New-York tribune., 1884-02-26
TIRE PUBLIC WORKS INQUIRY
CONDITION OF UPTOWN ROADS.

WHAT LAWSON Y. FULLER AND OTHERS KNOW
ABOUT THEM.
The Senate Committee on Cities yesterday
resumed in the City Hall It's investigation Of the Public
Works Department Thomas II. McAvoy, the superin-
teuden OF the Bureau Of Repairs and Supplies was hrst
called but he remained only short time because ne was
reoured TO 60 before the Grand jury At his last exam
natou on Friday he had promised 20 be prepared with
figures giving full information to the expenditures for
cleaning public buildings which have enormously In
creased in the last three years These he said he had not
found the time to prepare He brought papers showngex
pendure law books and for carpets and furniture For
law books the expenditures were as follows: 1850, ST.
OBJ 1881 81 1O3; 1892 1850; 1883, Sl207 He gave
the following figures as expenditures for carpets and fur
nure 1850, S5.676; 1881 S1l,352; 1882 Ssl29;
1883 Sl9j67 He said that the increased expenditure
in these items in lss the preceding year was due to
the furnishing and carpeting Of certain rooms in the
County Court House. The increased expenditure for
1888 he explained caused by enarging and reiur-
nishing chamber Of the Board OF Aldermen the car
pets and furniture for which cost S643O, and furnishing
the Mayors office, which fOr the articles involved
an outlay OF SO $50 making altogether additional ex-
penditure for year Of 9l02s0 Last year. also there
were additional expenses for drapery on the
death Of Peter Cooper and OF Alderman
Sauer.
Mr. Whitridce asked that the committee be furnished
with list o. the orders coal in the last three years
T.
and said that the Department could not furnish infor
nation Of the sort desired il burdened the clerks with
much extra work, for which they received no additional
compensation and they were already working overtime
The committee ought to employ its own clerks II the
renuest were made in courteous tone the Department
would prepare the papers. General Tracy then inter
posed and sarcastic manner begged that the desired
information be given the committee. Mr. Payne promised
that il should be done.
The remainder Of the session was taken mp with te't
mouy by residents and about Kngsbrdge road as TO
the condition Of uptown roads in charge OF Mr. Mooney
as a subordinate OF Commissioner Thompson. The evil
dence was similar TO gvenby the witnesses who tes
fed on the same subject Saturday. Brasus Ryer said
that Kingsbridge road in worse condition than IL
had ever before That was one of the reasons why
he had given up keeping horse He generally saw
Colonel Mooney about examining the roads after rain
He thought the road could never be made good one
until Il was regulated and graded
Mr Payne-Isnt Colonel Mooney as good roadbuilder
NE WitEess-wel he's as good as any superintendent
have ever seen.
This qualified answer was not entirely satisfactory to
NJ. Payne.
MR. FUILTR's VIYACIOUs TEsTIMONY
Lawson y. Fuller. sugar redner, living at
Observation-Disclosures y-Hith-st. and st. Nicholas
av.. then told what he knew about the
roads IN his neghborhood. he proved a lively witness.
His answers were prompt and decisive. Tenthave. from
Oneuu to High Bridge, he said,was
In bad condition. From One-hundredandffty-f y-ffthst
10 Oue-hundred- -and-sixtys IL was "worth
mans life TO drive it," He related how few nights
AGO he had driven over couple Of barrels that were
nacel in holes In that part Of the road and
breaking his neck There no lights attached to the
barrels and the street lamps did enable him 70
them speaking OF Kines0rdge road, nc said: The road
was repaired last year from Kingsbrdge down to Inwood
or rather they attempted to repair It. 1t was much
worse when they finished than when they began They
F1nl HfwN
over them After light fall Of rain It was Ike driving
over harrow To 90 over them"
Mr. Payne took hold OF two sheets or paper and placed
tho mn so as 10 represent 10 his satisfaction the layout Of
the adjacent country and the portion OK Kingsbrdge road
and tried 10 draw from the witness the admission tnat
re.q the road was raised IN certain places II was in
erifabe that should be IN bad condition after heavy
15a a. upS said the witness and he proceeded
10 explain how. Then turning TO the committee he saldi
Won an u there over those roads Eou would learn more
ABOUT them then than all the witnesses can tell you"
any put Iotnlt@ W & @ 80 ,rb,t Lc ina ~ 9bont how
me Department employees worked ON the road. would
rather not that question: he replied with shrewd
smile Mr. Whitrilgc insisted on an answer. 81 should
saw Them Mr. Fuller replied, that abOrerin the employ
ofhc Department does Oneslxth or onecighh or what
man does for private contractor We have had large
s.-oasmeuts vacated because were imposed upon.
nave seen IN mont OF my house shoyelng gravel
from street to the sidewalk and the next day they
world shovel 10 al back again. have seen men pretend
ihE 20 Mo W fier names when The roll was called pro-
ested INT vss asked what was going do about it.
s1nd tha, a could do about IL TO get my
mont vacated Bv private contract the sewers 20 down
like lightning aud the men work IKE beavers. III seems
thar Inc moment man gets into the pubic employ
be ees Izy, else the Department picks up only lazy
mon Ii L. terrible fug. ]; IS persistent have seen
n eJuC0n for trt ycar-. THIS lltera p0ugh was
l-Ga 20 clear pathway the KIngsbridge road Next
day there thirty forty men at work shoYcGg tue
snow ua. from whore e had been taken Iney sdid they
did Why thcydd u, and suppose NOBODY eBe
knew
"Haya yol maie any compiainr.l7 asked Mr. Whit
ridge. 49,,
about the condition the sidewalks st. NichOasaye.
M! TOLD me jo write letter about IL. did 50 and
el D answer We have asked repeatedly Tor crossings
on 81. Nichoiasavc.. but can't get them"
Tie witness told how one night short uIne ago Ne was
walking uD -. ErhOl5vr on the east sac dna ~ tu9
crossing Ogehuudre- -aud twenty the lnu1
was dec adhesive that his OYefshoes came on
ud Doe might lose his boots also ne TOOK 70
When X.uulned by Nr Payne NJ uer shd tlt
the incidents about the sh0velnR grhYelilOm me
street 20 the sidewalk and then back again. ana tue
drunken men at work sewers were observed during
10 the dawdng habits OF the Department llbOfeis MI
Payne ascertaned thar there were some repairs ptnE
done at the OuehuAdred and Wcnty yelghtnst cIOsans
but the witness svprc that the crossings nom Oneuh-
nthst inclusive all equally bad. mere was uol
sin gle TAGGED -tcaCrn--fng on 81 N1holAsdNe aOONc
One-nundged-and- twenty eighth 81 ,, NJ,
Alexander Taylor, who keeps the klhgsOtldge @ huiu
Hotel said that his business had suffered IN consequence
o. the bad condition OF The road, which Kept away Gus
toners. -
Before ournment Mr PAYNE saidhe wished 10 inform
the committee. "n order TO avoid any haconrti-ctO'
yised or suggested Mr McD0nhlda wlthdtdW "aeA '4o
committee refused 10 allow him counsel.
Ghe committee adjourned TO Friday at II o CLOCK.