New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-03
NETWORK POLITICS.
ANSWERING MR. KELLYs STATEMENT.

MIR. CAMPBELL DEFENDS HIS ADMINISTRATION VI
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT..
The Citizens Committee has opened headquarters
in each Assembly district, and everything IL ooi"E
done IN get ont the full vote. The headquarters are
crowded during the day. indicating great deal Oh
interest on the part of citizens in the movement
John Kelly has had prepared and printed In be-
half of M Edison a reply TO circular issued py
the Citizens Committee, showing that Cohlroiler
Campbell had reduced taxation 10 the extent OF
several millions Mr. Kelly's circular, curiously
enough gives credit to TIlden and Robinson for
the reduction of the State taxes, although this
credit belongs to Governor Cornell and the Repub-
lican party. In 1879, when Mr.. Kelly was can
didate for Governor against Mr. Robinson, he had
elaborate articles prepared to prove that I1lden
and Robinson were not entitled to the credit OF re-
ducing tie State taxes
The Edison circular states that during the five
years of Mr.. Campbelps administration of the Pub
lie Works Department he asked for $231S,254 more
than the Board of Estimate and AppOrtionment al
lowed him. and therefore the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment is entitled to tho credit of saw
ing that much to the city. The circular then states
that Mr. Campbell is 10 blame for the scarcity OF
water because he neglected to improve the supply,
and adds that of the $40 O0O, 900 saved in the i've
years of his administration, 81 loO,OOO was Ior
the reduction of expenditures on the
aud SO 900 900 because of reduction OF expenditures
to increase the water supply. No ATTEMPT Is mace
to reply to the fact that Mr.. Campbell saved
$50 600 in salaries the first year be succeeded MI
Kelly as Controller and did the same work with
sixty clerks less than Mr.. Kelly employed. In re-
ferring TO this circular yesterday MIR Campbell san
:" When took charge OF the Department. OF PuD-
lie Works found the streets OF The city III very
bad condition, with rotten wooden paVenlents ana
neglected stone pavements The Crot0n AqueducV
was in an equally bad condition, no repairs having
been made upon it for a long time. AT the same
time millions of dollars were being worse man
wasted on boulevard drives and similar alleged I'M
proyements About 100000 had been spent In
thus way for what ought to have been done LOT
81 600 900. There was a chief engineer at SbOoO
a year. with SIX assistants, each assistant having
a staff of nis own, at work upon the DOule,
wards Within a short time 1 reduced all
this expense 10y stopping the work and dscuarglhg
all but one of these engineers. | also discharged
useless clerks, receiving salaries as nlgn Us
SO 600 Ii was necessary 10 have large >apprOprla-
tons to repave the streets strengthen the aqueuuct
and increase the water supply, and the reduction
of my estimates by the Board of Estimate and AD-
poruonment at Mr. Kely's instigaton was prinss
cipaly for these works he Item OF
s. 900 600 sand to have been saved
by the suspension of works 10 increase the water
supply is ridiculous. There were no such works Ill
progress. ! built the new hIgh-servlce works at
cost OF $225, 900; built the new reservoir al
Brewstel's at a cost of $700,OO0 and got q law
passed and began, Notwithstanding Iammany's "p-
position the works to secure an additional supply
of 100000 gallons of water day from me
Bronx and Byran Rivers, and repayed many miles
of Streets