New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29
LARGE DEFICIENCY SHOWN.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN NEED
OF MONEY.

MR. EAsTON TELLS OF INCREASED En-
PENprruRE-PRoBABLE REQUEST OF
THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
rsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Albany. Jan 2S-The trustees Of public build
ings for the year 1895. Ex-Governor Black Lieu
tenant Governor Woodruff and ex-Speaker
OGrady. have reason 10 feel annoyed that they
hannened N be in charge Of the Department OF
Public Buildings for that year. since apparently
the Legislature will Immediately have TO make
a special appropriation Of over S2oOOpO to pay
the DEPARTMENTS expenses until the beginning
OF the fiscal year on October ]. and the cir
cumstance that this deploreble result was
caused mainly by the fact that the Legislature
did not make sufficiently large appropriations
for its support will not much lessen ther
chasrn. Certainly. Ex-Governor BACK Is en-
titled to the credit OF cutting down tremendously
the swollen payroll Of the Department OF PUB
lie Buildings. ana 1t can be fairly said that most
Of the debts which the Legislature Of 1899 VIII
now pay were not Of his mourning or those IN
Cured by his fellow-trustees Of Public Build
ings, but were imposed upon him by former
Legislatures or other State departments
Frederick Easton, the Superintendent OF PUP
lie Buildings. who Is the executive officer OF the
Trustees OF Public Buildings. stated to-day that
fiscal year. which b,gan on October l. last. is
already exhausted. That is, in four months OF
the fiscal year the sum of money appropriated
for the maintenance Of the Department by the
Legislature for 1898. namely. $4,000. was ex-
pended and now the Legislature Of 1879 must
appropriate money for its support Tor the re-
naming eight months Of the year. Mr.. Easton
does not concede that the Department Of Public
Buildings requires as much as 100000 but
does state that It needs at least $1,000 I'M
medlatcly.
PROBABLE REQUEST FOR AID.
According t. his statement Harry II. Bender.
the new Superintendent Of Public Buildings. who
will assume Office on Wednesday, is seeking to
obtain 100000 from the Legislature to pay
the expenses Of the Department Of Buildings
for the eight months 10 which reference has
been made Mr.. Bender also. according 10 Mr..
Easton, is seeking TO increase the annual ap-
preparation for the support OF the Department
from $4,000 70 S22J.OD.
The deficiency OF the Department OF Public
buildings" said Mr.. Easton to-day. is caused
by the neglect Of the Legislature TO make sufil-
Client appropriations for It's support and also by
the circumstance that unlooked-for expenditures
on behalf Of the Department have been neces-
sary for which the Legislature OF lsJS maze no
provision When l became superintendent OF
Public Buildings in 1895 | found that the bad
habit had grown Of not making suflclent appro-
nriations for the support OF the Department
There might be money appropriated for new
srrnories or new canal bridges, but never enough
for this Department and as consequence we
had to into debt Last year / vent peIure
the Legislature OF 1898 and asked for an appro-
nr,ation Of 100000 for the maintenance OF the
public buildings in Albany. 1t was met WIN
refusal. and the Appropriation was put al floO,
600 as usual promise was made. however
that the deficiency which was bound to come
would be met by the Legislature presume
my appropriation, Ike that OF otner Dep az.
ments which will have deficiency Dills' was hePt
low in order 10 keep down the State tax rate. II
being a year when there was TO DE No'e'"''
elected.
UNwoNTED EXPENSES ALLEGED.
Hardly had the Legislature adjourned when,
/ on June !. the Capitol Commissioner Isaac G'
/ Perry. started over six thousand electric hghts
on the big approach 10 the Capitol and on the
rear stairway. Those electric lights cost -
year each. Thus an addition Of $4,000 was
/ added to my expense account, for when tne
! Legislature had made provision. Then IN
| August Mr.. Perry set In motion the machlneI
! Of a new ventilating apparatus. when required
a large expenditure Of coal to drive us rams
| In the summer also We received adVlceS from
| Washington that Spanish spies meditated blow
! ing up this building and additional guards WI
/ added. whose payment took St"" OUT 81 'lo
! state Treasury Moreover. We had 10 pay as
soon as the fiscal year began, IN Octootr' iai e
number Of bills for furniture for the Capltol LOT
which the Legislature had made no provision
! These bills rapidly exhausted an appropriation
| We then had severe snOwstorms. and the re-
! noval OF snow and ice from the Capitol steps
| approach and sidewalks cost US large amount
| OF money The Legislature does not seem 10 APP
nreciate the fact that there are far more rooms
! in the Capitol 10 care for than formerly, more
! furniture TO keep in repair and more money
| needed In the care OF The capitol Park anu the
sidewalks about the building
SUM MIR. BENDER MAY ASK.
How much money does Mr.. Bender ask the
Legislature to appropriate for the immediate
needs Of the Department Of Public Buildings?
"Mr. Bender" answered Mr.. Easton. desires,
7 am told, 100000 to pay Capitol employees
from February TO October l. 1t is my judy
ment that he has got his payroll rather high
for the summer months; higher, at least, than
ours in the past. There are over two hundred
people employed about the States buildings IN
! Albany, and the payroll now Is about SlZ.OoO a
month Then he desires an Appropriation OF
S67 900 for the electric light deficiency, caused
by Mr. Perry lighting his six thousand electric
lights additional. Mr. Bender also needs HN.oOO
for coal to carry his Department until october
l. Then he will need $1,000 for water tax.
He will further need $4,000 for merchandise
and repairs For the fiscal year beginning Octo-
Der l. 1899 Mr.. Bender asks S225,WO FOR the
support OF his Department or $4,000 more than
was granted to myself / think. If the Legis-
lature grants his request, II VIII be an open
acknowledgment by it that my appropriations
have been too small"