Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-08-04
Municipal Assembly Has Many
Friends and Enemies.
Commissioner Lantry, Thinks Horgan
& SIattery Is Good Firm.
Proposed Purchase Of Brooklyn Water Supply
Co. Bonds Shown Up.

FOR the purpose of giving their opinion
| as TO the usefulness of the municipal
council to Greater New York filed in
| to the supreme court room in which
| the hearing is now being conducted.
| The morning session was given over
to the examination of Francis r. Lam
try. commissioner of correction. Alder
| man Howard +. Okie and Councilman
LEIGH. Commissioner Lantry was ex-
amined as to the methods adopted by
Horgan & Slattery in their realings
with the department of correction.
| The interesting fact was brought ont
that one of the witnesses objections to
to the employment of Withers & Dick
son. the architects, was that United
States Senator Hanna had written let
ters recommending the iron company
which they represented.
| During the afternoon a number of the
| members OF the municipal council ap-
Dearcd before the Mazet committee
and explained their views upon ques-
tons relating to the city government
| in general and their votes or failures
to vote for the bond issues in particu-
| lar. The Democrats and Republicans.
| Citizens Union men and men who re-
ceived the votes of the followers of
| Henry George. alike testified. and their
views were as widely divergent as the
sections of the city or the different po-
! litical parties which they represented
Commissioner Lantry Of the de-
partment of correction was the
first Witress, today. In reply to
Mr.. Moss the commissioner said he had
| given contracts to Horgan * Slattery
because he believed them To he n good
| firm. Mr.. Lantry said he did not know
that all the heads Of the city depart
ments belonged to the Democratic Club,
but he had met many of them there.
Alderman Howard r. Oxie the next
witness, said that as an elected candi-
| date of the Citizens Union and the
Henry George party. he believed he
could look upon the situation in the
Assembly in cold neutrality. In re-
gard to that body he thought there
should be local representation, but
the idea Of double chamber was pre-
posterouS.
The municipal assembly had been in
discriminatory abused by the public
and the press. The action of the com
mon council in refusing to vote for the
issuance of bonds to pay for the Long
Island Water Supply Go. was indefen-
chile
Councilman LEIGH Of Brooklyn, tes-
titled that he was one of the council
men who voted for the bond issuance
to purchase the Long Island Water
Supply Co. 1t was common rumor, the
witness said, that there We're local rea-
sons over in Brooklyn why there was
opposition to this bond issue. 1t was
alleged that most of the stock of the
water company was owned by the po-
litical ring in Kings county.
After recess Alderman Stewart of
Brooklyn. testified that he had voted
for the bond issue only because he did
not desire to go to Jail
MIR. Stewart thought a board of al
Gcrmcn alone would be insufficient
check upon the expenditure Of money
by tho administration. There was no
need for the council. Witness said
there had only been pool rooms in
Brooklyn for the past few years. AS
to disordcrly houses he did not think
there was a single one in Brookln.
Why did you vote for that bond is
sue. yesterday" asked Assemblyman
Costello
We'll, | thought | was doing wrong,
but ! did not want to go to Jail. We
We're cnjoined to do so by the court"
Government by injunction said
Chairman Mazet. ''one of the things
opposed by the Democratic party"
why do you suppose the city gov
ernmcnt, which through its depart
ments held up these contracts for IS
months, became SO excited when The
board of aldermen held up the matt II
for a few weeks by a requa fpr in
formation
1T was to get to friends of the ad-
miniStration the control of the con-
tracts they did not have before"
Mr. Stewart agreed with Mr.. Moss
that the recent mandamus proceedings
were forced by the centralized govern
ment in its effort to c0erce the munici-
pal assembly.
Councilman John j. McGary of
Brooklyn. testified that he had voted
everytime for the bond issues when he
was present but denied that he had
been Influenced by ''the party lash"
Councilman Martin Engel Demo-
cratic leader of his district. said he had
voted for all the bond issues. He de-
MED that his political affiliations with
any leaders would influence his action
in the council.
Councilman Thomas F. Foley, Demo
crat. testified that he had voted for
all the bond issues He believed one
legislative body would be better than
the present double chamber.
Alderman Colin H. Woodward
thought a single chamber preferable.
The court he said. had not been called
into act as whip for the dominant or
ganization until it had been demon
strated that the party lash was not
long enough.
Alderman Elias Goodman, Repubi- |
can, said he believed in a single house |
of municipal assembly and a salary |
large enough to attract the best class
of citizens.
Councilman Hottenroth. Democrat |
said that upon every occasion he had |
voted for the bond issue. He was op- |
posed TO the abolition of either the |
council or the board of aldermen and |
was in favor of granting more power to |
both bodies.
Adjournment was taken until Tues
day next.