Controller Kelly for payment
the payment of The DILL Of che contractors and
made new charges against the work done by them.
lie also voted against the passage OF the approving
resolution, and upon Thursday informed Mayor,
Cooper by letter that he had refused TO audit the
bill. In his letter Commissioner Lane InclOsed q
resolution offered by him IN the Board meeting in
relation TO the contractors bill In this resolution
Mr.. McAlpue was requested 10 report 10 the Board
the location Of 7,OOOsquaIe yards OF the pavement
OF the ,whee-way certified to have been completed.
and whether certain other work had been property
performed. As Mayor Cooper has the hnal audit OF
this class of bills, It's payment may be delayed by
him till an Investigation has been made
Meanwhile Commissioner Lane himself Is under
Investigate President Wenman at the meet
ing on Wednesday, already referred TO, OF.
fered a resolution depriylng Dir. Lane. Of
the post of Inspector Of Licenses. Mr.. Wen
man, in explanation OF the resolution, said
that he had received information that Clapp IL
Dick the carriage and boat men of Central PARK
had paid money TO a person not connected with the
department, IN order 10 be released from several
years indebtedness to the Department The petition
Of Capp II Dick be released had been referred %
Commissioner Lane for investigation, ana he had
made a favorable report Nr Nenman further said
that neither Capp nor Dick sought to nave their
debts cancelled but that the proposition came IRON
n man with whom Mr.. Lane was intimate terms
The money paid to the "Outsde person amounted
to $40. When Dir. Nenman had concluded ms
statement Mr.. Lane said that the story was q
mere heresay one" The Board Of Park Commits
sioners nevertheless passed Mr. Wenman's reSOlu-
ton. Mr.. Wenman said that he was gong 70 IN
Vestigate the Clapp u DICK mat er ana report 10
the Board Commissioner Lane was at his law
Office on Broadway yesterday immersed in news
paper articles IN relation TO The Park Department.
lie was asked by reporter OF The TRIBUNE what
reply Inc was going TO make TO President enmauS
charges. tie answered eXcitedly:
There isut word Of truth In them. II any ono
has received money from Capp IL Dick for Telcas-
ing them from their debt to the Department, bave
no knowledge Of the fact. learned from Capp ~
Dick that their business had not paid them any ap-
preclable income Tor several years People dOu'J 20
to Central Park as they used to in summer; they
go TO Coney Island. to Rockaway OF TO Fort Lee As
the Park Department doesn't care to make money
by leasing the privilege TO carriages through
tie Park or put boats on the lake, but merely de-
sires to provide facilities tor amusement To those
who visit the Park felt 1t my duty 10 recommend
TO the Board the remission of the license fees Of
Clapp & Dick II any person received money in con-
out my know ledge"