New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-26
tSrING PrBLIc MONEY.

The Board of Estimate and Apporilonmcn'
has been listening 10 some amazing statement
a, 10 the cost of feeding horses in the Ere
DEPARTMENT. The Fire Commissioners were
dcsirous Of getting hold Of moro public money
than they really needed. and wcre audacior,
enough 10 try to stuff the Board Of Estimate
with lot of rdicuou, nonsense about insult
ccnt food for the hoiSo, in the dcparm n. ON
several occasions within a few days, people
walking in Broadway have had opportunities
Of seeing tho fire engines and trucks 20 10y with
the horse, at a eallop on the way % fires. y
man can honestly claim that the horses which
were drawing the engines and trucks with
splendid spirit ,wiinc-S and strength showed
the slighteSt Signs of insufficient food or OF
lack of care These horses are IN iaultl'S, con
dition. and their appearance proves beyond
doubt that they got the best Of feed and plenty
of it, Why should tho Commissioners Of the
Fire Department try to misl,ad and deceive
the Board Of Estimate and Apporionmont by
such grotcsque misrepresentation?
Strcct-Cl auiuc Commi,sion.r Brennan WITH
out even q smile upon hi, lips. declared thar
TO feed horses properly in this city required an
expenditure If $50 per year each. BIT then
Mr.. Brennan has always shown himself eager
to scatter public money with lavish hand.
He would Ike 10 feed every 1ammany man
and every Tammany beast literally and
sumptuously at the cty'S expense. II De bad
his way the horse, in the Tisa Department and
in the street Cleaning Department would in
dulgc in the most expensive daintic, and have
at their disposal constantly the highe,t-pnc,d
luxuIics for which hor>cicSh over bctIay, an
appetite. There is nothing mall or petty
about Commissioner Brcnnan whom II come, 10
a matter of spending the money Of the tax
payers. lie made il clear in the years in which
he was a Commissioner of Charlie, and Cor
icction that. in his opinion. tho proper uSe OF
the public funds is 10 strengthen the lImmauy
machine, and that no appropriation can hc 700
large which can bc used ~ Ioncihcn the pay
rolls and to quarter upon the city horde, of
Tammany hcclcrs. 1t would be easy to make
contracts for the feeding of AL the horse, used
in the municipal departments at an outside
rate Of $3.50 per year each, and the contractor
could then well afford % give the hor>c, tho
best of oats and the finest of hay, and would
be certain to make a handsome profit ont Of
his contract.
Public officials of the type Of the Fire Com
mi>.ioners and the Commissioner Of street
Cleaning make it their chief aim 10 get all they
possibly can ont Of the city treasury, on any
prctcxt. This money which they lay hold Of
is used in such way that the taxpayers do
not obtain anything like a fair return for it,
The expense, Of the Fire Department since tho
Bureau Of Buildings was separated from it have
been expanded out Of all reasonable proper
tons, while ~ to the Strcct-Clcaning Depart
mont if Mr.. brennan had his way unchecked. il
would be spending $5.OOO,OOO, inst, al Of
over -, 900, 900, a. at present, and lis cnor-
nous outlay would be used in such manner
As to enrich Tamrlny while the streets would
be diItier than ever before