New-York tribune., 1884-01-27


Mr. stetson claimed that the counsel had the sam
rights as in a court Of justice.
Mr. Tbompson-The Assessment Commissioners hav
not considered any contracts done under my admmista
ton What they have considered has been done prior
1850, and | am not familiar with their WORK.
AN UNFORTUNATE CASE.
Mr. whitridge-T find here referring to paper wor
done on surveys six seven eight years old You too
steps whether the original survey was correct
Mr. ThompsOn-NO sir; the survey iii that case wa
made by r. j. Slater, experienced responslne anu "
liable surveyor We did know that the street had sc
Mr. Wbitridge"Dfin'f know IL with 1s9 inspectors
Mr. ThompsonEveIy inspector has ms sPe1,d Pd hay
been made aware the fact would have been Dy % eo.
plant from the police that the street had oee
one When such an error it always gives us an o
porunity 10 prevent recurrence OF IT, Mains where sur
veyOrs have made excessive estimates 10 sco 'i' '
did not get any more work. :. ,.,.,, ,ho survevor
had been guilty of wrong unjustiaDe T s.
have not suggested fraud ID any sT ct the surveyor
was not careful as he might nave Deen; a. i wnri
view OF making surveyors more accurate III hell WI W. n
tbat asked for an appropriation of $4,000 TO proNue
means for making tests ,.-.... 80. o,ro;rted
spccia amount of work be done by any one surveyor
I'm the of the year amounting TO great ue oe
than Won could have obtained from him at salary
Mr. 'ThOmpsOn.-Every surveyor has assistants OF MS
own whom he has to pay, that one surveyor clues d
numbcrOf persons. do not know how many surveyors
Senator Daggett docking perplexed)-Did he answer
Mr WhitridCe-Yes but not very explicitly; :,
Senator Daggett 0aughing)-I should think not
senator McCarthy-Is it within your power Mr.; Thonp-
son. TO know Whether there is any cousiOn between
and contractor
Mr. ThOmpson-I have absolutely no such knowledge
In answer TO series of questions from Mr. Whitridge
Mr. Thompson said that he relied upon the bureau oceis
for information in regard to negligence on the part OF
inspectors TLey were given only one job at time to
rad in he nn the ground
in person. In answer to questions as TO
what papers he had prepared Mr. Thompson
said that it would require three or four months 70 get
ready list of all the orders that had eHfm gwen Ue
said, he had not had time 10 prepare,
WATER METERs.
The question of water meters was then taken up and
Mr. Thompson repeated much OF the Information tlat
he had given at his last examination. The
department. he said obtained water meters at the lowest
wholesale rate but he not prepared osay without
reference the records, what rates the department
charged for meters Experiments showed that in houses
where careful Of the water and where the
plumbing was good order they got their Wa'er ~ per
cent cheaoer than would have been the had they
been charged according TO the registration nv meters
houses where there high service water supply he
waste was much greater-probably 10 per cent-than
where there low service supply Senator RaSget M
presented list OF questions on TINS su0ec 10 WHICH MI
Thompson prOmisedto to prepare answers
MISLEADING ESTIMATES.
The of misleading estimates was then again re-
ferrcd 10.
Senator McCarthy-Can you tell the committee now
what contracts have refused because III your udg-
they excessive and against the interests Oh the
city .,. :, - .,;,. o.,
Just now. In that there was only one bidder whose
bid much above the estimate ,. IT,,
Senator McCartby-Upon what do you rely Tor lnIoI-
nation in deciding whether TO accept bids or not
Mr.. Thompson never throw out the lowest bidder
Senator NcCarthyThat does not answer my question
at ali. ,--., -. ,., It'll.
nd suo psupcialN from contractors.
Senator DaggetDo You mean TO say that you your
information TO the correctness OF estimates from CON
tractors -, .. =,
Mr. ThOmpson-NO. sir. did not say contractors
sand bureau officers and contract ce;ks.
senator McCarthy-Are not your duties so large that
You cannot understand personally whether these est
Mr Thompson-It is impossible for man TO know
senator NcCarthy-That does not answer my question
Mr. ThOmpson-1 have TO rely upon my engineers ana
Others.
Senator McCarhyIs there not great latitude for col
nsion between the engineers and the ntractOEl
MI Thompson-There is always great latitude for man
senator Mccarthy with increasing asperity)-Thatis is
not an answer to my question. ,-.,,.... a..
Mr. Thompson (after pause)-I 40 Eot DeeVe there Is
any cOllusiOn between them.
Senator McCarthy-There may he fraud between en-
eneers and contractors that you do not know OF .
Mr.. ThOmpson-rhat is possible but do not think 1t
Senator McCarthy-That is all.
A SURVEYORS "ERROR OF JUDGMENT
W. V. Smith was next He said that he ap-
pointed city surveyor in 1865. He thought that his
annual receipts for surveying from the Department OF
Public Works for number of years past would
about So OOO 81 OO00he could not tell exactly This
information was obtained from him only after
much cross-Quesdoniug. Mr. Whitrdge then
directed his attention to the survey which
he had made of Fourtllave, between Nintey-sixth
and One hundred-and-sccGnd sts Mr.. Smith had est-
mated the amount of rock excavation at 10000 cubic
yards and earth excavation 10000 cubic yards. When
bc contractor had done his work 1t was found that the
correct figures, regards the relative amount or earth
and rock exactly the reverse of those he had given
Mr.. Whitrdec-HGw do you account for that errOri
Nh smith, cannot account for IT, 1t was an error in
Judgment -
Mr., SInitl--NO. sir
Mr.. Whitlidge-Do contractors ever ask you how you
Mr. Smith-Eyery contractor in the city has asked me
that question: Ibeicye.
Mr.. Whitrdcc-Before the bids were put I'M
Mr.. Smith-Ies, sir.
Mr.. Whitrdge-Did they get amy information out OF
Mr. smith-No more than appeared in the maps on file
in the Department, because had no more togiNe.
MT. SMITH expect he took his chances.
Mr.. Whitrdge-IIis idea was great deal better than
Mr smith Smiling gr1mly)--Tt seems SO.
Mr.. Whtridge-DOes that often happeni
Mr.. Smith-NOt to me.
Mr. Whtridge-Do yon recall any other mistakes made
Mr.. SMITH do not consider that mistake. II was
simply of judgment. In SiXty-eghthst. made
reversed.
Mr.. Whtridee-Have yos made surveys Of streets
where got the curb line several feet out OF the correct
linci
Mr.. Smith, set the curb wrong Onehundred-anG-
frstst between Ninth and Tenth think ii is five
feet the westerly end of the block That in
- or rs. told Mr.. Campbell years ago that II the
had to he repaved would pay for it out Of my
pocket.
Mr.. Whitridce-Are you a pOliticianl
Mr. SmthNo ell; am not identified with any political
organization.
Mr. Smith was then questioned further as to
his receipts and expenses. lie said that
for the last twelve, years he had made
about $4,000 year clear, and for the last few
years probably $4,000 ayear clear profit His average
expenses about $1,000 $4,000 year, He could
not state much he had received last year City
Surveyor He thought it wss 100000 His expenses for
that year had between $1,000 and $4,000. Later in
his examination he crOssquestloned this matter.
Senator Culen-Do swear positively that you did
receive from tue Department OF Public Works In the
8 ear ss2 more than SIT, ,O00i
Mr. Smith-NO sir will not swear. do not know. |.
would not the amount received from the De-