New-York tribune., 1883-12-19
PRICES In EIGHTY-THREE CONTRACTS.

UNBALANCED BIDS RUNNING THROUGH THEM ALL
INFORMATION ABOUT Mr.. THoNPsoN's FAVOR
ITE CONTRACTORS AND ASSOCIATES.
1t will probably take years to determine the full
extent of the losses suffered by the city because Of
the unbalanced bid frauds in the Public Works De-
| partment. The losses on some contracts, Of the
same kind made when Tweed was Commissioner Of
Public Works. are now in legal process of deter
mination. Property-Owners refuse TO pay their as
sessments and the matter drags along until the city
attempts to sell the property, when the owners
make legal resistance because Of excessive cost.
Then in the courts, or before the Assessment Com
mission, the amount of loss to the city
may be determined. But in many cases re-
ductiOns because of excessive cost, principally
growing out of unbalanced bids, are made
by the Board of Assessors the Board for the Re-
vision and Correction of Assessments, before the
sessment is confirmed. Then there is large share Of
the cost of these improvements assessed against the
city in the first place and not against the property
In these and various other ways the the cityis made
to suffer. But the losses are divided up in such
manner that II is difficult to determine the exact
| amount. There can be no doubt, however, that
these are exceedingly large.
One account on the books of the Finance Depart
ment called deficiencies in Assessments" repre-
sents loss of sA,fsi,3J6. In addition to that
amount of So, ,263,A3l and in two years $685.
O67 has been returned To property
owners because of reductions through
excessive cost on assessments which they had paid.
And the city has lost in interest on assessments re-
duced and vacated since January 1, 1851, over
S5OO,OOO. These losses amount to over So,OOO,-
600, and they will be augmented by an addition of
other millions from losses that will surely follow
cases now before the Courts and the Assessment
Commission aud the Board of Assessors and the
Board for the Revision and Correction of Assess
ments all of which bodies deal with this subject.
This enormous loss to the city is made up by gen.
eral taxation. The property-owners who have paid
their assessments for street improvements are thus
compelled TO help pay for the Improvements ON
the property of other citizens and that at rates so
excessive as to be deemed by the courts fraudu-
lent.
FOLLOWING TwEEO's METHODS EXACTLY.
The effect of the unbalanced bid system is exactly
the same to-day rs il under Tweed, and 1t has
| been carried on just unblushingiy and audac-
| iousy by Commissioner Thompson as by Tweed.
| Mr. Thompson has done this notwithstanding the
complete exposure made only few years ago of tho
outrageous character of this swindling system as
shown on the canals. The same contractors and the
samo men, in many cases, who did work under
Tweed are also employed by Thompson In one
case before the Assessment Commission recently q
| reduction of SIO6, Asa was made; the principal
part of this for rock excavation paid for
by the city, but as the commission decided
never made by the contractor. James Slattery
was the contractor. His name is familiar
to readers of The TmBUNE prominent amoug Mr..
Thompson's unbalanced bid contractors,
PROOF OF MIR. THoMPSoN's U>TRUrH.
Mr.. Thompson recently made public assertion
that he had let ouly five contracts for regulating
and grading, on unbalanced bids, during his term
of Office An examination of the records in the
Finance Department shows that at least nifty
snth contracts have been let for regulating
and grading and as, many more for
work on sewers while number OF
contracts of the same character have been let on
| work paid for out of the CrOt0l Water Fund and
from other sources. Here is list of thlrty-seyen
contracts for regulating and grading let by Mr;
on the unbalanced bids set opposite to
their nnmes and these 10 not exhaust the number: