New-York tribune., 1883-03-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
AIR THOMPSON AND THE MAYOR.

II.
coxprRR,SG ABOUT THE ANSWER TO THE CHAheEs
OF THE COUNCIL OF REFORM
u,hcrt q Thomson Commissioner OF Puonc
Works called on Mayor Edison Yesterday ya an Councii
tG the charges Thompson was taken
Mavor,s ur,yate Office where secret consultation M
took place Mr.. Thompson presen.ed tho tho
Eavor IN 18th n copy of the te stmony taken py tno
GssStw Treanor Investigating committee, which Mr..
Thompson had had printed ana when ne paw w., ro
cut of toe contingent ihaa tba the testimony Contained
b;s wer 20 similar charges He called IN some OF
his bureau officers but what took place between tnem
and the Mayor is unknown Mr. Thompson SAID ai'er-
ward that he would makeShis answer to the Mayor
IN writing The Mayor is understood not to be IN
favor of making any investigation OF the LuDlic
Works OF any other department. now III the hahus
MIR. Thomp on in his answer, to the Mayor
will repeat his explanation made TO the senavo sn
Why be did not buy his supplies by contract, as
contemplated by law, and as is the practice 10 oiner
departments was his fear that the CITY wouid hot 9
he as well served in that way as IT is now unoer niS
system of bnying of bis friends without competl-
fion. In explaining why it was that the orders orders
for coal reached ytSG 6oo x4 Jew by dOST inw
Mr.. Thompson said 1T was due to the fact that
it happened that Just that amount was needed: his
n@a{ be- that
was all that was required" He was then asked 10
explain the fact that two or more orders lor i.So
HIS answer was that he supposed that when the
first order was made out it was not known that any
more would be needed. The following IS an extract
from the testimony furnished the Mayor yesterday
Senator Grady-Suppose the Commissioner OF Iuono
Works knew toat he wanted $500 worth OF cos, anu
be divided that up five six vouchers all of them
under 81 600 .,.. oo.a
Commissioner Thompson would say that In that case
erans the neat interests OF the city would require 10
be done msnt be the best be done but the Com
missoner could not do IT, because would be an evasion
~ sy IL would not be my intention to do that at any
And vet Mr.. Thompson purchases all the coal for
the bic buildings, the hgh service WORKS, etc,
on orders and, as shown by the Council or heIorn,
these orders frequently aggregate $2,0OO or @oVoo
In single day. 1t is charged, also, that the prices
maid were in excess of the regular mar
ket rates for coal ordered In quan-
tIty The same practice is followed in purchasing
other supplies for the Department and In ordering
work done. ~ .;o+
The favored persons are nearly all prominent
members of the County Democracy Maurice ID.
Flyun and Richard A. Cunningham, two intimate
POLITICAL associates of Mr.. Thompson, have
been paid hundreds of thousands OF doilsis
for work and supplies furnished by Mr. Ihompsens
orders without public letting competition Inc hr
of Guy T.. Field. Hotchkiss & Co., which is favored
with numerous orders by Mr. Thompson, IS com
nosed of two persons one of whom Is Maurice d.
flynn the same person who receives so many orders
in his own name, and is known as
liberal contributor 10 the campaign 1unos
of the County Democracy. Another OF these iaVoreu
persons is John Barry. who keeps ROAD mousse
He has furnished the Public Works Department
with sand and gravel. ETC., for which he has been
paid at the rate of 5000 per order. Mr.. Barry tes
lifted that be received his orders from James >;
Mooney and that he had to buy his material OF
other dealers. Mr.. Mooney is district leader ana
a we'll known County Democrat.