New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-23
THE FASSETT INVESTIGATION.
MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORTS on THE
AQUEDUCT
GOOD RESULTS TO THIS CITY IN THE COMMIT
TEES wORK-DEMOCRATS SQUIRM OVER
THAT NOTE OF TIE GOVERNORS.

THAT NOTE OF THE GOVERNORS.
Albany. April e2-Chairman Tassett, Of the Special
Aaueduct Investigating Committee, handed in the
committees report to the Senate tonight me re-
port comprises majority and minority reports the
majority report being signed by MeNsrs. fh>N''I
Hendricks and Van Colt and the minority by M''7lS'
Pierce and McNaughton Tho majority report In
concluding says so far as the Aquednct Is con-
ccrncd tho committee agree that no now Aqu"duct
legislation is necessary desirable ar III" present
time that the work Is In safe hands ana mat the
rights Of the city being fuly ploieciol' me TO
port also SAYS that the testimony the committee was
able to obtain did show 10 any serious extent inc
use Of poor mll"rla Tire report then goes Oh 10 say
In concluding our report In reference 10 tle Nq"'
1rc n may b, useful to give a brief summary Of the
result achieved by the investigation When the ihFeSu
gntIon began the construction OF the Aqu'Auc' "'' d.
charge OF a Board consisting Of the Commissioners "
Puh,lo Works IN the city ~ EewYork and six individual
Commissioners A. a result Of the work OF the commit
,qo the entire Board was reyoutoni7ed. By virtue "
the act passed tn extra session Of the legislature Vs
Mayor and Controller were restored 10 the COMMISSION
and four new individual Commissioners We're appointed
bv the Mayor The future construction d th' NP"''
luc vas thus entrusted % an entirely new Board me
Commission in charge Of the construction 81 TINS Afue-
duet when the committee was appointed haI ao"en c''
tain claims OF contractors 0g extra excavation Which, 10
.ov the least. were OF doubtful validity As result
OF Investigation the payment Of these claims was chc".l
and RECOGNITION Of further claims made by contractors OF
a similar character, was prevented.
An these claims amounted \ million dollars
which the committee has sSed the city OF NcwYork
Investigation also exposed the practice Of contractors
T., constituting costly rubbie masonry the arch OF IN"
tunnel in place Of dry packing provided Tor IN The con-
tract I'm places where the pressure oi inc SurIouun7
medium rendered the OF rubbIe unnecessary bor
@ masonry the contractors entitled by contract TO
- 5 brt they were required to furnish dry packing
,e The prevention th" future Of such practice Ia
unnecessary places will result in the saving OF large sum
NJ money to the city
ost searching investigation for bad work has been
do in every section Of the Aoueduct and great guam
49, - detective work has been discovered To restore
49,, ror,, on the tunnel the standard required BY tho
contract will cost contractors very large sum OF
money. .,,s 49,, ,s u,r.
M, hocn discovered and repaired IL is impossible to pre-
A., I'm. al c>pcrts agree that had the tunnel remained
n ,bls Affective condition might under pressure have
given way and that III" consequences 81 'uch u''''
,,o,Id have brcn caamitcus. Not only mas me hNN''
,, therefore been the OF saving several million
,olors n the city Of New York, but whci Is Sill more
,,.,,r, r. has made it reasonably certain that the
,opr,uct when completed VIII be safe and 'u'''a"'i"
public work ,,- 3D., ,,,,- ,,,,.,i,,,
, r,s.rors the tunnel which Is now nearly hh'h' VIII
g. ~, I,tc pr,ctical use for several years hut Whe'
-,,,br reservoir reservoirs age h"'lI 'h' E'hi''t
Aouciuct eyer planned will be- a!eP"' Z" I'M "'''N "'
trr city of NcwYork Tor gcn"raton' 10 conn., ana "I
tt..-f ian "a
Mc,srs. Pierce and McNaughton. I'm The minority re
wort my that they concur IN the majority report cN-
can't fl, cc.tain respects. From the portion ot the
oIort Of the majority which relates to the not" of
sto 900 made by Governor nm on October %, l775,
.,r he WIS Democratic candidate for Governor.
they dissent for these reasons
=, "a not Asserted II u.e report presented by
49,, r,,,ority that there any evidence which
- ., proye that any understand
- ho,,y,eu Governor nm aud any one whether
,.,,,,,, 7 Nuler John O. Brcn any other person,
49,, tho not. in question 10 be paid uf jlr
81 - any Aoueduct other contract any
,, connected Herewith. II is not assorted IN that
nr, that there was any knowledge the part Gov.
rror nm that the In question be or was
Maid out Of any such profits. IL not asserted that the
note or any part Of It paid In the rrport OF
The majority none OF these conclusions reached none
NJ thra, nndngs mode. But without apparent
excuse part Of the narration Of 20" makug
dl.countIng and payment OF the injected into the
report We must therefore, dissent from that portion
Of II.
Facts relating TO the Governors Of October 90
1885 have been often perverted feel 1t 70 be
our duty here N state them they found ON the
fullest Investigation 70 eXst.
The minority enters into detailed explanation OF
the giving Of tho note In effort 10 excupate the
Governor. They say IN substance:
Thc-e evidence Nhatover that the Governor knew
by whom be or was indorsed or wher, or
how 70 be discounted, how any money was 10 be
raised upon II. Mr. Muller had assured him that IL he