New-York tribune., 1884-01-10
,,cur OK Tile sYsrrM OF INsrECnoN.

=, .,is ,oee fevv boor. more Of labor would have
made the bill exceed 81 900 IL s Interesting to
note how the cys interests are protected III paying
for this work The inspection Is done by Charles H.
Babcock, a cousin of Mr.. Thompsous deputy f H..
IaInlm The following is an oEtract from his teSti-
pony before the Senate Committee:
opcstion-pid YOU inspect work being done by Mr
XnswcT"I inspected all repairs Of sewers, by Mr.
Iad Won any knowledge of the number of hours Of
labor connected with the doing Of that work
q VIVA knowledge had you
ABy inspecting the Nork once or twir" wv 1& LILY "r anu
q And when you went there bow long dld you re-
woud depend npou the character OF the work.
q You remained sufficiently long to count The mum
bof Of mon. did you mott
g How did yon ascertain the number Of hours the
horses and carts were occupied upon this Work
EFor tho simple reason If the horses and carts were
not there, waited until they camo, ,, ., -, ,,
o-Whcn they came how did that inform you OF the
nnner of hours the horses and carts had been oc
cupled that work - ,,,. .,o r-or,, ,,o, o bor0s
and cart had to do; it would depend upon circumstances
could tell whether the horse ana cart was tcr anu uid
The work by what would be oay ""rA oi "oi'e "N
Q-Pcaso explain by what method you arrived at the he
conclusion that there were 294O hours occupied oy
aborers on this work referred to III THIS Dl oil August
AZ lo2i Cunningham charges ten hours for every
day and certify that there are 294 days-tAat theIe
was equal to one man 29l days ,,, ,,,ot ,,,. man
% How did arrive AT tue CONCLUSION InaI Vuis a
was there 294 days. or equal to 2,94o hours ,.,.
AEBy going there and counting the mon-that there
oAs rule your object in going was for the purpose
of fssrerfaining the number of men employed there
YES sir; In a job like that mOre particularly the
o-Aud did you make any memorandum IN any oooA
OF the number Of men employed
oA%G that book is in tho Office of the Department Is
do not think the books The certificate Is there
0i oHow .l.I TTT many places do you visit in dayi
A.That depends upon the amount 1 o%I wIIH Hra t n
beinG done have had rs many a. eSd9 anu NM Vi,e IN
day. At least five day from the hi9I Gay o "! UNI
oS,o2y,d o"pAnd are they in the same vicinityi
k-No sir; they may be from hundred anu inV
seoorl-st the Battery; from one sue OF Tue Guy u
oHow did you ascertain the number OF brick used ii
'uaS Knox by experience how many bricks it takes tC
build one OF those sewers ana from measuring anu Drss
on the ground and ordering them where TO 80 TO WORE
and whore to stop.
MIR, C1'NNINGHAM's REFUSAL TO SHOW HIS BOOKS
After Mr.. Thompson had been Commissioner o
public Works a short time he increased the rate o.
nav allowed Mr.. Cunningham for labor and also The
rates paid him for repayng over street openings
The following is a part of Mr. Cunnnghams un
nnblished testimony before the Senate Committee: :
oucstion-Suppose that the Department OF Publ
Works directed you during the period covered by on
order to make repairs which at the plce agieeu upo
between you aud the Department would exceed Tie sun
knsTcr-In that case don't know but what shout
N'N''"4'
the repairing OF sewers is the work and matcra
t5e yepaifing OF sewers all materials fur
nshed 6y us in the repairing OF pavemenis the Depart
aenerallv The Department allows us Department
prices the prices II pays Its own employes, ~
sewers included different orders but located In sec
manner as would permit OF single foreman Sd Selei
orders or would you charge for his time as against 9otn
Aft there was only one foreman we wOuld no
tlg I'M d
separate points If they are dangerous nave 10 DO uohe
o p1ring the progress OF the work under this requ
sition dated August L. lSSl were you dong any ohe
work OF a similar character lot lne department VI ~
~ do not know sir. -,
O.-HaYe you your DOCKS WIN you
ky-No, sir, have not.
O. .-Yon we're subpeuaed TO produce them
we'll air by the advice OF counsel Win All que TO
.nect to the Committee decline produce the books
o-Have you produced your pay-'olIs used ny yo
nnng 'ne sye Se So. no. sir Because have got
QYou DESTROYED them irom "gos ;d1 10 49, Gerv iIem
we had necessity for keeping theh' lHey "eie
o. Were You doing work for any individual al II
same time you doing work for tie department.
6pS yoa know the course pursued by the inspecO
with reference to his Inspection OF the Work
A.-To certain eItent yes, SIR - -, A.,
Q-was he present during the performance Oh III
"StN "So. sir; he was not to my knowledge; he Nigh
have been for all know. -.
Q-But he certainly was not present during the ehV'
time OF the works being performed
Al don't think he was
AIR. cUSNINGHAMs MONOPOLY IN REPAIRIN
STREET OPENINGS
While Mr.. Cunningham does his work with tn
Public Works Department under his own name. b
testified that il was all for the benefit OF the rm
R.A Cunningham g. Co., established III 1872 III
brother-in-law being his partner. large part
Mr.. Cunningham's business with the department
Public Works is for repairing street openings no
.bese he is given an open order TO do the work for
oor,ain length of time when and where directed.
There ara no definite data in the order. For TIN
work Mr.. Cunningham charges varying rates ac
cording to the size of the opening. There Is nothin
Ia the order to restrict him as to bus charges