New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-29
HOW SEWERS ARE REPAIRED.
RICHARD A. cUNNNGHAws TESTIMONY.
A STATEMENT AS TO HIS PROFITS CoRREcrED-So
PAY-RoLLs OR RECORDS KEPr.

\ ningham orders. After Mr.. OHelIy had cXpidinn1
how he made repairs Mr. Cunningham was called To es'
y. He said that he desired have his counsel present
| TO advise him IN giving testimony. Chairman Gibbs re-
piled that after the experience OF the committee with
McDenad. It did not intend to permit witnesses
| TO he represented by counsel At least
counsel could not be allowed 10 interrupt the work Of The
committee. The counsel for the Pdbc Works Depart
ment Mr. Payne who present, would no doubt quart
the interests Of the witness II they not sufficiently
protected by the committee.
In answer to the questions OF General Tracy, Mr. Gun
bingham said that he did work for the Public work. De-
parmeut under orders to make repairs aud e.
pave over street openings. The orders all issued
from one bureau-that Of Sewers For opening
general order + issued 10 do the work when and whers
directed" at estimated Of less than $1,000, be-
tween specified dates The oriss do not state
where the work TO be done, but TIE
witness was furnished daily slips from the Depart
mGnt giving that information The prices for the work
varied according to the job For sewer work the Depart
mcnt paid HIM much hour for labor according
whether il ordinary labor or that of foremen and
skilled mechanics. and so much hour for horses and
carts For street openings lie paid according tbs
size Of the olenngthe prices varying from 81 80
1914 for single opening. The material FOR repairing
street openings all furnished by the city. The witness
merely did the work and got paid for that He also
engaged in doing similar work the streets For private
persons.
General Tacy-How many fjremen do you generally
employ A-on ar average eight or nine, suppose
Own your books show the number OF men You had
employed on city work the labor OF whom the city
paid you by the hour! Al don't know whether they
9.csn you tell from your books what it cost You TO re-
lied sum7 A.-No, sir
ASKED 10 PRODUCE Ills BOOKS.
Q.TIaye you brought your hooks here In answer 10
the subppnal A.-By advice OF my counsel decline to
produce my books, but will allow any member Of tho
committee or its accountant to examine at my Office such
books az have
Senator Gbbs-The chairman directs yon TO bring your
books here in to the demand or the committee II
you desire il will examine them IN executive session
We merely wish yon to answer from your books such
questions are pertinent 10 your business with the De-
partment We have desire to examine them In regard
| to any OF your other business transactions
Mr. Cunninghan-Wcl will consult my counsel about
H. but think shall decline 10 produce the books Ger
tainy my bank account is sacrelly private
General Tracy Does any other person receive orders
Tor repairing street OpenlusSi A-No, sir | am the
only person who does that work
QHavo you special facilities different from contrac
tors in general for doing that work! A;-No, sir.
all that work A.-NO. str
Qwhat your proatsl A--Posslbly, make on that
Q.-Wi your books show how many men were emf
pioyod on any class OF work or the cost Of ANO,
2ow ep % you RoT that yGa oaS y 20 or -
GLOW many bank accounts do you keep! Ave
keep an Individual account and also special deposit
Q.-Do You do work on different orders at the
same tme A.-Ye., sir, We do work for the
on as many different orders at the same time On sever
work the orders we receive amount 20 about $4,000
year, and on street openings about 325 600
Q.-WOTk has been done on the on different
orders at the same time, has IL not AT may have
been going at the same time. Ycswe practically rebuilt
| a part OF the Fity-stxthst. sewer on Orders
rebuilt ''''-' i''''' u HUI - %
General Tracy read 4 number Of orders issued the
same day and asked II the work under them not go
ing on at the same time The witness replied that it
probably was going on during the same time. The wit
ness said that the Dcparm ent allowed him % cents an
hour for day lsborers and he paid - cents an hour il
some cases and as high as % cents in other cases.
Aw% have moi cot any payro At least don't know
whether or not they nave been preserved; g., -, .
| thing about them. don't keep them. Ny bookkeeper
Mt Carroll ana ny partner LOOK amer Sch malels mar,
niShc Inv Won op sever work. A-aere is AN INSPECTOR
| Mr.. Bsbcock. who looks after that.
QDOeS ne keep track Of the work going on at these
state Won are doing work at one me A-He goes about
from the Battery to Harlem and cert es 10 tho hours of
0.-lIs he relative of Mr. Hailn the Deputy Commits
| sloner Of Public Works! Al believe s0-1 cousin.
tue Streets A"Ycs nave done work iar tie Steam
Heating Company the Edison Company and oilers. -.
the work You have done IN the F6e works Department.
during Mr. Thompson temi Al believe no one else
has been doing this work
The committee took reccs, COR hour and when IL
reassembcd Nj Cunningham said that he desired to cor
rect his testimony I'm regard % the profits OF his business
with the city. It no. more than - per cent instead
| 81 - per cent
General Tracy-II1ve you examined your books dur
ing OF how did you learn that your pront1 ara
only - per cent instead Of "A per cent Al
talked he matter over with my partner.
Q-Don't you thnh your books would DE the best evil
0wold taey not show what the profits Of your bust
ness are A.-NO, SIR They are not kept IN that
way
CUNNINGHANs BoOKKEEPER CALLED.
MI Cunningham va, asked to step aside temporarily
and allow his bookkeepar, John T. Carroll, TO De cxan
ined Mr. Carroll said that he paid the men, kept
their time aud kept tue books No pay-rols
were preserved. The time kept slips OF paper and
tro IN away at the Of the week. Formerly the time
was kept in books but they ceased using such books
few months ago.
General rgacy-Have you got those cldtmo books,
Q-Iiaye you destroyed thcni Ave threw them
Qywhen DID you destroy tho last one A-several
months ago.
to show the number OF men I'm S employ on ely work nc
any time A. I don't think has. ...--
0.-Bave you any records or books OF any description
that Will enable you to tel what any parucularJoD cOstf
O-Can You tell how many ineu were in tho employ OF
the firm Oh city work during The present month"; A.
Q--Then you mean 10 say that there Is 40 means by
which body tell how many men you have h20 eni-
poyed ou city work during the present month"; A'-No,
OF there are no pay rolls and receipts Of any
sort how doe, the firm know that you pay the money %
the men A-lhey take my word for IT,
Q.-And HE firm you say employ 100 meni A.-Ycs,
sir
0.-And that Is the way they business, preserving
no sort 0f records whateyerf A.-Nes sir
The witness said that the bills 10 the city werc made
out on tho returns OF the prcmen and wOrucn aud
his own returns lie lid remember that the Depart
meut had ever disputed the bills lie said that he had
never compared notes with BlbcOcL tue Department IN
spector for Nr. CUnuinghin's work He could cot
tel what the average pay Of lsborers was. The DE
partmeut paid the firm much for reFaNing over ~
opening connect house with the CrOtOu water pipes
and so much for a sewer come ton Sometimes both
connections were made IN opening, but he dld not
think the firm ever charged fer two Opeuiu' in such
ease Possibly Il might have done so. number OF Bulls
were shown to the witness In which tue number Of
charges for water connections correspondent almost eX
actiy with the charges for sewer connections. But h9