New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-05
THOMPSoNS CONTRACTORS.
what TWO sUBoRDINATEs KNOW OF THEM.
MORE ABOUT THE FIFTY-srxTH-sT.. sEwER-AIR.
MONEYS MANNER on THE STAND.

MORE ABOUT THE FIFTY-srxTH-sT. sEwER-MR.
MONEYS MANNER on THE STAND.
The Senate Committee on Cities continued
IT'S investigation yesterday into the management OF inc
public Works Department Stevenson Towle engineer
Of sewers. and James j. Mooney, superintendent OF
boulevards and roads, were examined There were
number OF politicians present including about dozen
.asr,ed employees OF the Public Works Department Mr.
Towe who had been on the stand Saturday testified
tina: he had never taken money from persons having
contracts with the city either Tor himself or for MI
Thompson He then shown the inspectors report OF
the work done Ftftysixth ST. sewer The return
for the work done on the first order dated January
os 1882 and on the second order January 30 1882 On
each order about IO3 feet Of built Mr.. Towe
again said that the work upon the first order COM
peted the work upon the second order was begun
Mr. whitrdge-How long did II take to do the work on
the sfIIG oHs ala take to build 100 of sewer
II might be done IN week; don't know how long 1t
Q-The return for work the first order is dated
January 20. Does that mean that the wofk was tnen
completedi Alt might have been oomple'eu previous
o%How long previousi Al cannot say.
0-The two returns made whiting four days or
each Does that not indicate that the work on the
two orders was gong on at the same tmef Al eould
Chow do you account for the returns being made
ti,T il not the date Of the completion OF the work
Q-The date of the return bears some relaoh 10 ING
date OF the completion Of the work, does IL mott At
does.
Q-wha.i Al don't know. .
Q-The inspectors return on the third requirement
shows that 100 feet Of brick sewer were built HOW
long you think that would takei A.. might t nave ave
taken week; II might have taken amOnth coun not
say. have recollection as to the exact tne. - .,
,S NTst orders was not going on at the time A
cannot swear, because don't remember CONSULTATION
Of the work these returns are nadei Al could not
tell The interval varies In different cases IL mght oe
day IL might be a week; IL might De several nonths
DS you mean that y09 5 Ss 20 be delayed tGl
hal : mi
mediaely upon the acceptance OF the worh O' '"e il"
spector.
Examined by Mr. Payne, counsel for Mr.. Thompson,
Mr. Towe said that the work the sewers was unoer
the immediate supervision OF Assistant Engineer John
Avery who was killed railroad accident last Tues
day He Towle) knew nothing more about the returns
than that the work done time prior 10 the daVe
gwen. 49,
~ he worry Is what the papers show Ayes.
And the engineer in charge Of the Bureau CS
structioni A.-FrOm time to time yes, CIR: ,o,,
yet ySG T yG no when you per-
sonsly upon the groundi Al was not there al 'ne
Q-How long does It take inspector to inspect one
hundred feet OF sever AmFdpoahoy te Itte9d
ing TO other work ,.,. -. A., ., 4. .ho
Q-HOw after the completion OF the work Is the
inspectors return NADER
After beating around the bush for time Mr. TOwle
said that the were usually made within one or
two DAYS of completion Of the work Later on Sens
II would build hundred feet of sewer In Fifty
,i1tA-st and finally by much persistent questioning
drew from him the admission that it could have been
built in week In answer TO a question from Senator
Gibbs Mr. Towle said that all of R. A. Cunningham's
work was inspected by Charles q. Babcock. Senator
Cullen here remarked (sottO voce) Cunningham is the
man that always gets $40 for replacing few stones that
some plumber or has taken up" MT Payne heard
the remark, and wrathfuly denounced it as highly i'm
proper and uncaledfor.
Mr.. MONEYS RELATIONS WITH CONTRACTORS.
Mr. Mooney was then placed the stand he said
that at present he had Interest In any contracts with
the city. To series OF questions 10 whether be had
any financial dealings with contractors persons re-
ceyiug orders from the city, had any improper trans
with them, he returned erse and emphatic deni
ais lie then asked If he had ever made any sugg es
any person to apply for contract He replied
that he suggested John Barry and probably dozen
Others that they should put in bids for materials for the
bureaus of which he the head. Barry was the only
he remem6er when he had made the suggestion Barry
He thought II might have been IN 80, 81 or ~. lie
sS Taat E T9f G Was neeaed to DO
filling, The loves; td offered Tor that kad o. work
body who furnished it, he thought for 10 cents yard
seventh-ave and Suisse
quently witness said that The bauk was owned by man
named Florence now dead but that Barry "controhea
Mr. whtridge offered in evidence large number of
bills for material furnished M Mooney bureau on
1899 orders by John Barry and william Mcdonald,
and reQuisitiOus signed by MI Mooney. MI mooney
said that he personally received the material ana re-
Ceiped for H. When asked how he could personally ne IN
dozen places at which the material was 0eLV-
cred he replied That receipts were probably given
ly MS subOrdinates lie promised possible, 10 1unsh
the ORIGINAL memoranda OF these.
Mr.. Kecch occupied seat near MI WMtridge. Occa-
fionav they exchanged words. In the OF the
animation Mr. Mooney found an opportunity TO make
come unpleasant reference 10 Mr. Keech. Mr. Whltridge
was eudeavoiug TO obtain from Mr. Mooney an admission
that he had made acquisitions for the same material
Mr. MONEYS explanation that the material was for
different burc9us aud required separate acquisitions
guess" he added. "yOur prOmpter don't know his
business. He's putting you q wrong scent He may
know all about furnishing soap and scrubbng brushes,
but he don't know much about supplies for streets Mr.
Mooney said that his bureau had about dozen places
Df storage.
Mr. Wnitrdge-Are these places enclosed A.-SO, sir,
Q.-What Is to prevent contractor from taxing
material Of those places and selling II over
yOu3 A.-The police. lLanghteT.l ] have one or two
attempting To take material aud have had them taken TO
the Police Court and fined. There was never more
than two carloads taken away, so far as know.
When the committee adjourned Mr. WmtrldSe asked
Nr Mooney 20 tel Mr.. Barry Nj. Mcdonald, should
ne either of them. that the committee very much
desired to examine them Mr. Mooney refused Dlanklyl
saying that committee could easily enough una
them Ii wanted them He added that be had met MI
Barry certain day when II was reported that the
committee could get hold OF him because he had gone
attend cOck-tg ht. member OF the committee said
for ter days they had been trying to serve subp9
Messrs, Barry and Mcdonald, but had been un-
able lind them. Mr.. Mooney his testimony with
10 conceal The committee adjourned TO Friday at
1880 e. IL.