New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-06
COLLIS REPLIES TO THE MAYOR
THE GENERAL MAKES A STATEMENT RE-
GARDING THE WORK UNDER HIMSELF
AND HIS PREDECESSOR.

AND HIS PREDECESSOR.
As Mayor Van wyck was about to take his seat
at a meeting of the Board OF Estimate and Appor-
tionment in his office yesterday he read the follow
ing letter which he had received:
Mayor OF the City OF New-York
Sir: concede your right as the Executive OF this
WHO'S Games TO TO YOUR fnowiedge and as Citizen
will commend you for IT; but II Directly or by IN
To- ySu GIVE p se 10 NV Tse T b are the
possible course. CHARLES II. T. COILS.
Some of the members OF the Board seemed to
think General Coils meant personal violence. but
the Mayor said;
Regardless OF the threat contained in this letter
from Mayor Strong's Commissioner OF Public
Works. the present Mayor Of New-York VIII con.
in the old Department Of Public Works and In ref
ciaiiy before him
ct-Attorney Gardiner was not ready yester-
day to give any information as TO the time when
the reports Of the Commissioners Of Accounts re-
garding alleged frauds in the former Department
of Public Works might be laid before the Grand
jury Several Tammany officials said yesterday
that they doubted II any person would be indicted
on account Of faults discovered in the management
Of the Department while General Coils was the
Commissioner.
General Coils last evening sent TO the newspapers
a. long statement 10 show that he had reduced 'ne
cost Of paving streets with asphalt during MS al
ministration OF the Department of Public Works
about 30 per cent from the cost OF such pavements
under Tammany administrations. Numerous cases
are cited to show that the Tammnny ofncials Iala
inferior asphalt pavements at from s. ~ TO IS ~ a
square yard. while General Coils secured the laying
of better pavements at from & a 20 6 q square
yard long list Of streets and avenues paved
with asphalt is contained in General Cos's state
ment He says that 'the Tammany Hall pouitce
pavement Eighth-ave. from Thirteenth 10 Fifty
ninth St. which cost s. "a a square YARD, win
straw bail guarantee Of maintenance Tor hiteeh
- hod IN hA
great expense" AS a remarkable comparison Gen
oral Coils states that Tammany Hall paved the
west side Of the Boulevard from Ninety-second-st.
10 One Observation-Disclosures. In 1888 at cost OF
&c S. square yard, while he paved the east side OF
the same avenue IN 1896 at cost Of s. IS square
yard Other parts Of General Cos's statement
are the following:
During Mayor Strongs Administration about go
900 900 spent by the Public Works Depart
ruent. There are people high in office whose edtt
cation training and associations are such that they
it for gTed Of W 5ns %Sg hg
can't ind II out :. If the charge is true mat at
the price paid for asphalt is TOO high what snail ir 9e
office when prices were 80 per cent higher? 10
compare prices with those paid by other cities
acy similar and the guarantee Of maintenance is
for precisely the same term OF yeaIs no a
cuse anybody Of dishonesty I leave such business
to ysa P pfe Mr. van WycSs political
conie and he has , better 6 oPpor
As to the generaties INDUCED In by the Com
rrissioners of Accounts. they are not worth con-
sheraton ! have every confidence In the lnteg-
rIty of the management OF the water Depuip5ei a
the Bureau OF the CrotOn Aqueduet. the bureau
OF Repairs and Supplies and the Water furve e
and rs TO the matter OF vault permits ! believe
nv deputy. Mr.. Wilds, collected more revenue from
this source than had been collected IN me previous
zen wears Moreover, put an END 10 the N
famous and Illegal practice Of permitting private
vaults 10 be extended beyond the curb line.
MI BrookAeld and retained all the bookkeepers
We fo,1nd in The department and believe them to
have been thoroughly honest - <.
II the Commits sioners of Accounts had any facts
upon which they could base a charge OF malieas-
ance against an officer of the previous ADMINS
tration they would not hesitate just at TINS time
TO make them known, and, being quasl-JuaiciaaI
BODY they have right TO be paradns thelr
ex parte opinions in reeard 10 people, motives un
less they have the evidence upon winch 10 base
them. -. -. 5000 blvd
have plenty OF ammunition OF the same Kihd'
but prefer 70 reserve II Tor q future Occasoh.