The sun., 1896-02-03
REFORM IN CITY CARPETS.
YOU 90 UP TO HARLEM wow AND
BUY OF AN ANTI-PLATT FIRM.

Judee Lawrence Had to-Ouo or the Firm
just Made Commissioner OF Charities
For Window Shades 60 co Two Fo-
I,t,eai MiddIemen-SS SStb District Painting.
Tho Mayor did not pretend to cover in the
first chapter OF his serial message TO the AL
dermen all the reforms accomplished by the
municipal administration in the year 1906.
lie did not for instance. tell how the Bureau
Of Repairs and Supplies In the Department Of
public Works had changed the whole system
formerly In vogue there for the upbuildinR Of
the Mholand Brookhed faction OF the Re-
publican party. In fact, he said nothing about
the administration OF the Public Works De-
rartment In his first message, and is engaged
in writing an addendum TO that message In
which he will treat of that subject. He may
embody the following story which has to do
with the Bureau Of Repairs and Supplies:
Many years ago. in fact before Tammany
Hail came into control Of the municipal ad
ninis,ration there was much scandal about
vhnt we're known as 5000 contracts" The
law requires that whenever che amount Of
money involved in municipal contract is
81 900, or In excess thereof, the contract shall
not be let without advertising and a public
comrettion. This little provision of the Con-
.olidation act was evaded by cutting up work
into sections and giving these sections to favored
contractors-the amount involved in every
case being less than 81 ,OO0 In their effort to
spend the 81 .OO0, 900 appropriation of 1899
as rapidly as possible to relieve the prevailing
distress the Park Commissioners Of that year
did something Of this Sort and got into trouble.
The Bureau Of Repairs and Supplies was one
which used to furnish these small contracts In
the old days, and it is said that the present
Commissioner OF Public Works. Gen. Coils.
and his superintendent OF repairs and supplies
have learned the trick.
An example OF this which has been called to
the attention OF Comptroller Fitch is fur
nished in the painting and refurbishing pcner-
ally of the interior of the City Hall. This has
rcen going on from time to time for a year.
First it was committee room than was
other rooms, recently the dome. and the cell
ings generally. The same contractor has
done the work, and tho amount to Sc paid paid him
aggregates considerably more than 81 ,00O but
divided, ,s il has been into several jobs, IL was
not necessary to advertise for bids. The con-
tractor is a Twenty fifth district Republican.
This is hut one instance of the sort. and It is
SAID that there are many which have been
called to the notice of the Comprpe
forpe.s for ei,rpe,s cts furnished by the Bureau Of
business at 90 East 125th street The members
e Croft hs and i' Frank D. Croft The @ first named is
the anti Platt Republican leader in the Thir-
ty first ltlarlcm) Assembly district, and was
tharities by Mayor Strong. When the Board
II Charities organized he was elected Presi-
acnt.
section 80 of the Consolidation act prohibits
Charity Commissioner from having any in
S Sna the so5 ar
any carpets through Capt. Graham's bureau and
bis appointment; but II ia said that carpets
By the house OF Croft. But Croft. according to
Capt. Graham. withdrew " from the firm of
P5o S1I. wsee e ss
his brother in control Of the business. Until
he was appointed. Silas G. Croft. Brookfeld
bought by the reform city Government Prior
to the Of the aa
Arnold, Ar I'D % Constable & Co.. Lord & Taylor. and
some Of the best @ known dealers in the city: and
S's n Ta' %sh', the van
ihe Thrtcth district, became Superintendent
Of Repairs and Supplies. all were referred to
This rule even extended to tho Justices of
the supreme Court: By the change in the
Judiciary system which went into effect on
in the old County Court House for new parts
OF the Supreme Court. These rooms needed
renee was delegated BY the justices to select the
before and had selected the carpets at sioane's
1oas n Of Pabio for the % @
carpet store Of the. Republican leader up in
Harlem. The Judge demurred. but Capt.
Graham insisted that II he was to PICK out car
chat is where the city ID buying them now. Tho
Judge went up to Crofts' and selected the car.
reached the Comptroller's office yet: It is un-
derstood, though. that the amount INVOLVED is
Sl pairs and Supplies is ca caraful not to Violate the
,s shant ssS anything @ about t. this is,I matter" att,
porter at the He'll Gate Republican Club in
East Eishty;,sixt street yesterday. THE re-
and beach and myself are most cordial. and
l don't see why 1 should discuss this matter.
oEs did this sy sb It
as they used to; Why. get carpets for the
they were ever bought before. Lord d Tay.
lor used to charge sl.27ls yard. get them
, What's the object Of this inqgRiry2 I'm in in:
Sssn TIE has
sasl; ssSsae Io gs e ID Be ns ns2ns s
before he was appointed. We don't make any any
Is shnd hs tSns nf might it, What
satisfy the people II they are ge citing their sup
plies cheaper now than they used to-"
ham brought out the fact that Judge Beach
han been delegated by the other Justices to
select window shades for the court rooms. This
talk about the supply Of window shades under
Capt Graham's administration. For many
years the city has been supplied with shades by
a man named Flessell. Since Capt. Graham
took charge of the department a partnership.
friends of the anti Platt element. has dealt
with the city. but it is alleged that the new
firm had no plant, and had to buy of Fuessell.
When the reporter asked Capt. Graham about
this story yesterday he replied very sharply:
You'd like TO know the name of those two
men. would your Well, you wait"