New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-27
THE NEW AQUEDUCT BILLS

PUSHING H. o. THOMPsON'S SCHEME
THE SENATE ORDERS THE BILL TO THIRD READING
THOMPSON AssAILED-THE RAMAP0 PRoyDCY
ALSO ADVANCED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TEE rRIBUNEl
ALBANY, April 26.-The Senate in liberal mood
this afternoon gave encouragement to both tho
Croton and the Ramapo River Aqueduct schemes
As soon as the Senate met tho Committee Cities
reported its bill. 1t was found that the committse
had made Senate bill No. 343 the basis Of the Gro
ton aqucduct scheme. This is tho hill
which, Mayor Edison declared, did not
meet with his approval because II. O.
Thompson, the Commissioner of Public Works. had
been given by it too much power in the construc-
ton of the new aqueduct. The committee 1t is
true, has slightly amended the bill by substituting
the words Aqueduct Commissioners for Commis-
sioner of Public Works, thus apparently depnvins
Mr. Thompson of some of his great powers. Yet
Mayor Edison, it is suspected will carefully examine
the bill to learn if Mr. Thompson has actually boon
shorn of any of his powers. 1t is certainly
rather singular that Mayor Edsons second bin,
Senate bill No. 395, was not adopted, which was
carefully drawn so as to cut from Mr.. Thompson
the enormous powers granted him by Senate bill
No. 343.
The first section of the amended bill provides
that the Aqueduct Commission shall consist at
Mayor Edison, Controller Campbell, COMMISSIONS
Thompson of the Department Of Public Works.
William Dowd James c. Spencer and George W.
Lane. Senator DAILY gave brief biography Of aso
citizen members of the Commission naued
in the bill and advocated the passage of the mess-
ure Senator Boyd moved to amend the bill by ssb-
sttuting for the commission named l.. H. Chltteu-
den, Herman Oerichs, Whitelaw Reid Hugh Kiss.
m ma
ing it consist solely of citizen members. He saA
that the gentlemen named were all we'll known
citizens Of New-York, and the people of that city
would have confidence that the WORK
of the commission would be well dcns
if they were appointed. The Democratic leaders
were determined, however to have the commisssA
they had named, aud summarily rejected Senator
Boyd's motion.
Then the debate took a surprising turn. Senator
Ellsworth of the Republicans, inquired quietlyh
the Commissioner OF Public Works named IN
the bill was not the Commissioner Of
Public Works of New-York, who vss
charged with grave misdemeanors by tho
Committee on Cities year ago. If so 1t was very
strange that the Committee on Cities had intrustsd
him with such a responsible work in a place OF
enormous pecuniary temptation. In conclusion no
would like to cali the attention Of the Senate to the
fact that although the Committee Cities had eI-
pended over 81 900 in investigating the charges
| made against Mr.. Thompson 1t had as yet made no
report Was the Senate to vote blindly in favor Ok
intrustlng man with the expenditure OF
| S1S 600, 900 against whom charges OF dishonesty
| had been made in the Senatef
| Senator Grady, the chairman OF the committec.
grew red in the face Senator Ellsworths spooen
| proceeded When it had concluded he said angrily
that it was boys play to bring that matter up. hs
had something more important to think of than
answering Senator Ellsworths question.
Senator Ellsworth persisted. He read the ress-
lutions offered against Commissioner Thompssn
| by Senator Boyd, then OF Iammany Hsii,
| q year ago. under which the Commues
| on Cities had acted. He asked what had become OK
that resolution and the committees report that -
| due Unless he should have some satisfactory az
PLANTATION of the matter he should not agree to per.
| nit Mr.. Thompson to form part of the commss-
| sion. Indeed, he very much doubted if Mr. Thon2-
| son wa, the person to be member of the commis-
son. -
Senator Covert said the fact nse M
dishonesty by the authorities of New.fssk
| ought to be proof to Senator Ellsworth that ths
charges made against him were uniGunded. a.. s,.
| Senator Grady was now dragged TO the freak
| He said with bland AIR: report 10 now Y
preparation on the investigation OF the Departments
of Public Works SO far as the evidence oeIors s sss
son from the charges made in Senator Boyds resoiu-
| ton" .x.
| the present Mayor of New York had In this moeu-
prssent form Mr. DAILY thought that the manfess
of the Mayor had been based on the fear that 40.
law on the report might jeopardize the passage Of
| the bill. -. c,u
| Wales and John L. Agnew be substituted foT tao
| names of James c. Spencer and George w. Lasc.
Senator Grady said that Mr. Wales was memsar
of the city government, and was therefore ineilxr
| ble Senator Pltts's motion was then put and 20.
clared lost Upon motion of Senator Grady the s,il
| was then ordered to third reading. In ne
entSsiiaim %d1sI that the 'nS bill o nOw have It's t
| reading But there was general objection TO pAsr
ing a bill that was in manuscript Tue OIL ~
Therefore ordered to DO engrossed ior 'hN"
An export in New-York laws sand to The TAis-
correspondent tonight nave @ Gafe,ay bs
duct Commissioners have made contrsesA.
Commissioner Thompson will have entire
contro! of the construction instruct in the w original
| Aoueduct bill giving him this control has not uoen
touched They have strung along through tne siii
sioners equal power with Commissioner ThomPson
| in some matters but, as i have SAID, ne Is gisen
control of the work after the contracts are mace.
| This was not the arrangement intended, I9-pns-
| row we shall probably have the bill lald ASIDE ana
have il carefully examined during recess from fri-
day to Monday" ~
duct bill was considered. This the bill which an
| thorizes the Sinking Fund Commissoners TO make
contract that the city will pay for 10000 900 gal
Ions of water from the Ramapo River, Nsw-Jersey.
IL cannot be said that the bill was CONSIDERED for
was merely read through, and then without debate,
| on motion of Senator Treanor, it was ordered
to third reading IL will 1b;,S be ,.sSgTS sS5gPS':sa I'd
,norrew This is crushing bills with a vengeance.
aonarently the comIniItal of the City of New-York
tn an expenditure OF millions of dollars is rot worth
| debate.
,ErFECT OF THE MAYORS ADDRESS
] ur.prv SUPPORT GIVEN TO MR. EDsoN-A PUBLIC