New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-25

seen. consist of petty leaks discovered py
onu,r;ttee after careful investigation of every
nook and corner of a great Department. Some
loose practices in bookkeeping are shown, I'M
der which articles bought ostensibly for one
purpose were used for another very different
some failures to secure the Government the
lowest market prices for petty articles by com
petition some instances in which employees
had been able to secure illegitimate perquis-
ties, etc. All these practices should be stopped,
of course and the Department was evidently
engaged in that very work VIXEN the invest-
cation was made.
So far as was known by the Department OF
Public Works yesterday, the gentle rainial
had been of very little benefit to the water
supply Dispatches from the Croton Nahey
reported either that it was not raining at all
or only slightly. Beyond the half-inch gam
to the reservoirs in Central Park, yesterday
did not 6ring relief. The officers of the De-
partment are considering the necessity CT
adopting heroic measures to save water. The
plight of Brooklyn is practically the same. The
rainfall has been only about five and one
half inches in the past four months, against
about eighteen inches during the same period
last year, and there is only three weeks sup
ply in the reservoirs. The emergency is PLAN,
but there is hope that the rains may gain III
volume. One excellent idea toward water
economy has already been adopted. public
spirited citizen has offered the Fire Depart
ment five boats, each provided with. power
full steam pump and hose. BY telegraphic COM
munication these boats can be summoned to
any point, and in many cases the water OF the
rivers will be used in extinguishing fires
The appeal of the new Michigan Relief Com
mittee to the people of this State sets forth
facts which have grown familiar-toO familiar,
indeed, for the credit of the country. Only
100000 has been subscribed thus far toward
the. succor of $4,000 people, most of whom
have lost all their earthly possessions. 1t is
stated that sufficient clothing has been received
for present wants, and that there are provisions
enough to last a few weeks longer. But there
is no outlook beyond that limit. with
the crops destroyed, these people must
he supplied with food until Nature has come
to their relief, and they must be furnished
with the means of wrestling their living from
the soil which they still own, but which they
cannot till without tools and seeds and food
ana shelter. AS tDe aduTeSS Oh oie O"'l'I"''Oo
says, these unfOrtunates cannot be allowed
"to starve or freeze, or become permanently
| pauperized." A very moderate estimate OF the
expenses of adequate relief calls Tor sum four
| times as large as that which has been already
| subscribed All persons who contribute can DO
so in confidence that the money will not be
msapplicd or mismanaged. The New-fork
| Committee is well organized and is composed
of representative citizens, and the work in
Michigan has also been systematlzed by the
| division of the burned district into sections,
| in charge of central committee. All grounds
of dissatisfaction that may have once existed
in this regard have been removed. The re-
Spouse to this appeal should be prompt and