New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-18
A CONFUSED COMMISSIONER.
WHAT KOCH DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT DOCKS.
RycIsrER RELAYS rxrEysrs FOR COPYING

REGISTER REILLY's EXPENSES FOR COPYING
COSTLY AND USELESS CLERKS.
Register Reilly was before the Gibbs Committee
yesetra nnu Was .StatSd records The sum
of ST.. l3J is asked for this work next year. he
amount allowed this year is 37,4oO: Unity men
arc employed and sixty liberS averaging |OU pages
each have been copied IN ten months. Inc hcgister
said he asked for larger amount because he wants
the work finished before he goes cut OF onSe. ! Wo
men have been employed at 500 mouth each TO
copy old maps. The law requires certihcate o.
condemnation OF old records To be made by JudRe
Of tho Supreme Court. The certificates on which
the work has proceeded have been signed by Judge
Donohue on the report of two lawyers, joan
Webber and Joseph Mahan who were appointed 10
examine the matter. IL was also shown that Ju0ge
Donohue invariably certites to the correctness OF
the pay-rols. The witness was asked why other
judges were not sometimes asked to do TINS. lie
could assign special reason for this II was the
cnstOm. Certain items amounting III all to over
5000 had been paid for cleaning and other thngS
ont of the fund provided for rec0pyng rccGrus
To these items also Judge DOnohue had ctrtiie9
George +. Wood clerk OF tine Special cCss aon
Court testified that he receives salary OF T ",oUV
deputy gets e., 900, and there are three snoPphd
clerks at $1,000 each The witness saiu WIG"
asked why deputy was necessary:
ono or Two days since have been there he takes my
Mr. Milcr-Thsn he is paid $1,000 ayear for two or
three days service in about three years
The witness claimed that the deputy assisted nm
when he had more than he could do. he Iew
which states that it shall be the duty of the clerk
and deputy clerk to prepare apd serve subpGnas
VAS read He protested to he ignorant of the exist
ence of that provision, aud sad that three SUBPOENA
'Instices A messenger is also allowed at $500;
Dock Commissioner Koch. recalled. was asked as
70 the necessity of the increase IN the NUMBER OF
dock masters with a contraction OF tue ilnlts OF
their districts accompanied by an addition 10 lhelr
salaries and neither he Lad consulted the MAYOR.
He replied that he had and was told II was matter
of discretion the part of the Board AS 10 an eA
nendiure for construction of Chambers-st. section
amounting to $sl6 ~, appraised by himself and
inpp aft
member the nature of the work, but II was reeoi-
mended by the engineer An item Tor "a 90 I"l
West Fifty-seventh-st. yard was pointed Cut; nc
supposed it was for the payment OF salaries put
he could not tell what the men were enployei 10 90
unless il was to look after DOCK department ploP-
crty at that point. Adding number OF items 10
gether Mr. Strahan asked If 1t cost , % ~ ohth
to take care of property ,towel away ny Tue dopIt
ment The witness manifested considerable CON
fusion in his unsuccessful attempts to explain TINS
on tie theory that repairs were being made, .nt no
pairs from actual knowledge, beyond the statement
tnat there was item upon Item"
o.-Do YOU consider yourself competent to consider
the very important questions connected WIN mat de-
partmenti Al think we with tho aid OF proper
advice. - .,.,oo, . 1no
oWThen YOU have proper advice TO rely upOni A.
oNDont you think that the ADMINISTRATION is snscopt
IDLE Of great or %s To ssccrsn what best
scnator.-But you understood 1t so well mat you
undertook the increase OF salaries ss 5000 as you gov ID
A letter was read by Mr.. Strahan from }; Muller
& Sons coal dealers at EghthaVe. and Forty
nintbst, stating that at the foot of West Fortlcth-
ST. an old canal boat has been lying for year, on
which are erected two hOppeIs nsed for storing au0
delivering coal The privilege, which is regarded as
valuable. had been denied to others but is enjoyed
by certain persons at the nOm nal rate OF ~ day
Mir Koch sand the matter had never been brought
80 his attention, and he wOuid investigate IT. The
complaint was that the vessel was an obstruction
aside from the fact that the privilege sccOrdcd Was
an unfair discrimination.
The committee adjourned TO 1870 this morning.