New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-02
THE FIGURES STILL GROW.
RROOKLYN'S NEW POLICE COURT WILL,
COST $4,000. AT LEAST.
ONE BILL ALONE OVER $1,000 MORE THAN THy
ENTIRE FIRST EsTIMATE-wIIY THE APP.


ONE BILL ALONE OVER $1,000 MORE THAN THl
ENTIRE FIRST EsTIMATE-wnY THE APP.
PEAL WAS MADE TO Albany.
The extent to which contractors control public
affairs in Brooklyn Is again disclosed by the revela.
tions regarding the reittng Of the police court
NJ MYRTLE and Vanderbilt ayes. The City Works De-
partment bad plans and sp fcations drawn, and
estimated that the work wout cost $500. The
work was done without competition by favored con,
tractors and their bills amount to four times this sum-
Alderman A. J. Heaney, chairman OF the Aldermanic
committee I'm charge OF the work. said that the bills
would not be q cent less than $4,000, intmating
that the total would be more. One bill alone, that
~ John McKeefrey, for the mason and iron work,
amounts to S1O,964. The bills for the other work
arc not made public but John II. Kelly did the car
penter work. plumbing and painting; Philip Dauf q
70 mt In the steam heating, and John Mullins sup.
piled the furniture
Tho city has owned the building for twenty five
wears and 1t long used "a police station. When
the new Fourth Precinct Police station built In
CIosson-are the old building formerly occupied u
station was left untenanted. When Police Justice
u,p9ertv was appointed a courtroom needed for
him and II was decided convert the old structure
into a courtroom. There fol the ground
floor and this made over into real-esate ONCE
which the city rents for 5000 year. The court
room Is on the second floor
The Aldermanic Committee went ahead with the
authority existed to do this. When the bill OF Nc.
Keefrey was sent to the Aldermen in December last
Il was ordered paid. But the Mayor found that there
was no authority TO have the work done, and the
resolution was rescinded Then the Legislature
appealed to- and this amendment to the act providing
for the new Police Justices was passed:
section l. Section ] OF Chapter AZ OF the Laws Of
1892 entitled, An act 70 PROVIDE ior the salary o.
the police justices OF the Cry OF Brooklyn appointed
under the provisions OF chapter 200 Of the Law. Of
1891 and to provide the mean OF hiring and ntung
up courtroOms for said Justices Is hereby amended
Section l. Tie salary Of the police Istiees in tn:
CITY of Brooklyn appointed under me p.Svislons %
Iso5 and tho expense Of hiring and lifting up court
rooms for said justices shall be paid from me
rooms may be done without advertising for bids
therefor, and the expense thereof whsn properly
audited and when approved by the Mayor, Con.
troller and Auditor, shall be paid by the treasurer
Th, l-gsnized the Illegal action but the question
whether the city has received fair amount OF work
for tho money remains TO BE- settled. Mayor Body
and Auditor Weber visited the courtroom month
ag, and had the engineer drew the plans examine
the work The engineer found that several hundred
wards more plasterng had been done we're charged
for The CITY Works Department then decided that
the engineer should be called upon 10 act as an
expert in the City Auditor Weber said yes
terday
Il intend to employ experts to look over the build
ing carefully and estimate the fairness OF the charges
even ~ have to pay them myself. l intend there
shall DO no mistake in the matter. The Mayor and
/ visited the building IA month ago. There Is nice
real estate Office the first noor tlat rents ior
$500 a year The tenant pays the rent 10 Police
Justice Iaggerty and the Controller refuses 10 re-
c,iye the money In that way, saying IL Should DC
maid to officials at the City Hail. The original amount
set apart for the fitting and furnishing OF me build
ing was So 800. But 1t l. very nicely ntted up
rather too nicely for courtroom, should say
Mayor Body said that improper bill would 30
maid and that the bills had been sent back 10 Dc
first passed by the Auditor, and later TO come before
the special commission.
Alderman Hcaney said yesterday that the amended
act was drawn In the Law Department or the city.
He denied that there Columbian business IN
the NATTER as the bills all tented. lie added
that II he was In the place OF the contractors, 10
would sue for his money.