New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-19
CROTON WATER STOLEN.
INSTANCES OF MAINTAINING DlsCoV
COVERED.
INVESTIGATION BY THE WATER REGISTER
oFFIcE-THE CASES IN THE HANDS OF

INVESTIGATION BY THE WATER REGISTERS
oFrrcE-rnE CASES IN THE HANDS OF
THE CORPORATION COUNSEL"
A report was circulated yesterday In which an
explanation Of why Tammany was geher''' -"
vored by the support OF the Dig brewers an" ~
many other large manufacturers was gwen ~
was said TO be because while in control OF the city
government. Tammany officials allowed these large
ussrs Of water to tap the municipal Croton main
and helm themselves The result was great saw
ing to brewers and others in the way OF water
rents and correspondng!y large con'rio"''o"' y.
Tammany's corruption fund at election ume' INC
officer In charge Of the collection OF wafer ie"''
and the supervision OF water mains Is water hes
lister Columbus O. Johnson. who succeeoeo 'osep"
Riley the Tammany official. soon after Con''n'S'
soner Brookneld assumed the direction OF the De-
partment OF Public Works. last March, MT JUN"
son. I'm reply to questions. said yesterday;
THE story about the brewers and others being
allowed by Tammany officials to tap the CITY
mains and use Croton water without PAYNE ~, "
did not emanate from this office. have SAID tna'
7 discovered in MAY last that large manufacturer
lrot a brewer however, using much more
water than the city being paid FOR. ana on ""-
covering the mains found that the cohce'" "a'
stealing water from the city through two-nch
nine connected with the main. DO not care "
mention the name OF the concern. because the Case
ct a,so found that nve uptown dwelling houses
owred nv man prominent in Tammany Hall were
.unnIied with water mostly by means OK three-
quarter inch pipes which tapped the city's mains
Tho water bills Of these houses were so rdicuousiy
.nou that nv attention was called 10 them. THESE
=, also are in the hands Of the Corporation Couh
sci.
"When took charge OF this office FOUND It 70 DC
| IN a most demoralized condition. Many OF the en-
ployes did about they pleased The oooks were ia
an awful state and have not been able 10 get
them straightened out even yet Many water o'HS
vet unpaid date back three years
"The water receipts for the third quarter OF this
| wear exceed the receipts for the corresponding
ouarter last year by s43Soo 1t Is only fair 70 say
that this Is partly due to the Increased NUMBER OF
buildings recurring water and to the collection OF
arrears.
| There Is no doubt that much water Is even now
he,rg stolen at many places in the city. but have
| established a system OF investigation ana tests
| which will uncover whatever fraud may exist
| In many cases think the proprietors themselves
| are not aware that their establishments are sup
| p;Ied with water in way particularly dishonest
| The tappIng Is done by engineers and other en-
poyes who dread being called to account Tor large
water bills
1.-THE big breweries below the Harlem River use
Goa water and water from artesian wells Tor coohne
their pipes and for cleaning and otner purpo9ses
| which lessons their Croton water expenses. lnest
brewers use Croton only In the actual manulactuss
| ~ beer II is different with the brewers on tne
North Side They cannot 20 readily supiy mem
selves with sea water ana cv The empta
flons OF the latter In this respect are tnereIots
| greater than those OF the brewers on Mahha''a'
Chief Engineer Brdsa said that no reports s.s OF
stealing by pGe%ers t or who for many
| was counsel to most OF the big New-forA ore"e'S
| said that the story was absurd