The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-14
THE AQUEDUCT JOB,
RIyA1INa BosspwEED,s soHEMEs,
Exposed by tho New York sun-Ths Iu'
dIoted Maurice u, Flynn has u Finger In
the Plea Million Dollar Squeeze out,
RobbIng the Sub. Contractors,

RobbIng the sub, Contractors.
New YoREf August l3-The Sun to-day
exposes the methods by which Messrs,
0'Brien & CLARK, the principal contractors
for the new aqusduct, increased their pro-
Ats, with the help Of Maurice B. Flynn,
the indicted political boss. 0'Brien 4
CLARK have Offices In the Stewart building,
near the City Hall, Adjoining their Of,
fees is the office Of Alston, Gerry 4 Co.,
metal commission merChanls. This firm
Is composed Of Mr.. Allston, Gerry and Mr.,
Joseph A. Flynn; brother to Maurice B,
Flynn, When one remembers, SAYS ths
Sun, that the Commissioner Of Public
Works, Squire, is the only city officer on
the Aqueduct Board, and that the pres.
ent Commissioner Is the man Of Maurice
B. Flynn, II does not seem strange that
private doorway Is very convenient to the
members OF the firms Of O'Rrien 4 CLARK
and Allston, Gerry & Co. Tho operations
OF the two firms are then related as fol-
lows;
The contracts for the new acqueduct
were awarded and the instruments drawn
up in December, 1884, the last and wick,
edest month OF the Doodle aldermen and
the month that gave birth to the Squire
Flynn deal. 0'Brien 4 Clark received
the contracts for building sections Q, Z, s,
and IL, while the contracts for the rest
OF the work was awarded to several firms,
O'Brlen x CLARK, though they had got the
largest share OF the work, were angry that
they had not got the whole, and began at
once to lay plans for picking up eyery
cent Of profit there was to be had, Sec
tion Of the specifications Of the contracts
for the work on the new aqueduCt binds
the contractors not to assign or sub.let the
work, or any part thereof, without the
consent Of the AqueduCt Board given in
writing upon the back Of the original con-
tract. 0'Brisn 4 Clark saw that there
were comparatively small chances for
profit In the work they had undertaken,
competition having beaten down their
margin OF profits to almost nothing, Re-
Rardless, therefore, Of the prohibition con-
tained In Section ] they sub-let their work
without such written authorization from
the Commissioners, until now they them.
selves do not do any part nt the work they
contracted todo Nearly all Of the work on
these sections for which they arc the con.
tractors is done by unauthorized persons,
not responsible to the city, whom the
aqueduCt officials recognize at most only as
superlntendents.
Low as was the margin Of tho profit at
which 0'Brien and CLARK took their con-
tracts, their sub.GontraCtors were COM
PEELED to take theirs at 10 percent below
that Of the main contractors.
A BIG SCHEME.
This profit, however, as there was a
risk OF the sub.contractors and their
bandsmen failing, did not suit tho astute
O'Brlen and the respectable CLARK,
O'Brien, as Chairman Of the Democratic
State Committee, knew Maurice d. Flynn,
aud appreciated his Influence In this city.
Whether O'Brien and Flynn concocted
the scheme, and whether 1t WAS devised
bafore the contracts were madO, 1t Is not
known, but certain 1t is that 0'Brlen aud
CLARK, by the aid Of Flynn's dummy firm
OF AllstUn Gerry Il Co., began TO put into
operation great scheme for squeezing
frat, their Bub.Contractors, second, the
dealers in supplies, and third, the city.
In building the aqueduCt an immense
amount OF supplies Is necessary. Est!-
mating these at $l0,00000O-l low estl-
mate, when the amount Of work and the
wants OF Rorkmon are considered-a
profit Of 8 percent would give the snug
little sum Of $500,0OO. This amount az
least O'Brien and Clark and their friend
Maurice B. Flynn determined to get.
Their lrst atep, after making their sub.
contracts, was TO get their sub.contfactors
into their debt by lending them money
to begin operations with. They also began
to try to get the other contractors, both
principal aud sub.lessees, into their
power. In this lstt0r part OF the scheme
they relied largely upon Mr.. Rlypp's in
auenCe.
While they were engaged in this work
Allston, Gerry 4 Co., as buying agents FOL
O'BrIen & Clark, were calling upon the
different firms handling mining supplies
representing to them the value OF the
aoueduCt trade, and asking from 5 per
cent to 10 percent for directing this trade
into their hands. These percentages WGrt
what they demanded at first; they woult
condesoend to bargain, and In severa
instances lItms that deal In supplies art
said to have paid only q percent,
RoBDINu sUB.coGTRAoToAs.
When firm agreed with Allston, Gerry
& Go. and TO tho purchasing sub.con
tractors, Gerry 4 Co., obtained their com
missions from the sellers, paying the billt
less tho commission, and would then COL
lect from the AUTHORIZATIONS the bill plpG
the commission on the order. Allston
Gerry & Co. would ask for percent oil
; for cash and exact Of the Bub.contractor {
percent for paying cash for him. With
control Of the whole squeduct, there Ia 8
clear million TO be made this way out oI
the aub.contractors and supply men, be-
sides the legitimate profit on the contracts
Not content with running their OWE
contracts, o'l}rien 4 CLARK want 70 have 9
J share In the other oontraptore' profits
Recently Mr.. Maurice b. Flynn BECAME
A partner In tho firm Of Brown, Howard 4
Co., next 10 that Of 0Brien 4 CLARK, the
largest contractors along the line. Mr.
Mclean, ono OF the arm'g gsub.oontraosofs
and also member Of the firm, was diB,
placed to make room for the boss"
The Sun says 1t has permission 10 print
the names Of It's iniorinRutS II tho neCes.
sity should arise. II also says It has let,
tefs from the principal contractors which
II intends to prlntiin the near future,
when further Investigations into the out
ragoous scheme shall be completed.
slulrs'A witnesses Don't show up.
NEw YoRx, August 1S.-The hearing 10
relation TO the charges against Rollin NJ
souire, Commissioner oi Public Works
was resumed to-day. The first witness
was Commissioner ol Accounts Adamson
lMr. Sttahan eliCited nothing Of import
anCe from Mr., Adamgon. The revelations
az nnnlnh In The MWhnlh HtnfNn Harn mol