New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-09
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

PAiTMKNTs-THg cIIYs BoNDs-rHE QUESTION
OF CONTACTS.
Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
ALBANY. Feb. 8.-The plan for reducing the
expenses OF NewYork City suggested by Senator McCar
thys special committee subjected critical
view by Controller Campbell late this afternoon before
the special committee. Mayor Grace decided not to
como before the committee. Corporation Counsel Whit
wrote that court business his attendance,
aud that he would send to the committee his views on
the charter in writing
Mr. Campbell stated that he had to Albany at
the request of Mayor Grace Until the middle Of De-
cember he had been Commissioner Public Works, and
thought that he had reduced the expenses Of that de-
p0rtnent to low scale. Unnecessary work had been
discontnued,and the methods ofdOiug the business ofhe
department had been amelded In this while IN the
five years previous his administration tho expense OF
maintaining the apartment had been $35,00000O dur
ing the five years OF Ais administration It had been only
$l5000D00 Sine, then he had been transferred to the
Department of Finance. He had carried out there the
policy Of reducing expenses The business OF the
Department went quite we'll AS before He had dis
charged foryvc persons whose yearly salaries amount
ed 10 iO.O00and had made other reductions amounting
SG70 600 He thought injustice had been done nmin
the remarks mad@ by Senator Mccarthy In submitting
the report the Investigation to the Senate. The Sem
ator had said that from the Major down Official OF
NewIOfk favored reduction. He thought this was
mistake. He certainly Ind proposed the consolidation
of bureaus which would have reduced expenses.
Senator Mccarthy. interruptlng the Controller, said
that no Injustice intended All recognized the fact
that the Department OF Public Works had been con-
Quoted economically
Mr. Campbell then Analysed the recommendations Of
the committee about the Department Of Finance. lie
said that objection could be mada 10 the ObteratiOn
the Bureau Licenses, the Bureau for tho Coec on
Of Assessments the Bureau OF Markets. and the Bureau
OF Water Rnis These bureaus dl not oxst in his De-
partmeni. He had psoldLtcd Oug bureaus into two.
The Public Burdens hill Of last winter gave him author
ity To anOll- III aud consolidate bureaus.
senator Mlls-COud your sucec rce7ta6ish these
Jurcaus'
Mr. Camph.l-Np. I do ro think hc could. As II ap-
pears tins blll thc partment OF Finance appears
TO be hugr Uycrgr0wn concern. 4 Is not so now
would ike 10 call your attrnt0n 10 the high
rate OF interest the city pays on it, bonds
nearly $40 900 900 OF the bonds at per Interest,
and $5G.UOO,OJ0 ~ per cent Oar annual interest
clar.c amounts 10 $4,000 900. In 1860 1t was only
SOS 900 Mos, OF these bonds are long term ones hut
we ousnt the liberty OF funiing them AT lower
rate of ntcrr- al a favorable opportunity. | have no
doubt could Mat NcN-lOrk CITY bonds al 3i2 per
cent only have pay 80 per cent now for borrowed
| money. think another rel rm which shall make In
the partncut VIII hc to PAT ali the records OF arrears
of taxes and collect ~ taxes IN one set OF books
have u authority d. this uuder tho Pubic Burdens
bill provides Tor the payment OF all bills by
the DEPARTMENT Finance. think that IA wise pro-
yt,lr some q: Tn" department. nov pay Their own DIS
| notably tie Ponce Department. You recommend 10
yor hill also that Mayor h. relieved OF the task CT
cnnnte ~ uinE warrants on tho Treasury.
Senator u. xby-woud you think 10 safe to stop this
practcei
NJ" Cmphcll-It would not b, prudent, in view or
what the city suffered In tn" past. IL makes the
NJ ynr woIk haI, it, truc. bu- all have to work hard
To- keep matter. straight | dO,'i think the Bureau "f
-uppies you propose would Work well The Comm !.
snncr of Charics and Correct on for instance, would
complain that they hadn't received their hIur. Tacn
tjrrc yould be tr, Lbc They manage thlI purchase
we'll nave to open the bills at public letting.
senator NrCart y-Thcr' were assertions mada that
fire dis the Dsprimtnt chiefs get pcFI sites ana
snare in tlIr profits oi buying supplies
Mr Canlbe!l-I wish You would give me the evidence
~ t,i,; You must have confidence somewhere. These
mru have come to me for approval OF their Surrll"7
and the lowest bidder the contract DO you think
,n,. Bureau OF Supplies womb 10 auy b'ttcri
senator McClrthY-I TANK 1t won't 10
Mr. CimphclI-Wcl. these departments know when
they want supplies. There might be a cashing T. any
other authority came In. tmnk tGe Department OF
u cis snonld submit its estimate To tho Boatd OF Appor-
nonen like other departments. II has been said that
II the Dock Department was Put under one mead the
Commissioner might d. evil Why should he do EVIL
| NOR, than anyone esol Moreover, e." sinking Fund
Committee supcrvscs the construction OF all Oh rue
senator McCarthv-iIuw about the placing OF ct-
| ions on the Board If Estimate ana App0riiOnmcnt
ri r Tan ub,l Il iun'I ,rc n il would much harm
r nnIy obi ,r,ion Won could make would be that
VITO do T.. close attention TO the cts an rs ana
then come thee three or four times itr 10 cnnsiurr
~. finances might well prepared to deal win ile
-. irr' However viii not say anything against H.
f. would be popular mca-ure with the pcoph ana TAX
'Srnnor McCarthy-wcll. the idea IA tina; these gen,
tlr,nrn oll be outside the influence ~ pOclans hhu
me d nartncns it, Intended tUpreVcht log fOlllnG
AMONG the departments for an appropriation whch they
APPEAR before the Board Of Apportonncmt, IN un,c
| Mr.. CumpbeiI-Mcl th'sr mrh cOmlIs III "unu
onnintcd win ely affairs would have TO rely OH the
''tor McCnrthy-Thcrc are many rich men who
would take pride serving in such position ana VINO
Wr CImnbrl-Ii Won DO not have the right kind of
Ma, or every thing will go wrong II would b. unjust TO
cuInpA every department to reduce lts EXPENSES one
| third such an order might parayze department
wh'ch had already made great rcLucI Ions A., Uo,,r
came before Us and testified umdrr oath that no reuc
ton cOu be made IN hi, dcprea 'n oo yet you 80 "
senator Minis The way 10 tc. tGat matt iir
would be to put Mr. Key III me % % here
| SrLnior McChrthy-Tue former Controller cOuiu ho'
prop'h v"nd nor reduce his own the practice
Of the Board OF AppOruonment TO Axe very s""'i ~
Mr.. CampDrlI--' Well, II Is tlckIsh mater mater
cq down Estimate dr %a Appor fs"aS
wear after yea? threw out my estimate Io EepadT ,u
Crotun Aqurduci. Finally went Dtl1rr ne p Anna ma
duet nsd ana It my opmlD, 1Ist ao
should hc spout in IT'S Tcir' sS ypI NV appropriation
you Srnator Mciarthy-" Would you limit the eApend
| one ycnri -. .uo,,J I'm xytso TITO
| otrl ma Should be allowed 10 spend the money 'hey
tiuk ought 10 TO expended for their Wel,ae' ,a ,o
senator McCarhy-lsn't II time lnh' 'heio e"ouu "0
| snur sion 10 all these improvements ,o-c; Alma 81,
Mr.. Campbel-i look INN grou,h ~ yont Shat was
uc, tsary But now We are AT the beginning plainly Oh
,t nj rrI ursperity II Will last ior Ten years nv
AN eIn 90 W So 7ns rn.1c 10 us and say " we want
pIn noo 600 .peut in opcnng new Streets think lhls
| t,uuest Ougn, to be granted .,.o ~. 4h,s ,eaturo
senate Mccarthy DO ynn approve ga lnls "a w. V
- nur blll winch requires contracts 10 pe let oS 'no
| uupi thtn,, tho economical
yay 10 90 ~ N to ito do no." We iet ou
p'arge rnntract Of This kind IN PUTNAM o"uy w GU
Irre me reservoir there, the Work ""s cdP'"''S o