New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-15
THE PUBLIC WORKS INQUIRY
MORE NIQUITY BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

CITY PROPERTY USED IN PRIVATE business
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS AS A LEVER.
The Senate Committee which is investigating
the Management OF the Department OF Public works
met in the City Hall yesterday and continued the e1am
nation Of Thomas II. McAyoy superintendent OF repairs
and supplies He asked TO explain why 1t was tha
the Department expended two three times as mneh TOT
coal under SIR. Thompson expended under Com
missioner Campbell. lie said 1t because the prce OF
coal had Increased and because used. He was
asked what became OF the old material chandeliers lead
pipe etc, taken out in refurnishing and repairing city
buildings II stored he said in the basement OF the
House building charge OF the anitor No record
Of II was kept and he didn't think contractors
ever received the benefit OF any such
waste material The repairs Essex Market
Tompkins Market and some other buildings, although
coming under his bureau, were under the Immediate
supervision OF Douglas Smyth, who was appointed Oy
Commissioner Thompson look after the work. ana paid
commission allowance. The witness also Kept
general supervision OF Of the WORK at the same
time The plan for Jefferson Market contemplated only
story when the first contract let second story
added afterward.
Mr. Whitrdge-was not the effect of adding The second
story tn the fret to partially break DOWN. ~
You had better ask the architect about tGat
In answer to questions by the counsel for Mr Thomp
the witness said that in his Judgment the small guam
titles OF old pipe that came from making repairs in
plumbing were not worth taking account or
He said that the superficial area OF the pub
lie buildings cleaned by the Department
as measured By W. L. Smith, surveyor, was 100000
feet Tho cost for cleaning that IL % cents foot
Mr. McAyOy said 100 per cent more work to clean
public buildings than clean the schoohouses In re
gard 10 the in the price OF coal bought by the
Department compared with that purchased by me
Board of Education he thou It was In some measure
due the fact that ess used aud that the Depart
ment had not equal facilities for storing coal
To Mr. Whrldge the witness said that he still held that
each one OF the nine orders given for painting in the
Court House was separate job. The work paid for
out of a fund for the completion Of the Court House
Q-How many Of the walls painted on those nine orders
constructing the addition TO the building It injured the
PAINT on the old WALL ard we regarded the rpahuhg a.
o-Do YOU mean 10 swear that by construction OF the
part It destroyed in the Controllers Office
A-No
ON your opinion It costs 100 per cent TO clean
public buildings than school-houscs! A.-Ies.
-WouId that Justify an excess Of expenditure Of 500
per cent A.NO but don't think there was any such
excess
Robert Mowbry an architect and civil engineer test-
fed that he had measured the superficial Of the
buildings cleaned by the Department of Public Works DE-
directed by Mr.. Keech and that the total area was
22092t square This 100000 square feet less
than the measurement furnished ~ Mr.. McAvoy. Mr.
Keech testified that all the measured except;
the janitOrs' rooms.
W F. Conran plumber, who began to do work for the
Department In June ssl, the next witness He said
that did the IN the buildings in the City Hall Park
It was all done orders and he charged the city the
same he would private person Waste material be
longing to the city, IN the way OF Lead pipe' $ 0d
baacment Of the Court House; the room until
February was in his charge. had used OLD
material stored his FOR w0ich he had made no al
lOwauce to city. IL not Customary 10 make an
aovancr for old material unes tae customer demanded
H. He had taken some Of this Old material 10 mis- store
He had charged the city g0oc profit for lead plpeneA
IN
that had ell from tho city s0refoom ana ca IL
NH F po had Seen made H. aid not think
would amount in valne TO more than $50 or 20 49,.
February be kept one or two men doing plumbing work
In the Court House. and that they did wharever they
about the Court House" Now, however. work il only
done after an order has been gwen ny the Department
head.
AN UNWILLING WITNESS.
A. D. Hebard who said that he for tTenty-twO
years engaged in street8pnkug business. testified
that All ordinance passed by the Common Council some
years ago prevented the Of river water for sprnkng
the streets and the work could only he done by the
use Of CrotOn water for which permit had to be OBJ
tanned from Commissioner ThOups Inc witness 5aid
that after Allan Campbell became , O6
lie Works he began 70 pay yearly I ~ IoI
purposes. He paid the first year 10 john D. NeWman
He had paid az nigh as 200 IN one year. f0o
cral other persons having sprnAlh! routes als9
pad assessments. There seventeen in all In 1881
the witness refused 70 pay an assessmet NJ OF anu
part OF his route was taken away Ifom MN oy Ocn
soner Thompson. First slice OF II was given 70 one
] Mooney
for George ulteld Commissioner OF Jurors and another
/ mart 10 Cushing dummy" for Reilly, the clerk or
Essex Market Police Court In 1882 the witness again
refused to pay an assessment, ami all OF his roe was
taken from him The man who asked him 10 subscribe
that wear WAS J. W. Earle In 1881 part OF Ms rout'
was saved to him through the influence OF eH Alderman
| Jacobus. The witness said that every man
| whOse route was taken from MN was
rruI.ced by friend OF Commissioner Thompson; j. H.
Cnger mad part taken from hn the permit be
ing gwen 10 man named Hart and Hart sold II BACK 10
C0nger for S475 Hebard showed decided Discrimination
Ia give testimony audi only gradually that any thlng
could be got from him.
Before the counsel Tor Mr.. Thompson began the cToes
examination he attempted make speech IN DenaI OF
Mr. Thointeou but committee declined 10 near IT, On
am nHtiou witness reiterated Ms tesLnohy
have his ernir revoked n he refused pay the assess
ment demanded uim. He knew Gushing was a DUN
INV for Reilly because Asscmbyman JOOes had offered,
B in behalf OF Reilly, to sell HIN the route.