New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-27
NOT AN ASSESSMENT; OH, NO.!
TESTTNONIAL FOR BROWER.
VOLUNTARY" CONTRIBUTIONS ASKED OF
BROOKLYN PARK employees.

TIT, FoREMEN ARE MADE COLLECTORS OF
FIND TO Br,Y A PRESENT FOR THE RETIR-
ING COMMISSIONER AND HIS DEPUTY
OTHER ABUSES.
The employees of the Park Department of
Brooklyn. including the police officers, received
their pay yesterday. At the same time official
notice was given to the foremen In charge OF the
laborers that movement was on foot to buy
p handsome testimonial for Park Commissioner
George V. Brewer and his deputy Marvin J.
Cross. who will retire from office on February
l. II was intimated to these foremen that the
men under them might be pleased TO subscribe
to SO worthy an object. or course. gifts would
be entirely voluntary. There would be no com
pulsion. The contributions would not be
assessments but spontaneous evidences or the
respect. esteem end gratitude felt for the COM
missioner and his deputy by the men.
or course every one understands what such
voluntary" gifts are. Their exact nature ~
especially clear in view OF the methods when
have hitherto prevailed In this department or
the Brooklyn municipality. Before the election,
last November this assessment business was re-
duced TO the exact basis OF an income tax.
Sergeants Of the park police had to pay $40;
patrolmen IS, and laborers s. or less. The
collector Of the Brooklyn ring established
temporary headquarters In the basement or
the old Li,chfeld mansion, In Prospect Park,
which contains the administrative offices or the
department. AS the laborers received their
50 for their last weeks work on the first
floor they filed into the storeroom below and
turned in several dollars to the representative
of the BOSS" Mclaughlin Democracy.
LESS OPEN THIS TINE.
Fortune did not favor the politicians yesterday
as # had on the previous occasion. In the first
place. the subject OF gifts to the retiring com
missioner and his deputy was broached few
davs aco by John De Wolf the general super
in;enden, - the Park. his clerk Robert Flynn.
aiding In spreading the Intelligence among those
on the payroll. such A. have been identified with
ring" interests simulated Intense enthusiasm
This WAS especially true of the two foremen,
Mclaughlin and philips. who made themselves
conspicuous on November last by electioneering
buslly. their Park Department badges prom!-
ncn'ly displayed
Among many u the ninety policemen, however,
the suggestion aroused great Indignation. COM
~ 'ss!oaer Erowcr has been far from popular
with The men IN his department. Those VINO
dp not fear that they Will 20 ont w.tn hlm NJ"
heartily glad that his term expires on February J.
among jhc police. therefore. there was storm of
objection 10 giving any money 10 buy a silver
yc~v!re or ANYTHING c,es FOR M"ssrs Brewer and
Cross The men could not be in:imidaf"d now
as thcv were before election. for the department
Will soon De In tho chlrg. II Frank Squier whom
Mayor Schicren appointed 10 succeed Mr. hroWeE'
There was therefore NJ great hood oI cohtrlDu-
t!ons from THIS source
LhHpHEHs LIKELY TO GIVE
7, IS likely that the returns from the laborers
WI be greater, although the foremen did not
,o.y tol from "a . man as he received his pay.
,.. han ha falff
and can be more easily c1crced into giving.
Thcv know that Mr. Brewer - going out Of Office.
but they DO not know this OF the foreman. who
is their immediate superior. He. after ALL IL the
nan whose favor they must curry. lie x j. who
can discharge thcm His requests for "vplrn-
tary" contributions are therefore likely 20 prove
effective In many instances. These are hard
times even for those who still draw their wages.
as nearly all have relatives ont of work whom
they must help.
Mr. squler. when he assumes control OF the
department. viii have rich field FOR investiga-
tlon ard reform. The payroll contains more
names than 1t ever did before at this time OF
year. II IS customary to increase the iorcr III
the spring. "a there Is NOR" work To be done
than in the wlnter But in former years a
number of employees were allowed 70 90 In the
fall II was found that Will" 800 men were
needed In the hot months. 800 were enough In
the winter Last spring the usual Increase in
the force was made. but no men have since been
cut OF.
or course they all nad 10 De kept until c.'V-
ton Day. that their votes would be cast
against the cause Of reform. but the number
OF employees still continues as large as ever.
About nfy men have been put on half time
since Election Day. Mr.. Brewer had large
appropriation for tho year. and he has seen that
os many as possible Of the ring adherents
have been looked after.
THE MERRY 60 ROUND SCANDAL.
The merry-eo-round - another feature Of
Prospect Park to which the new commissioners
attention should be directed. The ostcnsibe
Ioss.es Of this arc a man named Rockford. who
Is a tlckct-taker at Brooklyn theatre. and
another named Weldon who Is a blacksmith
In the Park Department. The real manager and
uroprictor seems TO bc JEFF Nevns. whose
brother. Thomas r Nevins Is the chief engineer
OF the Brooklyn Fire Department.
This amusement was conducted In most out
ragcous fashion last summer Persons OF ques-
tinnablc character were much In evidence On
SUNDAYS the machine was kept running until
10 y. m: the crowd was large and noisy. lfut
the park police received specific orders not To
disturb the diaOrdcrly jewellers unless they be-
came unruly and the aid Of the officers was
invoked by Nevlns
Commissioner Brewer has acted In question
able taste I'm extending until April. 1895. the
lcas. ~ George Miller to the various restau-
rants In Prospect Park. For the use Of the
picnic-house. the old farmhouse. the flower
Garden restaurant. and. in the skating season. of
part of the hoathousc. Miller pays to the city
only 500 n year 1t is not In evidence that
there has been any public competition for the
privilege. and indeed there are those who say
that several times $500 could easily be obtained
for the lease for one year.
Another act OF the retiring Commissioner
which has excited criticism was his eagerness
to tie up his successors hands much as posi-
bic. He arranged that the proposals FOR build
Ing an iron fence around Bedford Park should
be opened on the last day Of his term, so that
Mr. SauIer should not have the awarding OF
the contract
JOHN j. VAIL SURRENDERS HIMSELF