New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
THE PUBLIC WORKS INQUIRY.
COST OF CLEANING BUILDINGS.

CONTRAST BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE sThOC-
ruREs-sTREET sPRINKLERs AND AssEssMENTs'
Mr. Mcmillan, assistant custodian OF the fost
Office was the first witness examined yesterday py
Senate Committee which investigating the Pnphc
Department He testified that IL cost &ii'oo"" s0 "
clean the Post Orice building. The men cenere
paid 81 a day and the women 81 NO extra pay ~ .u0n''
were made the help, as is the case In tne r"O"O
Department A., r..
coorre w pirssaI assistant engineer on the Croton
Aoueduct testified that meters were placed IN
buildings used for business purposes a' 'ne eApnse "
the owners In private houses they were phoeu az 'o
exnense of the city Only about twenty-five meters rave
haar mn, in nrivae houses Meters put IN build
,nc nsed for tailor shoIs and like purposes, because
such buildings closets The department had the right
10 put a meter in any place except private houses IN
spectors report what buildings require meters About
seventy five per of the places reported as requiring
meters had been actually metered."
G. Livingston Morse, Joint owner OF the Morse puho-
ing testified that It $500 year to clean that
bujdneabout five square foot of cleaning space
several times than 1t cost TO clean public buildings
under the Department OF Public Works 1t took between
$50 and 800 of coal year 10 run the TWO
and heat the building nine stories high, while IL taxes
2s3 tons of coal to run one elevator ana neat tho
stone court house which Is only three stories hgh
J. b. Conger who is engaged in street sprnklng tesl
fed that he bought from Abram Teller IL 1868 street
sprinkng route for which he paid $4,000 de heiu up
TO 1881 when Commissioner Thompson took poI"oh u
II from him. and gave II 10 Mr. siLck VINO Represents
George Cauned The witness said that he went 10 "orA
carly in the spring and got up his usual list OF sub
scrber but when went for his permit he was too oy
John Chambers the Water Register that Commissioner
hompson had ordered that part of the route De gwen
to suliek He was told he did not give up Ms ns' OF
snbscrbers that the remainder of bis route woud oe
taken from him. and therefore up his st 1or t
mart OF the route which had been taken from him. Last
snrnq NORTON OF the remainiLs route was taken from
him and ,ven 10 "A man named Hart who keeps cigar
store The witness bought ii back from Harl pay ins
.nerefor $3.50 The witness had paid political assess
ments to j. NJ. Early he last paid @loV |" lo0t A"s
money was paid in the Department OF Public WORKS ana
1Lc witness produced receipts signed by Eary lie asO
,,aid an assessment 10 Early for Mrs. Hyde wldoW
whose husband was street sprinkler Alter ms death
~ yritness locked after the route she had no money
and the witness paid the assessment Ihe part OF ms
.nnte which was given to Caulfed was worth about
o. ooo a year Tie witness said he did not pay any
IOlitical assessment under Tweed ana van NoII a
ninistration Of the Public Works Deparln,,nI9 ,,I 1,i,
Charles LYMAN. superintedent OF the Mills Bululhe
testified that il cost about $4,000 year TO clean tna
building There under the Janll0r sixteen poIe1s
and tWeuty-Ouc cleaners. Inc DulIuIhS CuH-
ained 2o6OOO square OF cleaning space, ana the
annual OF cleaning less than nVe cents % !0oD
and heat the building 1900 tons OF coal were use1 an
nuav The coal bought by contract and cost - D
,onnds and not in net tons OF 1000 pounds, as pur-
chased by the Department of Public Works
r d. Naugle street sprinkler, testified that ne hau
Tonte for which he paid 5000 He had another route
which he MANAGED for the benent OF Two 0rpnas 1na
was taken from him by Commissioner thompson anu
given Alderman DeLacy. he had reIuseu 20 pay d d
POLITICAL assessment and the route was taken away ne
next spring He had pad money 10 & I o E,s. IL NT o
Department OF Public Works Tor pohuca purposes M
Early him and requested tLat ne cOIltIlpIte.
Early said that he came RON tHe @ t
knowing Early, he refused then TO pay Dut H.
meeting him in the Department ana nelng fe4uesleu 20
pay. he did The witness raised ToOO from lIon IT ;
spTinker and paid to Nh 4etty at Ills request IoI
political purposes