New-York tribune., 1879-05-23
HOW THE CITY rs ROBBED.
STRENGTHENING ABUSES.


| SUBSTANCE OF A REPORT WHICH HAS NOT BEEN
| ACTED UPON BY THE POLICE COMMISSIONER
THE WAY IN WHICH LARGE PART OF LiE
| APPROPRIATION is SWALLOWED UP BY PoIIII-
CAL LEECHEs.
| The successor of Captain Gunner at the head OF
| the Street-Ceaning Bureau has not yet been APP
| pointed, and opinions are divided as to whether
Commissioner MacLean will press the appointment
| of Captain Tynon whose political record renders
hun specially obnoxious to the Tammany men. 1t
is stated by members of the Police Board that ex-
Commissioner Nichols when in charge of the street
cleaning business of the Board, exercised absolute
power Of appointment of officers OF the Bureau
without question, and that Commissioner MacLean,
who has succeeded him, has the same right
The Importance of the control of the Street.
Cleaning Bureau to the political faction which can
obtain It has been generally conceded, but 1t is not
known to many to how great an extent the money
paid by the people for the purpose of removing
dirt and garbage from the streets Is diverted to
the use of political favortes. 1t is understood that
at meeSng of the Police Board, held few days
before the removal from Office of Commissioner
Nichols a statement was made by Commissioner
Erhardt, In writing containing the results OF
careful investigation of the character of the ap-
pontments In the Bureau. The statement passed
into the keeping Of Commissioner Nichols, and on
his removal into that Of Commissioner MacLean,
where, so far as known, 1t has rested. 1t may be
his purpose to bring forward at some future time,
but in the meantime the public is entitled to know
how the money appropriated TO the uses of the Bu-
reau is squandered. The following substantially
the facts presented to the Bureau by Commissioner
Erhardt.
An investigation shows that persons are employed
as cartmen who never drive, and who own no carts;
that many are employed for two three CARTS and
drive none that in the majority of cases the per-
sons who perform cartmens work are not those APP
| pointed by the STRENGTHENING Committee, but in
| some cases are boys who are engaged for a small
| sum- ranging from So to 81 a week. TO do the work
that the Board of Police pays % day tor DONG 10
| Others, who sublet the work.
| The extent to which this practice is now carried
shows that it has hOneycombed and rendered use
less that branch of sreetcleanIng, and taken lr0ui
| the Treasury large sum of money not earned Dy
| those TO whom it has been paid. 1t has employed
| boys too young men Of advanced years as cart,
men, who are physically unable TO lit ashes ana
dirt into the carts they drive. 1t appears that OF
364 cartmen now employed, or subject TO call, 2Z6
are not drivers but employ Others to perform their
! duties at reduced rates.
| Ii appears on examination that about three
| ffths Of the amounts paid are for work not per,
| formed by the recipients For illustration, II 226
| cartmen receive S3 day EACH and hire others 10
do the work for them at IL 90 each, 1t Is loss 10
| the city of 1899 for each day that these cartmen
| are employ ed, and the Department. pays Just twice
as much as there Is any necessity f0r It's paying
| To allow an intermediate agent TO take from the
city one half of the money, and to withhold from
the laborer a part of what the Street Cleaning
Committee intends TO give hlln, is 1raud that ue-
serves prosecution, and is au insult 10 honest IaDOI
| A summary accompanying the above statement
shows that there are 36f hired cartmen with their
| carts employed by the committee; OF that namber
| 1873 are driven by the owners themselves, ana ZZO
are driven by hired men, the nominal owners being
engaged in other kinds of business, namely;