New-York tribune., 1886-07-17
CIVIL SERVICE MEN AT WAR
TROUBLE IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE BOARD.

cf the Civil Service Examining Board of the Gus
tom House NAV result in peaceful settiemenn,
but Yesterday II looked like war to the kn1e: Oh
june so Chairman J. NJ. Comstock received le'.er
from tine Civil Service CommiSsOa asking Tor 1ac's
relative TO the charge that Col ector liedden nau
violated the Civil Service law in making appoint,
ments. Mr.. COmstock prepared an answer anu
forwarded it TO Washington on July J. a.
the same time informing his associates OF OF the me
board was he'd. Chairman Comstoox ana e Sco.eo
tary Babcock were deuoscd. A. d. Parker plhNao phs'r
mansh,p and Deputy Collector Berry was mace
secretary. Ii eolved that Deputy ColieG'I,s s
Berry and Davis and ex-Chairman tor's.oV ,s"~ 70
appointed q committee TO draft another py,is Tepy "
The e Ter of inquiry of the Civil Service Commis-
sion. -. .oo,s On
Wednesday they met 20 discuss the matter ana y
was agreed that each member draft repor, ,nn anu
submit 1t to the fqil Opa.a opfssdv io DrepaIed a
joint report but kept the fact to Of
Thursday, When secret but not qndeT SorEico
the board was held. Members OF the Clvli ~ W.
pssorm Asset tion assert that they have evidence
that Collector Hedden has violated potn ine d'oei @
and spirit of the law in making bv the two
poln,ments but the report suDmi'teu oy .no wv
S.nntx co,lcctors il is stated, avoids answering
these charges and is devo ed TO an ati ack on MT.
Comstock's official administrations High words
,osaed between the members, and the lie was gwen
rSre than once but the members are ioath to make
a statement Of what really occurred outside
of the action the reports. Whom the re,
mort was submitted Mr. Comstock objected
10 acting upon 1t. as he had not
seen If, Chairman GarNcr tncn suggested tldt NJ
have time 10 read ii. Mr. Comstock hastily real
tie report aud then protested AGAINST signing II as
il contained statements irreconcia6ie win Ms own
oripions MI Howard, secretary 10 the appraiser.
moved that the report be laid over IN order 10 give
Mir. COnstock time TO consider IT thoroughly
Me,srs. Colnstock. Babcock and Howard alone alone
voted for thus. During the discussion Mr. Com
stock charged Mr.. arkcr with violating me tlVli
Service law. Mr. Parker made denial and charged
Mr. Com stock with Violations of the law. Inc
discussion waxed warm for two hours ana a half,
and the, the report was adopted by a vote OF lour
10 thicc. .. -
Nj Comstock YESTERDAY prepared a statement to
the CivIl Service Commission explaining his posi-
ton and marshaing reasons III support OF 1t.
Mr.. Parker SAID
can prove wh he violated the law by furnishing
eiHbe of cai,idatos FOR appointment NOT ony to
m self private secretary Of the Collector, but aso
l., Collector Robertson. When he was charged with
these violations he denied It. thea equivocaied AMI
nna!y admitted IT,
Nj. Comstock said:
II pre-en sucn piiful appearance as Mr. Parker
rcprceais that did 1t was not on account OF any con-
fusou OF uliud fccipso WRONG doing. Dut rom my
low trick he has r,sorted TO to drvelne
mo corner This uatker OF eligible lists of cdhdluAes
J. entirely incidental ami has no bearing up 81 ns % M
is>uetiat of Collector icddens violation OF the law,
..eraIaiEen of the iacls OF Collector llediehs VIOLA
the rue' The que hon whether lie ma received @
the eiiyD lists OF the least Importance. NJ Parker
eyrenuy tiled 10 iurh the dlree'd0' o me inquiry 'Vn W
CHI stryice Comm,sslon-no the law rules-con-
tam rather cloudy provision that the relative s'anu
ns the eligible list SHAH not De male khoWn
viihont The consent tn. mnison 10 any one not
member OF board. 10 DO so wouli give an oPpoi-
ia been construed To- ne@n tha such snail not be
furnsed to the appointing power Asa matter OF iact
n lis, furnished TO Collector Robertson ny
memGcr OF the board not the chairman no, nor
the secretary and this was known Dy tne rm
However, the records show that Collector Robertson
made an improper usr OF me list ana IN nesIy
all of his appointments the first on the list was Sc
ieced The cases iu which he departed from TINS
custom were explained hy an official statement rom
him Mr. Parker furnished with an eligible list, not
In mis- capacity private secretary Ou as member oi
The Examining Board and AS convenia.cc 10 m nh; ha m
h,.r Ved
amembcr Of the board is untrue. IN. hfst eAahlha-
Octoblr 1875 ana The eligible st resulting thercfrom
was prepared IN December. Mr. Parker became mem
ber of the board In the same month Ihcte srrs 10 pe
no doubt lac had possession OF an elg bic lat before
The one he &C. w
gwen /, to him. and he secured it IL mystery If,
secretary' he knew. as member of the board, that
not only violated the rules but that he was an accom-
pce with me.
WINNING A SUBWAY COMMISSION PRIZE.
TIE CONSOLIDATED TELEGRAPH AND ELECTRIC
COMPANY CHOSEN.
The Electrical subway Commission held i'm
portant meeting yesterday at which 1t was formally
agreed what company should undertake the work
Of putting all the eectrc wires under ground. ne
commissioners first listened TO the report OF tnelr
counee Daniel l.. Gibbens. on the standing ana re-
spons bnty of five construction coApanles that
had offered to agree to he commissioners specinca-
tons, whatever they may he when published Mt.
Gibbeus SAID in substance that all the organizations
submitted To hun seemed To possess the necessary
i've companies considered we're the Consolidated
Telegraph and Electric sub vay Company, the
AVerlll lcctrical Company, the ID. H. DOrsett
Patent subway Company, North Amencan Iele-
graph and Electric Company and the New,York
Electric Lines Company. AS announced ex.
cinsiyely in TAI TRIBUNE three weeks ago when
the report of the commission was adopted the
company which was accepied yesterday was tue
first raned the Consolidated Telegraph and Electric
Subway Company The reading OF the cOunsePs
report was followed by general discussion end
ing IN its acceptance.
f,lIa
UNANIMOUSLY:
Eesoired That the Commission hereby accept the pro
Way Company provided hat the sad company present
TO the Indemnity OF 5000 600 with sure
company present to the COmmssion suOh Dapers
Ha .ye covrrins me patents under which they claim
they Can husness. and they are satisfactory; that
said company furnish accurate and satisfactory in
formation as 10 the which they Will bo ready
begin work ana rapidy with which they carry
It and that said company express specifically to the
Commission its Willingness To sccept the contract
sdopled by the Commission aud approved by the Aitor
hey-GeDera.
A telegram from Attorney General OBrien
nouncng his approval of the form of contract 10
be entered into by the Construction Company aud
the COMMISSION was received aud read al the meet
ing. The list of corporatofs o the newly accepted
company Inc udes several weli-known names. Henry
Fitzhugh, the president, is also president OF the
fQuItabie Gas Llght Company, of Chicago, and
member OF the Union Club. of TINS city; Henry j.
Dawson the wee president Is practical engineer
of long sandlng i'll tn city. ms ofhce No. 80
Broad St is also the office of the Consolidated sub
way Company; kwald Balthazar IS member of
the banking nrn Of llalgarten Il Company, of this
city; James Is. houston, another corPorator. is
president of the Pacific Mail steamship Company,
Ind Frank l.. Freeman Is practising attorney i'll
Washington. Edward Lauierbach Is the counsel
The AverIll Company, the next company pre-
ferred by MIR. Gibben's report to do the work, also
includes some well-known capitalists aud business
men 81 5. l.. NJ. Barlow John j. klernan, Chester
s. ole and General Martin /. Mcmahon. The
next meeting of the commission Will be on Tuesday
when formal entrance into fixed relations with
the Consolidated subway Company Will be made
The company is sad 10 have cash capital of
So 600 @ 10 Work viii begin either a. the North
or ast RIVER end of Twenty-thirdst on Monday.
August z.