New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-04
DREDGING EXTRAORDINARY
DUMPING AT NIGHT WHAT WAS RAISED
BY DAY.
ADDITIONAL REVELATIONS OF GROSS FRAUD IN

THE DOCK DEPARTMENT.
The CORPORATION Counsel yesterday treateo one
public to another racy session OF 'he DoNN
nartment investigation by the CommlsS'o"ei "
Accounts. The first witness was 1honias o07
Mahon, who for four years prior 10 ooo W. :.
The employ of the Union Dredging Oon pony 20
mgneer and captain of the dredge Aneii0' -I,
testimony explained some OF Ine ne'"0N' VIC
.ompany employed in extracting an
f12b. .osO a year from the city treasury l0i "i'ee
Rredring and cleared away Ine nSS'ei' " "N'
the slips dredged required SO niu'n "'
brief intervals. -. ,,u. ..i
ga .hat il WAS the custom of the Union Dredg-
;c .comnanv 10 dump back into the same slip at
night the mud dredged and placed IN the
COWS during the day. The inspector. the captain
swore would measure up the mud in the scows
at the close of the day and fill out his report OF
the quantity dredged, after which the mud would
be dumped into the river again and all would pe
ready for another days work In extremely nne
weather the scows might be moved some distance
out in the river TO be dumped, but during the
witnesss time it was rare thing
for the company TO take the trouble
10 carry its loads out TO sea. Not only, the wit
ness said, the city charged for the mud
arsdged and redredged several times, but 1t was
compelled 10 pay the expense of taking 1t out TO
sea, although il did not leave the North River.
When the scOws were dumped in the slips canvas
was fastened about the iron clamps so that the
noise might be deadened and the dumping escape
attention Empty scows also were carried down
the harbor in the night to create the impression
that dredging at certain points had been going on
Was this sf frequent occurrence p asker MI
Clark
Yes replied Mcmahon. Every night dur
ing one week knew of three scows being taken
out in this way and this 'make-believe' dumping
charged for
The Dock Department inspectors and employees,
the witness said, were 4" in" with the dredging
company, and the dredging reports were made out
for whatever the company wanted. so strong
was tte company's influence at the Dock Depart
ment, Captain McMahon had observed, that EN-
poyes who didn't suit President Loomis were not
retained 1t the common talk about the
machines that all the inspectors of dredging were
in the pay of the Union Dredging Company.
You mean that these inspectors were bribed !"
inquired the Corporation Counsel
Yes" the captain answered. Randolph
GardinSer one Of these officials, had told him, the
witness said, that he could get anything be wanted
by going 10 the office of the Union Dredging Com
pany. GARDINER had confded to McAlahon the fact
The witness testified also that dredging for private
parties was often charged by the company to the
CITY. 1t was also the company practice 10 dredge
up the soft mud and skip the places where IT Was
hard dredging
Dock Commissioner James Matthews occupied
the w1tress-stand for the rest OF the day. Ar
Matthews was Police Commissioner from es1
TO 1Ss5, and told how, when Mayor Grace was
making his changes in the latter year, he offered
10 appoint witness Dock Commissioner for the
- long term if he would resign the remnant of
his :
coincidence in Mr. Grace" llr. Matthews said, SO
] kept my resignation as Police Commissioner in
my hand until Grace had my commission as Dock
Commissioner made out. stood by while he
signed it, and then we exchanged papers. ana
the Commissioner chuckled at the renenlorance
of his shrewdness IN preventing the MAYOR from
overreachng him in the trade, adding: There Is
a little political history for you under oath, Mr.
CORPORATION Counsel.
The witness could not remember why the
report rental Of the oystermen's pier was re-
duced from S65OO TO $500, but was sure that
James W. BOYLE Mr. Matthews said thHt he had
gwen bond. treasurer of the Dock Board
for $4,000 he believed but could not say where
il Perhaps II was IN his own safe along
with the docl<mast'rs' bonds. He acknowledged
however, that William Van Tassell, one of his
bondsmen, had been dead about year and that
he had given no new bond Nevertheless, Mr..
Matthews added. he had handled in all about
s6.500,o0 and it was all deposited.
The Corporation Counsel took his witness over
She same road President Post had been led along the
day before. The dredging frauds. the purchase Of
supplies without public notice, the defective leases.
the low rentals paid for piers and bulkheads the
insignificant sums obtained by the city for " land
under water" the theving of the dOcimasters, and
other matters which the investigation has un- |
covered were reviewed in their order. Mr.. |
Matthews shOudered the responsibility upon En- |
gmeer.in-Chief Greene so often that Mr.. Clark |
asked
Do you think it is manly thing to unload |
upon Mr. Greene whatever is found amiss in your
Department p
think it right to hold him responsible |
for whatever il his duty to see TO-" the |
answer
When Mr. Clark tlying 10 find out why |
large spaces along the waterfront occupied by |
the same 10 the city, Dock Commissioner Cram |
surprised Investigators and spectators by coming |
% Mr.. Matthewss aid and bursting out:
We can't carry these water grants IN our |
hads-fher' thousands of them"
Mr. Matthews give a history of his connection |
with The leasing OF Pier No 50 East River, and told |
how about ten days ago he had met Judge |
Nelly, the lessceS counsel in the case, in |
the street evening
told Kelly, said he, that as the evidence |
now Stood he had abused the confidence of the
Board, and could square himself only by pro.
duclng his man OBrien
can produce him IN fifteen minutes. Com
missioner" was Kellys reply Inst wait here
and VIII bring him to YOU Bur I told Mr.
Kelly would prefr that he bring the man
gown gown 20 my once IN broad daylight, where could
yet" III" Uo""
Commissioner Cram will have anotbor or,o,
unity 10 enhghten the iDqusitors to-dav sPp9 80
tsre is time Engineer Greene NAV beg;n EN bis -
testimony. Ni'