New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-22
CITY FRA UDS AND THEIR PREVRYTTON
A POWERFUL STATEMENT OF THE CASE.

From The Ne,c. York Ecenfng Post
THE TRIBUNE continues to add daily to its al.
methods of the Pubic Works Department It given now
the figures for eightyslx OF the which
body read those figures without seeing that the city
has been boldly defrauded Of millions OF dollars Tho
deraud upon their face and that evidence strong
that honest official who was possessed Of the slightest
qualification for his position could accept them without
passively at least acquieseng In the fraud. The
bids for .excavating rock ranged from $50 to one
earth ranged from SO cent per cubic yard; those
for receiving basins for sewers ranged from 5l5 to
thousand feet. TIE TRIBUNE has shown that the con
tractors and others who profit by these bids in nearly
system under Tweed It is not a system. The Canal
Ring usedit until Mr. Tldens broke up
cumsiy devised form Of public robbery has never been
invented 1t cannot be maintained without the cOI-
sion of some within the department which controls the
contracts, and In the present instance THE TRIBUNE
charges this collision directly upon Commissioner ThOnp
son by showing that the benecares OF the system are
his especial friends and associates.
1t must be admitted by Mr. Thompsons friends that the
explanations which he has offered both dsin genuOIs
and inadequate. Briefly summed up they are that the
unbalanced bids were not very bad, and that
TRlBUYEs list of eigtysix, with its alarming array Of
millions Of dollars wastefuy expended leaves nothing Of
this defence Yet MI. Thompson appears to be content
with the situation and cOOly asks increased appr0
pratOns for his department next year. The Board Of Es
innate and AppOronnen to decide upon this and APP
picatOns from the other branches Of the city govern
ment during the next few days and trust is members
tiOns.
department OntdOne all its achieve
In the way of large requests by asking this year
average Of about $4,000 more than before No adj
equate given for this increased expenditure,
and none possible. The practice OF grabbing
thousands more each year has grown into habit,
and there Is an apparent competition between the
which will be able to grab the most. TIE TRIBUNE has
shown that In department least there much
for believing that the increase Is designed for dis
honest purposes and there Is widespread belief the
public mind that II the truth known about the other
departments OF them would be found to be in a
scarcely less creditable condition.
The special Grand Jury has the whole matter In charge
with ample power and time To make thorough nvestgl
ton. There talk also of appointing legislative commit
tee of inquiry but unable the wisdom of this
COURSE q committee would, in all probability be
less fitted for the task than the special jury would
not nave the time for thorough work which
or less OF partisan cast, and would
from its outset the form OF political persecution
But aside from these reasons, there Is need for
Ond inquiry, which would Dc more likely TO cOmpUcate
and confuse the whole subject than to throw valuable
light upon IL.
more desirable field for legislative aid IL in so amend
ing the charter that many OF the ire gua1teS
tised will he forbidden by law The power OF the Conn
missioner of Public Works TO make these fraudulent con-
tracts should be taken away, and the whole system O
letting contracts should be amended and surrounded
with safeguards that such Wholesale frauds upon tho
treasury revealed Will be impossible. III SIR
could do better than from him all power
make heavy contracts eXpend large sums OF money
without approval OF the Board OF Estimate other
authority which be trusted. WHAT the whole city
service needs system OF checks both upon the
heads OF departments and upon their slbordinates. At
present the opportunity for stealing appears be prac-
ideally bOundle-s. Another abuse which the Legislature
ought 10 put stop To Is that OF making transfers from
cuOus stealing will be closed when such transfers
made unlawful.