New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-01
BAD FOR PROPERTY OWNERS
TANIMANY'S JOB FOR MAKING CONTRACTORS
RICH
STREET SPRINKLING IN THE HANDS OF MO
NoPoLY-How THE BILL WAS RNLEoADED

NOPOLY-HOw THE BILL WAS RNLEOADED
| THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE
Tammany misses opportunities to strengthen lis
grip upon the nsu>pecting people OF the city, II
ha, organized fresh scheme Tor squeezing money ont
| ~ pro,rry owncr, AMI these who live in rented
houses alike by the strect-sprnkling game which
Put, the Job OF LAYING the dust In the various thorough
fares In the hands Of n monopoly. The snap was
cbt by raroadng through the Legislature n bill
which even As,embIyman otto kcmpner confess"s
escaped his watchfnl eve. placing the entire bust
nes, OF sprnklng the streets in the control Of cont
| pany OF for n period OF ten years. Long
before .le ten ycais expr" these seven men expect
10 be- fabucusly rich The corporatOrS OF this Tam
many lcgalizod Street sprnkIing Association are
Jacob r. IIildebrant. Philip NJ. Fisher. Andrew Is.
Ncttcr. Henry Kern. Ogden X. Linbury. Mntthia,
Trimmer and william e. Duncan. Mr. Iildebrant Is
president and Mr. Fisher f. OF the company.
The father of the net Colonel George r. Web
ser Tammany Member OF the Assembly from one Of
the Harlem districts Uhc NXVIlth). so secretly did
h. work It's passage through the Legislature that he
seems 10 have been thr only man In Albany aware
OF 1t, purpor. Then h. hypnotized Governor Flower
and got him sign 1t. keeping the Governor in dense
ignorance Of liz provisions, MAYOR GilrOy and Com
missioner DAILY Of the Department Of Public Works
heard OF the scheme, they both until after
It had become law. But the Commissioner OF Public
Works lost time in closing the contrnct for street
pauy agreed TO pay the city s2s.OOO year for IN"
franchise and TO sprinkle tn" streets from March 20
TO November - each year.
Under the provisions Of the act the people OF the
city have nobody between them and Whatever this
association Of tIpinhler, may choose to demand
except the Commissioner OF Public Works.
Commissioner Daily said yesterday that he did not
believe that the slrert->prinkng corporation would
prove 81 dangerous some persons feared. lost
no time he said lin closing the agreement with III.
company because owing 10 the passage OF the measure
already mach belatcd. Besides Their.
nothing else left for me to do. knew nothing about
the new bill until had advertised for bids under he
former system Of giving out contracts for the forty
eight different sprinhng routes Into which the city
WIS divided. ON April ) ! issued the license pre-
scrbed BY the law the company's agreement 10
pay the city S2s.OOO a year. which was $1,000 or
- 900 more than II had averaged from the several
routes In the last five years, aud their giving n bond
In TlOO.t 90 ndemnfying the city against all loss or
dauuagr.
The company will find II 10 Its own interest not
to attempt AN eAiortonatr schedule Of for street
sprnhlng. II they do | shall call them down very
quickly. Their for sprinling IN front of an
ordinary city lot is III IA month. The trouble Is that
We have had Il dusty season 80 far, and there Is
great deal OF building and street paving going on
which makes the situation worse than usual at this
time OF year II viii take little time To get things
In sap'. bat after that feel sure that the streets
will BE- Sprnklei reasonable price, that complaints
viii cease. and We shall have trouble under
ths head
GXpert accountants who have figured up the prob
able receipts OF the company place its net income
for the first year 100000 and above all out
lay. This Is based upon the old rates OF street
sprinkling IL the prices are advanced the returns
may BE- largely Increased this figure.
one item which VIII be- worked to the fun advan
asc OF the new company Is the cost Of the Crolon
water used for sprnkl.ng. The old companies
obliged TO pay the city for the water which they
used Under the Tammany Webster act Incorporating
the new company II Is held that the latter Is exempt
from this eApen>e the $4,000 promised for IN"
privilege covers all payments due IN. city. The city
under thi, arrangement must furnish all the CrOtDn
which the company wants To take regardless of
quantity the condition Of the water supply.