New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-12

General Smith in which he makes aspersions upon
members of this Board. Those remarks nave ,petn
read NV thousands of persons, and L cannot anoW
them to pass without making q pubic 1S, reply
jasmine that the report OF General SmltHs reihaIAo
is correct. If 1t were not So u was MS place 10 IN
form ms at once of the fact. de has not done so
tbsrefore must regard the report as correct. i
wish he were here to hear my comments ouI ne u
no longer member of the Board IN 9rder that az
present may UNDERSTAND mo WIN i0@ '' ~
Mr.. Mason then carefully read headlines and all;
the article entitled s M6y s8e ARK Witch
referred to his associate Commissioners as 1uuEnS
him by low standard" were strongly emphasized
by Mr. Mason and when ne cau for ns sx
Snember, Not finding him among the crowd OF per
cons that had gathered in the room he sent clerk
to General Smith was tbs n gsenE Tbs clerk
retnrped. saying that General Smith had Left the
building. =, ,.,,f HFo.or 0but a ~, mt 70
,ons;LIa for his absence. / cannot allow him TO
make statements about me that are false, and when
he must have known were false Wnen ne MADE tnen,
without publicly &c and On
Cher matters he is entitled to them, and have no
criticism to make upon them: II ne THINKS tne
Strees can be cleaned for $oOOOOO or tor much less
han fine nresent appropriation think he Is greatly
mistaken. l give it as my opinion that the streets
cannot be cleaned as the citizens require them 1or
Iroonriation. WHY, the amount appropriated
for the removal of ice and snow Dut
drop IN the bucket to the actual cost OIL sncn an un
dertakinR When General Smith says that ne IS nos
allowed to know anything about the bills before
thev are contracted he states what Is untrue >
know of my own self that he mas Oeen frequently
nrGod 70 remain at committee meetings, and TO
examine these bills; but be always refused, saying
he had other business. believe ne dld not want 70
know anything about them, anu t. ~ e or1
saws that politics is to blame for the present failure
In keeD the streets clean. Well he ls entitled 70 MS
opinion; but he has no right 70 say IHas oe
French and others oppose the Dil De1Ore the LeRs-
Iotnre 10 remove the Street-CleanlnR Bureau from
the Police Department. Now, sir, l know that you
and Mr.. Nichols and mysen nay; iTeIuesy aispHf
/ misrepresent yOu sir, or Mr.. Nichols correct Inc:
But You would stultifY yourselves by DONG So as
hove freonently heard you urge that the bureau Oe
transferred else where. General Smith knows that
his remark was untrue. nave asAed that lhe
burean be placed under the Board OF hppOrtohment,
or he owen 10 commission or to the Mayor. have
rra re this mon every member of the Legislature
with whom | have talked. when General omlth
saws that he has been deprived OF the privilege OF
attending committee meetings ne dOes not Tell tue
trntb. Az to politics. every man who knows me
knows that l am a Republican. ! am proud OF II;
but defy any man to snow mat 1, IN any way,
ever alloWed politics to influence my opinion on
nnbic matters Ii remained for General Smith 10
make that discovery. lie has wliiully mlsrepief1
sented the aairs Of this Board and the conduct Oh
its members"
- Altar saving this Commissioner Mason took his
seat and President French remarked:
General Smith has amazed me good many
mi uttPrAuCeS 4
was more amazed than when read his remarks in
The TRIBUNE of TINS inorning Everybody KNOWS
that have opposed retaining the STRENGTHENING
Bureau in the Police Department since became
Commissioner and have strongly urged the pas
sage OF the bill now before the ASsemblytO place tho
bureau under the care of the Mayor. l was aston
isbed at General Smiths remarks to the contrary
He knows that statement 20 be false. l have little
else to say. have listened to what Commissioner
Mason has said. and agree with him IN every par
II then became Commissioner Nicholas turn TO
DENY the statements of his late colleague, and when
Mr.. French sat down he got mp.
"Mr. President he said, las Chairman OF the
Street Cleaning Committee, after what General
Smith has said, II becomes me 20 say something IN
reply, | am not = Republican. but Iammany
Hall Democrat, but that has not influenced my
actions in the Police Department. | have en-
deavOred to conduct the afairs OF the Department
as would best serve the pnblic interests since
| became q member of the Department IN 1876 It
n IA been my study to find out how could be re-
leyed of the Street Cleaning Bureau. IL doesn't be-
long here know that all Of US have endeayOrcd
this winter to have this bureau taken ont OF tne
Department General Smiths statement that he has
NOT been invited to attend the committed meetngs
10 false. Ever since he was made meinoer OF inc
committee on my motion. he has been duly informed
of the meetings; but even when present here
IN his own room he has declined 10 attend thein
lie has also neglected 10 attend the meetings ei
other committees He has had every OppoI UNITY 10
find out about the bulls, the same as every other
member There has never been wednesday when
il was his turn to take charge Of the calendar tnAt
Bureau IL certainly foreign 70 police dutieA Inc pun
Inc knows nothing about the difficulties OF street
cleaning eoGssausn 20 To- the Street
Cleaning Committee are false rs are ms othet staUe
ments" n, ,
when IL had adjourned IHE TRIBUNE reporter made
some further injuries of the members IN regard 10
the difficulties which General smith SAID ne had
met with in the department. , go.
"Ihe statement about my opposing tus Dlll LOT re-
moving the bureau 10 the Mayors Oihce," said AlT.
French, was the most astounding ever heard or
considering what General Smith knows Of my views
concerning IT, Every person have spoken to on
the subject knows that have wanted the bureau
taken from here ever since nave been IN thr Board
| told Mayor Grace that would do everything nos
sihle To asss. the passage OF the Ol even offered
to 20 10 Albany and spend week for that purpose.
urged the Senate Committee which came here 10
examine the city government 70 favor such meas
ure The Chairman of the Assembly Commute on
Ciues il n friend OF mine. and urged upon him the
necessity Of quickly reporting the bill when II came
INTO hIs hands
Then you don't think the street Cleaning Bureau
is of any advantage 10 You puiIticaliyT
General smith speaks OF patronage" replied
President French in "A c0ntomptn0us manner, las
though every move a man makes has some reference
u that. might return tue compliment about his
ind ring people by his own low standard. The fact
"a that so far as politics is concerned. the STREET
Cleaning Bureau is great injury to us. No man
or party could stand mp against the constant crll-
clsn of the press on that mater. We don't want tho
bureau-itis an injury to rs and It don't belong
here. We have enough else to do without It,"
Can the streets he cleaned WIN the present APP
preparation ~
- OF under the present circumstances. There is
no trouble misunderstanding the streets; but the di-
Guilty ~ in getting rid Of the refuse. We require a
vessel TO take it away that can sail TO verpOOl IN
any weather. good part of the time now we eau
not 60 60 because Of the lack Of such vessel OF
course that would cost great deal OF money. There
are low places and CRIBS that think might be- filled
up; but We are not allowed to get rid of any refuse
in that way. am in favor Of burning it. Eighty
per cent of it could be got nd of in that way and
then il would be an easy matter TO dispose of the
rest"
General Smith intimates that the Street-Clean-
ing Bureau Is dishonesty managed" remarked the
Reporter 10 Commissioner Nichols.
" say il is not dishOnestly managed was the
prompt Tejoiuder. "Such statement ~ absolutely
false and only wish General Smith was here that
1 cnuld tell him 10 hia lace. IL rs cnnlncLed ON