New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-22
WHAr TIE BRIDGE TRUSTEES SHOULD DO

UHAT TIE BRIDGE TRUSTEES SHOOLD w.
There seems to be at last something like Crisis
in the affairs of the Brooklyn Bridge. The peo-
nile of New. York and Brooklyn were thoroughly
dlsgusted long ago with the acknowledgements OF
the enterprise but their disgust has become an
indignation which can no longer he hghty
put aside The scheme was tainted at the
start Begun without any popular demand Tor IL,
| through coalition between the New-l ork ana
| Rrooklyn Rings, it was entered upon merely as a
| means for putting more money III the pock-
cts of public plunderers. Though the New-I ork
| Ring was shattered eleven years ago. ana IL Is
n long time since the grip OF Its Brooklyn
allies upon the government OF our sister Guy
WAS broken, the Ring spirit and the King
methods have fingered in the councils OF The
Bridge Company. That there was plenty OF
outright stealing in the first years OF construc-
ton few intelligent persons now doubt. That
when the stealing was stopped, the extrav-
agance, the inefliciency and the neglect of
dutv which had accompanied it were not checked
is plain to everyone. President Murphy,
Trustees Kingsley and Stranahan and Engineer
Roebling must shoulder the main responsibility
for the excessive expenditure, the lnexcusable
delays and the outrageous talsehoods which
have attended the weary dragging on OF this
| work. These are the men whose voices and
whose influence have controlled the meetings
of the trustees If not on them, then on whom
rests the disgrace of the lying statements
which have been made year after year to the
| Legislature and the taxpayers concerning the
total cost and the time of completion VINO
but they arc responsible for the suppression OF
important facts, for the perv ersiOn of figures
and for the checking of all reasonable in
ouiries7 They threw every obstacle in the
path of Controller Steinmetz when he tried to
get at the truth, and they have been in the way
of every honest attempt at exposure OF the In
trigues and the frauds which make up the secret
history of this undertaking. They have con-
trolled the whole policy and been III every
respect the real managers. The large boards
of trustees appointed by the Mayors of New
ork and Brooklyn have been as rule merely
led by the nose ny these men or their represen-
tatives. They were on the inside; their long
experience, their familiarity with the entire sub
iect and their prutracted exercise of authority
qualified them to battle the inquistive, to mis-
lead the credulous and to brOwbeat the timid.
To them is due the extraordinary and uneX-
rected change in the plans which added largely
to the weight of the structure and Immensely to
the cost This change WAS made in an under
hand and Objectionable manner, without any
effort to ascertain whether it would be sus-
tanned by public sentiment or approved by the
CITY governments of New-York and Brooklyn.
And this was but part and parcel of a system of
management so faulty and mischieyOus as to
deserve the severest condemnation.
These gentlemen in authority are now having
some uncomfortable hours. Mayor Low has
shown an unpleasant determination not to be
put of with the lame excuses and speclous
statements which have satisfied his predccess-
Ors 1t is extremely trying for such veterans
as Messrs Murphy, Kingsley, Stranahan and
Roebling to encounter this young, ardent and
obstinate inquirer The meetings of the trus-
tees are no longer mere formal affairs whose
sole function is to register the orders of Mr..
Murphy and his confederates. The Mayor
insists Oh knowing the reasons, ana Mr.. Kings
lev. Mr.. Roebling and the rest sometimes find
il difficult to furnish these. After being accus-
toned so long to their own way III all these
matters, and to getting all the money they
asked for from the Legislature without giving
any satisfactory account of their stewardship,
il is very hard for the managers and the en-
oineer TO descend to details and to find ex-
planations and defences for the course which
they have pursued. But hard as 1t Is, they
must do it or get out. Mayor Low and those
who are acting with him in the board have the
taxpayers on both sides of the East River be-
hind them, and the patience of these taxpayers
Is exhausted. Mr.. Roebling's recent statement