New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-19
ACCUSING MR.. BRENNAN.
ELIHU ROOT PRESSES THE CHARGES.
MAYOR GILROY CONTINUES THE HEARING
AGAINST HIS COMMISSIONER


The adjourned hearing the City Clubs charges
against Street Commissioner Thomas >. Brennan TOOK
place before Mayor Gilroy yesterday After ii was
the Mayor promised to give his decision on the
question OF Commissioner Brennan's inconlpelehcS
and neglect at early day. lie had listened 10
afdavits and arguments for over four YOURS anu
found In Ids possession several immense volumes OF
documents which he is supposed 20 read through ahc
carefully TO weigh before giving his verdict
The Mayors Office was not visited by such large
number Of people at the hearing OF April To- nut
there sufficient attendance OF respec'aole
publicspirted citizens TO indicate that the people
Of New-YOrk are deeply in earnest on this question
and that the majority of citizens are not believers
In the theory advanced by Colonel Fellows IN his
speech for tie defence that 1t Is not possible 20
have clean streets. Twice In the debate Commits
stoner Brennan gave way to his feehngs-once when
Elhu Root arraigning his lack Of method ana
energy and again when his own COUNSEL John H.
Fellows spoke OF his hard work and domestic ailiio-
ton.
In the absence OF Joseph H. Choate. who was
detained at court Flihu Root appeared for the com
claimants Congressman Fellows represented Mr..
Drehnan and Assistant Corporation Counsel ID. J.
Dean assisted the defendant. W. Harris Roome,
Edmond Kelly and other members of the City Club
sat beside Mr.. Root.
AFFIDAVITS RULED OUT.
The counsel debated the admssiblity of aiidavts
made subsequent to the filing of the charges The
Mr. Dean read Commissioner Brennan's answer.
which covered twentyseven typewriter pages The
charges were grouped under seven heads including
failure and neglect to clean the streets failure to
provide uniformed force. failure to put The block
system In operation, except In a limited area, ana
failure TO embarrassed trucks, carts boxes,
barrels, bales, and other movable property uniaw-
fully upon the public streets or TO take proceedings
to dispose of the provided 10y law.
In dispn,ing the accusation OF culpable neglect OF
reasonable effort TO clean the streets, the oonmiS
sioner asserted that In instance did the atlantis
claim personal knowledge of what WORK was OF was
not done. but these allegations were based upon me
appearance OF the street alone. without any regard
to the conditions of weather prevailing nj the uhe'
the difficulties of removing ashes or doing the oh'r
work OF the department. The Commissioner mace
this touching appeal do most earnestly urge upon
Your Honor as a matter Of fairness toward me lhat
The present charge be considered and disposed
of upon the appearance alone of the streets but that
Your Honor must take into consideration what has
been most carefully ignored throughout the 'htie
mass of papers presented to yOu VIZ, whether OF
not 1t was possible thoroughly TO clean the city al
the period Of about two weeks in the worst Se''o"
of the worst winter have had for years what
means OF acting under my control WHAT ci'"r1N
made TO properly these means; WIN WHAT u'"
entities ! was met. and what efforts have maze 10
overcome them and 10 carry ont to the D'S' Vi NY
ability the duties of my Office
Mr. Brennan took severa, pages to describe IN
weather winter. and TO show how Impossible vs.
for him 10 tfcan the streets satisfactorily ana remove the
snow with an insufficient force, ana indcelui'' sup
ply horses and carts, and Inability to get MS s'r'"s
scows to a toOle furnished by t. b. DUNE I'''"
forecast official OF the United states Weather bureau
was submitted to show that NOR" snow Tell III ''''
nary and February this year than in any five pre-
cedinC Years together. Afdyits from >uperint ni'hl
Anderson. Of the Scow ana Tag Department. ana Ten
OF his tug captains told of the relative dlfcuI;lcs d
getting comparing the record OF t' VIII
preceding years. At 20 time did the Department
have more than 1872 swccpers, though the law al
lowed the maximum Of loo
The Commissioner alleged that he had ried the bloc"
system from July to November /, ls!,2, but iouh1
the result unsatisfactory. Then last ill he had AT
tempted reorganization of the FLOCK system In that
mart of the city from Twelfth to Fty-ninh stS, ana
from river TO river. He gave leach man much
smaller area to clean, though still somewhat to
large for the best work" Harlem he found the
Of the block system impossible.
The Commissioner told how he constantly over
worked. Drawing the weather at all hours Of
the day and night and often TO and a. m. rec M
mencing his supervision at early hour next rnins
so that by March he was suffering from excessive
exertion, and rest absolutely needed. lie
ferred to the loss Of his daughter by death after
long illness and of his enforced absence for rccupr
ton between March aud 30 1t during his ab
seDce under circumstances, lie thought, which ought
to have entitled him to some leniency Of judgment
that these reports appeared.
PRAISE FOR Mr.. BRENNAN.
Colonel Fellows, Mr.. Brennan's counsel submit
ted Of afldavits besides those referred to III
the Letters from citizens f. y. Tlurbcr Colonel
F. X. Hahn, Charles ii. IIaswcl and Others PRAISED
Mr.. Brennan and his Mr.. Gilro; 10 X a appalled,
at the sight Of the huge volume Of testimony lad
before him. 1t II 30 p. m. when Mr.. Dean
finished reading from Mr.. Brennan's documents, The
Mayor urged the counsel to hurry up their argument
TO let him of In time for the reception to IL"
Duke Veragua In the Governors Room al 40 o'cc ck
He requested Mr.. Root to go at once. The latter
wanted a chance 10 be- given to Dr. Chaplin Of he
Academy of Medicine first. The Mayor asked .hc
doctor II he was one of the counsel for the City Club
and he replied in the negative.
Then say what YOU have TO say in an affidavit 50
said the Mayor. Mr. Root then began his argument,
saying:
recognize the excellent and 0mlable qualities #
Mr.. Brennan. and 1t is with regret L share IA,
making any dsagpesblo charges against him. | doubt
that the charges disagrccabe Your Honor who
feels for Mr. Brennan rsonal aud political rcndslip
But it necessary for good citizens take
some measures To have tn statutes enfo ccd in
important part Of The municipal administration.
Mr.. ROOT GIVES EXAMPLES.
Mr.. Root quoted literally from the andayits sup.
porting the city CLUBS ease. continuing:
Here is the statement Of Mr.. Rordan lie
walked up Nnth,c. FROM Fourtecnthst Fntyninth.st
March H. The was Uttered with cans cork
lemons broken glass, boxes. dead cat a horse
broken truck. carrots. piles OF ashes. heaps garblg,
and paper and so
This testimony establishes initial char &c
that the streets Of New-york have not cleaned
that with all boasted prgress In the cleanliness Of
life. which Is said to be eodncss, are
onehs1 civilized. The Commissioner is either Incapable
unwilling. Among the great humber OF who
may tie selected firm this city a
force and enough capacity might be chosen by the
Mayor TO properly clean the streets Both BY the
description words and the demonstration Of
photographs. have we proved that the not
cleaned answer Is what the lawyers cill by
confession and avoidance The adavits deny.
The Commissioner gives no answer - why employe
could not remove a dead dead horse broacn truck
or heap Of ashes other thing streets.
though fallen several weeks before.