New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-05
A FIRE BOARD INTESTIG ATJON.
SUPERINTENDENT SMITHS DEPARTMENT UNDER
CLOSE EXAMINATION.

SUPERINTENDENT SMITHS DEPARTMENT UNDER
CLOSE EXAMINATION
Al a special meeting OF the Board OF Fire Commits
sioners yesterday afternoon Commissioner Sheffield
turned to ex-Commssloner Robbins a receipt
for moneys. bonds and other properties belonging TO
the Relief Fund up to June g. 1896 This settled tho
controversy which begun Tuesday between
Commissioner Ford and ex-Commlssioner Robbins.
The against J. Elliott Smith. superintendent
of the Telegraph Bureau. and since December. 1885.
the purchasing agent Of that department. was then
taken up According to the experts statement there
was item of $ol3 which. had Superintendent
Smith used proper discretion and judgment, might
have been saved to the Board
superintendent Smith submitted statement in
reply in which he maintained that in many instances
n had not only effected a saving his department,
but that also on the experts own figures, taking
the market price OF his purchases standard, his
excess OF expenditures had been only 1854
long report the telegraph signal boxes OF the
city was also submittcd by Edward L. Callahan. the
expert appointed by the Board TO examine and re-
pert The report showed that Pearce signal boxes
had been placed at different points all the city
and that while they connected with the city
circuit ne city received payment for the same.
President IaGrange said 1T was found that from
1880 TO 1000 buildings, whore many persons are
employed or congresatc. in this city. were liable
under the 10 be ordered by the Board of Fire
Commissioners to make direct connections with fire
headquarters in Sixty-seventh-st. Such connections
had been made or were being made by Frederick
Pearce. who had leased some wires from the Subway
Commissiy ners. and was able to make the connec-
tons required Before the wires put underground
his charge was about Sl2 a year for each
After they put underground the price
raised TO s4 and in some instances $3.50 year for
this service.
owners of property 10 make the connections re-
quired by law. shortly after Mr. Pearce or his rep
resentat.ve would cal. upon the and offer to
SS0 Ii he failed make a contract with Pearce
he got a notice from the attorney Of the Fire De
partment informing the owner OF the liability TO
penaiy The cost OF CONNECTING ZOO OF these piaees
coo The cost to contractors would be not to ex-
agreed upon So that outlay of $1,000 made
ceve an income of more than 100000 long tie
Board OF Fire Commissioners should enforce the
Ex-Commissoner Robbins inquired II this was
SO immensely prohtabe WY ony about Two roI hIn
that there seemed to be limit to human audacity.
compelling one class of citizens to comply and ex,
empting another class OF citizens, club was placed
in the hands OF the Fire Board for they had the
power &c tax citizen an amount equal to the
interest on 5000 ard exempt his neighbor. -. ,,,s
investigation an effort was made by Mr.. Pearce TO
tarnper with the man selected by the Board as an
President La Grange replied: That action was
likely 10 excite suspicion on the part OF the COM
The reading Of Mir. Callahan's report was then
continued 1t stated mat the extra pdyroiI OF ouPei
intendcnt Smiths department has been running Tor
four years or more at the rate OF 500 a day. and
includes a weighmaster storekeeper instrument
maker. linemen cleaners, etc The extra roll Is so
regular that many of the same men continue
through the entire period. This statement Of facts
suggests the following question: Why have such
= weighmaster. cleaners etc. been carried on
the telegraph payroll? Why has work done the
Underground cable construction been carried this
extra payroll rather than under it, proper heading.
the cost OF paying electrical work underground?
The effect Of this manipulation Of payrols has been
reduce falsely the apparent cost OF the telegraph
department, 10 reduce and conceal the OF un-
derground work and to increase the apparent cost OF
apDarafus and supplles"