New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-15
sTATEFUNDS THROWN AWAY
AMAZING EXTRAvAGANCE IN EAsTONs
DEPARTMENT.

TIE ALBANY PUBLIC BUILDINGS AS 1T DOES
TO KEEP UP THE NATIONAL CAPITOL
Albany. April II (SpeciaD.-By an overwhelm-
ing majority the Republican members OF the
Senate to-day rallied in defence Of fraud and dis
honesty, and deliberately placed themselves in
the way Of an investigation that pi omised to lay
bare as unsavory scandals as anything unearthed
by the papier mache ceiling inquiry of few.
years ago No more humilating spectacle has
been witnessed since this machine-rdden Legis
lature began its annual task than that presented
by thrty-two Senator'S. nearly all Republicans
ranging themselves at the crack of the whip
on the side of the Albany gang which. according
10 the undisputed evidence presented by repu-
table witnesses is squandering upward Of $780,
600 belonging to the people of New-York. OF
the entire Republican list. only one man. Senator
Pavey, had the courage and honesty to utter
protest against this wicked and stupid policy
which is certain to prove disastrous to the party
in this State
AN UNEXAMPLED GRAB
The trouble began this afternoon Senator
Pavey's resolution to discharge from further con-
sideration of the matter the Finance Committee,
which has apparently been trying for a month
TO smother the investigation of Barnes's man,
Easton. Superintendent of the State Depart
ment Of Public Buildings. With some features
Of this wretched mess the public is familiar, but
many of the striking facts in the case have
never been set forth at length The job of
ing for the Capitol and other State buildings
here given to Platts young man Barnes by
Governor Morton two years ago The purpose
Of the gift to enable Barnes to keep Albany
County in line for the Boss. so that the roll
call in the State conventions might begin au-
epiciously.
A lieutenant Of Barnes. one Frederick p. Eas-
ton, was put in charge. and since then the Capt.
tol has been managed in a way that makes the
days OF Hill and Murphy a period of
form and retrenchment. There is nothing like
It in Albany history About one-third of the
force employed in the Capitol at Washington
should be amply sufficient to manage it. but
where the National Legislature spends about
S1S0.O00 to maintain its buildings. the State of
New-York spends nearly twice tha. amount, or,
IN other words, it is ony question Of a very
short time before half a million dollars will he
expended annually If Mr. Barnes is allowed to
have his way.
SOME STARTLING ITEMS.
In the report of Controller Roberts made to the
Legislature on January 1t was shown that
account Of Superintendent Easton's department.
This amount was largely in excess Of that paid
out the previous year. S295 221. and of two years
before. S232, O9S. The principal headings Of these
expenditures were Payroll for the year ending
September 80. 1896 S1S6,912 81: supplies, S75,-
15o 30 for new elevators and repairing old ee-
vators. S11 800 12; repairs for the Executive
Chamber and other departments, and for the
various rooms and offices where necessary, and
for carpets and furnishings for Senate and AS
sembly Chambers and cleaning and renovating
carpets now in use S11 .342 80: services and ex-
penses Of clerks. draughtsmen and repairs i'm
provements and erecting State buildings other
than the new Capitol. 500 7O5 10: water-closets
for Railroad Commission and repairs. So 151 26
Comparing the expenditures of the Depart
ment Of Public Buildings Of 1896 with the year
previous. 1t is found that in 1895 for new eleva-
tors and repairing old ones the State paid ST.
997 "a. Thus the total cost for two years for
this purpose was 500 900 46 or several thousand
dollars in excess Of the cost Of a complete new
elevator system throughout. In 1895. according
TO the Controllers report. Mr.. Easton expended
for carpets and furnishings in the Senate and
Assembly chambers. the Court Of Appeals rooms
and other offices, and for cleaning and renovatng
carpets in use, s. 433 SO. Add this TO the amount
purported TO have been expended in 1896 and you
have a totel cost for carpets. etc. in Senate
and Assembly chambers and other offices Of
S16776 3S in two years.
Under the heading of services and expenses OF
clerks. draughtsmen and improvement in the
State buildings other than the new Capitol for
which 500 7O5 IL was expended last year. the
Controllers books show that the year before
So, 73O Ga was paid out for precisely the same
work. or a total in two years Of S29435 20, and
yet no new buildings have been erected for the
State in Albany which would call for the ex
penditure of any money in this direction.
Under the heading of water-cosets for Rail-
road Commission. Adjutant Generals office, etc.
for which So 151 26 is charged up in 1896 the
sum of SIS, 500 91 spent in the year previous
Thus 1t cost the State $11.742 II for plumbing
etc, in two years. No less than S619S S5 was re-
ported to have been expended In 1896 for
pairs alterations. improvements and drainage
for the Executive Mansion. In 1895 S20,1S1 20
Of the peoples money was spent under the same
head making a total of $263 60 for two years
for repairing, plumbing and drainage at the
Executive Mansion. or more than one-half what
the entire building cost TO erect.
SIGNIFICANT COMPARISONS.
The National Capitol is an immense structure
several times larger than the Capitol at Albany
and yet the cost Of lighting heating, furnishing
and maintaining it is only about one-half the
sum paid ou, for similar purposes by the New
York State Department Of Public Buildings for
the year ending September 80, 1896. The force
Of employees at Washington Is made up OF 129
persons. which includes forty-nine members of
the Capitol police force, and the total cost OF
maintenance. including this police force. was
last year S1S0.S4s. This includes all supplies
lighting, etc. the payroll amounting TO S11IS4o
The average monthly payroll is thus $3.50 Be
low will be found a lew figures to show what the
payroll Of the State buildings at Albany have
been for a few months under Easton's manage
ment.
.0,r weeks ending Septen,er SI65lO 43