New-York tribune., 1884-12-09
THOMPSON'S GRIP ON OFFICE.
DESPERATE EFFORTS TO KEEP HIS PLACE.


day. thinking that Mayor Edison might nominate
successor to Hubert o Thompson, Commission
or of Public Works, and to f. Henry
Iacombe Corporation Counsel James j.
Mooney, of 5000 fame, Adcrnan-cect Walsh.
Excise Commissioners Mitchell and Hanghton,
County Clerk Keenan, and other friends OF Mr.
Thompson were guarding the Aldermen. Tho most
important man in their eyes apparently was John
Keenan, who is tho trusted lieutenant of
Mr. Thompson and has tho credit OF
" engineering" many big schemes through
the Legislature and the Board of Alder
men. John Keenan, il q quiet man but he is
shrcwd and effective worker in case where it is
necessary to convert persons of adverse political
opinions. II In reported that he has labored ctfcc-
lively with some of the 'lammany Aldermen and has
succeeded in convincing them that 1t would be
to their interests to refuse to confirm any person
nominated an Mr.. Thompson's successor.
jim y Mooney aud contractors Flynn
aud Cunningham were chuckling yesterday
over the reports OF Kecnais remarkable success az
an xhorterin converting lammany Aldermen to the
support Of tho big boss Of tho County Democracy
IN fact. al the Public Works Department contract
ora seemed happy over that or something rlsr,
glance over the city's contract books showed that
they had reason ~ bc glad. The contracts for hun
dfeda Of thousands Of dollars given out within u
abort time have largely gone into tho mana"
of tho favored contractors who are MI
Ihompson's intimate friends, - thought
ful was Mr., Thompson that he advertised
u number Of sdditionai contracts NJ that they
can be awarded to-day, which IA the last one of
his official term large number OF other contracts
were arranged so as to be awarded last Friday.
Notwithstanding the fact that little paving is ever
done in the winter season. and that 1t cannot be
we'll done then, Mr.. Thompson has recently
given out large number of paving contracts
WHAT THE MAYOR WILL DO.
Mr. Thompson has the contractors on his side as
we'll as shrcwd politicians and tho two COM
bined are said to have proved too powerful for some
of the Aldermen. 1t is generally believed that the
Mayor will nominate General Fitz John Porter for
Commissioner of Public Works if there is any
chance of his name being confirmed. 1t IL known
that the Mayor on several occasions has
expressed a high opinion of General Porter
AZ an able engineer and man
of unonestioned integrity. He remarked
not long ago that it specially important that
the head of the Public Works Department should
be civil engineer because of his Official position
on the Aqueduct Commission, and because tne
greater part of the work of the department engl-
neering work. Such statements nave e" 10 ihe oe-
| lief that he had selected General Porter.
NOMINATIONS TO BE MADE TOMORROW.
When the Aldermen adjourned yesterday 1t was
would nominate successors to Mr.. Thompson and
| Mr. Lacombe at that tne. Who they would be he
declined to say. There is no doubt but that the
Mayor fav0rs General Porter but 1t - pos ibe that
| the latter might not be coniirnied' mere
| IN curious Story IN connection WIN thls " tlhs
| as follows Among the various schenes which
have come before the Aldermen during the past
few n,ontls were two which have proved verltaele
| lonau1as Ia those who were willing Ia voie Tor
| them The a,nount of money aud bonds W lich each
member was to receive lsgiysn WIN mNo, oii'Vn'-
| stanlality, The "bo0dln' WAS placed ~ tho
sre"as q as f's s"s sd 'Ss' s c a 81"
| whoso timo IL ~ valuable that when he makes q
ys,t there u ~ gonerally nndnrsood iiiaf lio come,
| 4" on buninom" heycra days have been noncd
| when thu amount was to ba paid 10 the faHpeoilVe
claimants, and they haye gathered ~ receive bat
| ~, oI,u pIeirnon ~ another payment hnH been he
lsynd Now there IN talk of lolIing II 40 over Unti
after tho urst day of the New Year, 90 lha ground
Jury for bIibery they could swear ,hnt th'y l,hd
moi received the nump charged against ihenl,, INA
oouiuo IL alronely urged by the agent The
Aldermen, II IL alleged. "kchV onelgetlcnlly
| nenlnst ihIs and say that this scheme ~ "too
| thin AID that II tha conl,e IL continued much
longer they w,l pass s,cl, lreslallop e. VIII Prac'
son, il ~ well nniorslood why payment a delayed
| IN hccnnsc the agent IA friend Of Mr lhompqon
aud Wishes to prG.s"' o.I ,hG Ion''Msh'"" -" Maymr
namri a"r IN IN ronnec,on @ With ,bs matter include all
SHADES Of political HpnIpn IN" oo,v of r,r,e ""o The
Wend"avors en- IF the agent aie directed toward
whipping tho rammany and ,..dt,i% Rsppolican vs.,
members into line It was asserted n"si- yeii-
ton to know that The Iamirany members, and pos
sibly one dsaNected County lnmocraey member,
could he depended Oh to vote Tor the nominees m %,
votes for the nominees. It will require 3 Rcpnb-
can votes TO corirni-a bare majority panvbjran MdJ an
tar 1yO'1Ws When "'fs asked "'"' # The nomination BY
The Mayor aud the votes OF the lnnlmnny ,ie',UiJ ,,iJ
nnt br considered an Offset for their votes 10 NOR NOR
row. thew replied that there vas no stipulation
made md II could not considered IN 'h' "e"' VI
II II IT, H nomination Of epetal Porter or any ohet
pyod man is tejeeteshs sutt,sys, w. .,p,spats ,p
"aaaa "'"se i, pN,se 81 ,he county eagcary !vg only
o,n,i,e, s,te,l " viii be uhdetst0gq tliat " haf
en pfeomplised w tigftt nn1 . ,ns Ma'nes s,,s,s Il
Mss, ia, III tNp,,sl 80 All he ikelt 10 teesite 'he
a,ieniinn ef the uiail bNtti
JnHS bb,iA's AfiiiVbt,
Several weilnfnfmeh iammanf leaders eA=
pressed tho opnon yesterday 'hst "
might be necessary, ~ eInrl v" s'p"'p
,he full vote of the rammanY memheis ahh eh""s"
uenublican members 10 confirm the nominee i"f
commissioner of Public Works, that the Mayor
sbould name John Kelly. IL Is well known 'hat
Mr. Kelly does not desire the position, nor, for mat
..ft''f sif Of the Mayor But # it can ,hSs Ss
cam he confirmed he may be induced to overcome
bis reluctance to allow his name To be presented.
Should General Porter be nominated ana b con con,
armed this will leave q vacancy IN the ,,nt roi,ce
Board, VIII ch can be filed by direct apPsTa term
msms ns,se DS names have been presented to the
Mayo- by Tammany ma ,hs iS1 Raara of Alder
lnrSo lanes i SIeyIn. for several times an Alder
msn and the unsuccessful candidate for senator an
a@ainst Colonel NJ c. Murphy one year asT cau cnn
ccneral f. b. Spinola. Of course the Mayor t'i,
onno,nt whom he chooses but he would prooaoy ny
arredc to Tammanys wishes, IN orne, .'"' a. the
"a,,i,otion snall have q representative III '"o