New-York tribune., 1879-05-27
COST or STREET CLEANING.
ALLEGED ABUSES IN THE BUREAU.

ALLEGED ABUSES IN THE BUREAU.
HOW ASH AND GARBAGE CARTS ARE HIRED AND
THE PRICES PAID-COMAnssIOSER wHEELEks 5
ANALYSIS or MR.. ERHARDTs RERORr.
An abstract Of report relative to street
cleaning abuses presentedaO the Board OF ICieo co"
issoners was published In TIE TRIBUNE last Friday
An explanation OF the statements contained IN IL s
given by gentleman who processes TO De conFoIsi"'
with the workings OF tle bureau. He was asked no"
the city came 10 pay 81 day each for the use OF ash
and garbage carts, while the owners were receiving
only Il so or So each. He replied substantially as
follows:
man has horse and cart which he wishes TO hire TO
Cleaning Bureau hut having political Influence Nith
either Tammany Ant-Tammany, he IL relectetL nc nc
Bureau that John smith" Is the man to go 70. Jon.
smith tells him that he cannot get MS cam euS " "a
by rhe Bureau bur he " II hire 10 az II % y ulA
bargain is made and " John smith,, Sho mas poli 90
influence appears on the payros OF the bureau az 20
day, one-haif OF which be pays over 10 the Ii ~ ~ -
aud furnishes the team, and the other la Il" ne r. =
This IL said. Is the way IN when tho cry "a
robbed OF large part Of the money Whch Is suPpVou
the pubic he expended FOR the pubic service. Ihe
mammal owner OF the team he continued. many cases
employees dT1yer few collars n week. and tnere
are some where drIYers-yOunG boys or ON ncn
work Tor their board only the go-brtwecn m4Hing a
very handsome profit Out the business without dOnH
any work.
Commissioner Wheeler Of the Police Board, was asked
yesterday MF. Erhardts report and the disposition
made OF IL by the Board Mr Wheeler said such re-
mort had been presented by Mr. Erhardt and the ao-
sract given in TRIBUNE seemed To be perfectly cor
rect it had been discussed by the Commissioners anu
placed file In his opinion, and IN the OPINION Vi ail
the Commissioners except Nj. Ernardf' no turthef
action called for. They had tried to convince Mr
Erardt that his facts and figures were all wrong DnI
without success Mr. Wheeler continued substantially
as folows
The street Cleaning committee OF the Board pays ~
for full days work OF horse. cart and driver Ihs
carts must of the required size and character anu
each cart is numbered and description OF II n!ed Be
fore davis work paid FOR we require evidence that 1t
has been fully performed. II young boy or an Old man
Is employed as driver that matter Of no Importance
to us or TO tho public. long az the work Is
done have seen teams accompanied by Two Doys
each and by two men each The pay u ne same,
and the owner OF the team makes 5ueh -
ne may choose. As political influence ~ getting
employed by the committee " IS never ia
rhe manner your informant has stated; have never
known an instance, and dOn't Delieye anyone mas
where team has been rejected Wh,n uHefGu ~ ono
man and accepted when offered by another III hIs Dcth
a general understanding that half tAc carts Eequire
from eacn ward should De furnished 10 DenOcfat' aha
half 10 Republicans; but the men who get me appoint
.d 49,, sccr Ware snmetifges urged 20 nut an
Old man on 10 sweep Streets and ter uOlng So ma
that he too feeOe do good work. and then we dtOp
him Nittakes are sometimes made but when dscoy-
rcd tbev are corrected"
Buf" u was asked. how about the charge that men
appear the rolls owners OF teams when, III Iaci
II is rule of tine committee" was the reply, that
J t MS Ia f5r te purpose OF Distributing
widely among aDOleI-. NOW ll tlllcs
NAV haupeu that man will nave Two or thIec teams
which he - have employed by the ciy there
s potHng 10 prevent making oil these over %
tricud, VINO put them IN 40 tner own. Undoubtedly
there are instances where This !s done.
The fact is," said Mr.. Wheeor. IN conclusion, " we
ger our teams cleapy possible, alttr acy-rt-nE
for them as required by law. In addition 20 adyer-
fsemeurs We Instruct policemen 10 ascertain II there
are suitable teams their beats which Ue can obtain
more cGeaply We find thar the leans owned by ne
Deuartmeut cost, with thc" drivers fully - day. ana
that there advantage IN Keeping our own teams,
except that we have better carts. The carts we hlfc
uusI how eyer be capable Of doing the required work.
ana before day', work is paid Tor we nave evidence
tlat it has De-u farV II cannot be shown That
the city s defruuded dollar the manner alleged
IN the report The talk OF thr1efihs or three-iOurths
the money paid by the Department Tor teas going 10
intermediate men J. absurd"