New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-24

,,,o,;on of the conduit to the Bronx. Under tne
Contracts and surveys made by Mr.. Campbell the
conduit TO the Bronx with reservoirs ana every
thing was to cost the city 80. 1Sf'soa, sccorulng
tobis report to the Mayor, and was to be competed
~ tIree years. How Commissioner Thompson has
heen expending this money has been partially shown
already in The TRIBUNE. There has been e1penuou
On far S3,OOO,0OO-or SsfS,03o more lhah
Commissioner Campbell said, from actual surveys
and contracts the entire work would cost; anu IL is
IN all appearances not over half finished.
Competent judges, who have recently examiner
the work assert that at the present rate OF expeh
diture the supply from the Bronx River VIII COST
AZ citv obont NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. over
twice what il should cost. SeDeateen per cent OF the
nresent ontay from this fund is paid Tor inspection,
spne,1ntendence, travelling expenses, professional
sarv;ces etc. Once in while, as during the last
quarter. $500 is paid for horse when Is eharseu
20 This fund ito increase the water supply" Large
suns have been paid TO Mr.. Thompsons pohtcal
friends for illegal services" while MI Dlckenson
and other outsiders draw regular salaries fOr cIef
ical services"
HOW Mr.. THOMPSON SMELLS THE EXPENSES
Anumber of the employees of the FuDnc "oiAs
Dcnartment keep horses and carriages at the e&-
nense of the city. 1t may be necessary that Une9
shoud do this but it is difficult to account Ior 'h0
Great increase in this expense under Commissioners
Thompgon. During the year ending Septeinoer oo'
1880 the last of Commissioner CampbeiIS terin'
+be EXPENSE for keeping horses, etc. In the Depart
,nent of Public Works. was SH,Se$' Ohuei O'''
missioner Thompson for the same items Ior inc year
ending September 81, 1883, the expenditure was
SD ,O.-an increase of as per cent. In me
come time under Commissioner Campbell the trav-
cling expenses of the department were S0,NS%'
and for the corresponding period under MI lhoinp
son they were &KO,s50, an increase Of over wv
cont. But these do not represent all the expen-
ditures for these purposes under MT lhoinpsor a.
ON examination of the vouchers in the Controllers
Ofico shows that items Of expense properly be-
longing TO travelling expenses are charged IN
vouchers under different accounts and cannot
easily be separated.
FRIENDS IN THE JURY ROOM.
While the law in regard to contracts Is careiuny
drawn so as 10 compel public officers 10 give ouV
work at public letting TO the lowest BIDDER IL Is
practically nullifed in the Public WORKS depart
ment As already shown, by system Oh unOii,
anced bids and false estimates, the city is s"iuuo
ont of enormous sums on contracts Du' unuoi
A. Thomnsop,s 5000 order system, enormous
snms are expended without any contracts
whatever. This order system is corrled INTO
evervtbinu. For instance about $4,000 year are
Maid ont ON this order system for lamps; and be-
tween $40 600 and $4,000 for lamp brackets
Globes irons and posts. The lamps nearly ali
purchased on orders given to Alexander BRANDON
member of the Special Grand Jury now mVeS'isa',
ing Mr. ThOmpsOn's department. AS natural
consequence in such transactions Alexander
Brandon. IT,, is a clerk in MIR. ThompSons ONCE
And of course young Mr.. Brandon is an intimate
friend of Maurice b. Flynn. He acted as usher AT
MIR. Flynn's noted diamond wedding. The senior
Air Brandon also was conspicuous in furnishing
supplies to the city during he time OF the Iweeo
Ring. Mr. Thompson is a powerful politician ana
isnot without friends in the Grand Jury.
When in October Grand jury was drawn lort the
General Sessions il was thought that 1t won take
ND Mr.. Thompscn's department in connection WIN
the water frauds. And curousy enough MI.
Thompson's own father turned up as member OF
that jury, and Walter c. Stokes boon companion
WIS another member.