New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-15

far as he knew, this bill was 0. k This inus.
have been only part OF the wooster tu na,nrny
Appropriation bill, now before the Assembly
there s contained an item Of $22o'o Tor TINS cor
Germ for furniture. upholstering. stained grass.
windows, draperies, Enclosures etc. 'nah'hs /"
total of SIS3 (1 for work done and materials FUR
nshed by one furniture company oo.ooo =
OF the carpet appropriation, SS..to w was
given to one carpet concern IN Albany WI' n
competition This concern is the A. Il. van Gas
beck COMPANY. This bill was for putting down
carpets In the Assembly Chamber ana Execu,N
Mansion. the Public Works Department ana
nire other rooms In the Capitol. NotWiths'a,nua,
ing the fact that other firms In Albany des,reu
10 bid on this work, they were not perihi'.eu ~
do go The reason for this Is said 70 ne ~ IN, .ne
fact that Van Gasbeek's chief clerk Is a Diothet
in-Iaw Of Superintendent Easton carpet mr.,
who have seen samples OF the carpet iuiii =.
are Of the opinion that some or these ca 81 p.
could be duplicated at great deal sfnaei ,,n
III all could be duplicated at the same PR. e' hos
Ia The Tribune correspondent, the stare nas
paid So 900 to $1,000 In excess or lair pI,e -
this work One local dealer asked lern,,ss s,'o
10 bid for some Of this carpet work anu vac
subsequently, turned down by Easton. VIII s"''
the work to his brother-in-aw'
FINE THING FOR SOME CARPENTERS
Among the moneys paid out on the order OF
SUPERINTENDENT Easton for the Maintenance
Donartment was over $4,000 during the
last sixteen months to one firm OF carpeh-
% one hundred first class carpenter firms IN Al
bany the members OF which arc In many caSee
good stanch Republicans, but none q, ri, ar, Ill
this State work AS matter OF Iact, , Nv f.,
,Ine CORRESPONDENT cannot find an instance III
which any of them other than the one hi'n o'
luded TO- has even been asked 10 piu Oh w. this
Easton's department. The firm which gol tnlS
work Harris e. Herman. Is not very Wen hi'or, -
in Albany having started only Few years aEV.
Charles Herman, of the firm ~ a Denocra ~
politician recently Democratic nominee loi
Alderman. but he is close friend OF f-as,on,
Easton Herman and Turner are frequently seen
together They walk together drive IosetheF
and frequent public places together heI" n
according to local Republicans, a'tsnuS d ~ this
publican primaries in the Sixth Ward OF tn's
CITY Faston's ward and Is active IN aSsiStihb
Easton TO get the delegates and the organIha-
ton Republicans in the ward say mat herIhli
peddles tickets for tastoh delesales' anu ''N''
supplies voters.
Most Of the work done at the Capitol by Har-
ris & Herman. for which Slo,ooo was pa'd' CON
sists of repairs. changing elevator doors. PANT
ing tearing out old pigeonholes and putting IN
new ones. and work of this nature. Which Is al
performed at Washington by the maintenance
force of the Federal Capitol This work was
given TO Harris 81 Herman. as far as can be
learned. without competition, while hundred
so-cslled laborers are down on Easton's payroll
at salaries higher than are paid hrst-class me-
chanics, tc wit, $50 to 1926 a month and these
"1aborers' are practically I'm each others way,
especially when they oil gather about payday,
while a couple OF outside contractors are doing
taxpayers money at the rate Of $1,000 to $4,000
q month.
And this is not the worst Of this particular
line Of State work. Figures furnished by local
contractors who competent to estimate on
this work show that in several instances the
State has been charged for work done by Harris
g. Herman twice az much as n fair and reason
able price This being the case It would seem
only fair to assume, in the absence of any in
formation to the contrary, that the entire
amount Of work done could have been executed
iu1ila
the State OF New-YOrk paid out TO this firm of
carpenters S22jOO or thereabouts in eHcFss oe
what this work could have probably been done
for could legitimate competitor been had.
glance at the items of some OF the bills
rendered by Harris e. Herman. and collected
from the State shows a charge in one instance
OF SOL for a quartered oak and glass partition
in the Senate Postoffice. competent estimate
has been procured and shows that this piece Of
work could be duplicated for less than S3W
partition in the Associated Press room. and one
FOR the United Press. $3.50 each was charged. 4
reliable estimate shows that this work could hc
done at profit for much less a desk was fur-
nshed the Senate finance clerk OF quartered oak
and French plate glass. Harris kernan's bhl
for this desk was $500 Anybody will undertake.
to duplicate that piece of work for 81, and
make profit or It. Two large chartered oak
veneered doors between the Sneakers public
room and the Speakers private ~, room we re
charged for at the rate Of SlIo. These can. he
duplcated for less than $50. CHARTERED OAK
spindle bulkheads charged for az over SJ'o can
bc DUPLICATED, according 10 an estlinate iut-
nished for less than SOD
In other warrants issued to Harris x Herman.
which purported TO be Cor work done Under Eas-
ION are several items in which the latitude for
ovceeslve charges is immense. For instance, on
October l. 1896 a warrant was issued 10 thein
for miscellaneous repairs for lS30 OF S',fo- -
Another warrant of June ~. 1896. was for con-
structing eases etc So G3S 30 Another Of Apri!
% 1896 alterations and repairs in various offices,
81 SSS 90 Among the other vouchers OF Harris
&, Herman 1t is found that in Decembe" lN.b'
they got 81 J01 G. for taking out old p'geon-holes
and replacing then with new ones; also che large
table oOxJ feet with cupboard and shelves be-
low also Two ladders: for new pigeon-holes in tho
Senate document room. in place OF old ones. and
Twenty-Five desks with drawers. Sl.24l ~; for re-
pairs unpacking furniture and hanging pictures
at Executive Mansion S3Sl: for pigeon hole cases
IN Court Of Claims S3GI for quarered oak
boolcas e for Superintendent Eastons Office 800
WHAT WILL THEY DO ABOUT 1T?
To sum up. this condition OF affairs confronts
the Governor and the Senate: The sum of Sob
POI was paid out by the Controller on the war
rants Of the Superintendent Of Public Buildings
TO maintain his department for the year ending
September so 1896 In addition 70 this sum.
hill Is pending in the Assembly known AS
semblv Bill No $40. introduced by Mr. Nixon.
appropriating the sum Of SSo.oD for unusual
aiteratjons repairs changes and improvements
in the public buildings and for deficiency now
oxisting in the appropriation for core. cleaning.
labor lighting services and other necessary ox-
penscs Of the department
To this must he added items IN the Deficiency
SUNNY bin Assembly No. 1916). the sum Of
go, M for the y. w. Wooster Furniture Com
non,. which was expended last year by MIR
roeton. also the sum Of S+.JSO, for William r.
Walsh for plumbing and ventilatng system at
Geological Hall. and you nave as the total ex-