The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-16

oil the COmptrOllore enGlneoTf n. 1tb'
@. Were you guided By them? A. No. re-
lied upon Mr.. Birdsali. the best authority in the
world.
q. Did you hear favorable reports from auy-
body but Mr.. BirdsalIr A. No.
o. You thought II more advisable to tie the
city UP to forty-year contract with q private
company thnn to attempt to have the works
built by the city, A. Yes; the city can't build
the works.
O. How soon do you think you could get
water under the Ramapo contraot2 A. Ishould
think In I'VE years. very likely. II It can't be
done. what arc all these engineers and gentle
men talking about getting water from the
Catskills for2
Q. After the admissions by the Ramapo peo-
pie. do you still think thatP A. don't see why
they couldn't do II.
O. You have taken on your shoulders most
OF the respons ibility for the contract so It was
desirable TO determine the reliability OF the
contractor. What did you ind out about the
financial ability and property OF the company
A. Nothing but what they stated.
Q. Did they say they had bought any prop
erty2 A. They told me they had bought enough
land to secure reservoirs. and had options on
plenty OF more.
Q. Did you examine their annual reports.
which disclosed that they owned property
worth about 5000? A. No; the oitys money
wasn't in risk. didn't think It was worth
while.
q. The water was In risk. Did 100000 In
your mind represent sufficient bond2 A. Yes.
q. Was the need of the city for water fairly
measured by the sum Of $100.0002 A. Well. II
the com pany had Qut.ths city would have been
in 100000
Q. Wasn't the need Of the city for water more
than S1O0.O003 A. Yes: q million; nifty mill
lions. II you wantit
Q. Why didn't you Investigate that company
to see II the contract could be carried out2 A.
Oh. didn't think It was worth while.
Q. Did any ono but Mr.. Lauterbach ever tell
you that the com pany's financial ability wss all
riEht2 A. I never talked with any Of the officers
or stockholders OF the company.
DON'T KNOW"
O. Did you find how much capital tho Ram
apo Company had? A. No.
Q. How old was it2 A. don't know.
=. When was 1t incorporated A. 1 don't
know.
Q. Who are the stockholdersi A. I don't
know.
q. Who are the officers? A. I don't know.
q. Has II any reservoirs2 A. 1t has none.
Q. Has 1t ever had any contracts1 A. don't
know.
O. Has 1t ever done any business1 A. Idont
know.
Q. How many contracts for land In the water
shed had It? A. / don't know.
O. Do you know whether they ever sold
water to q customer? A. No: l don't.
Q. Do you suppose they'd bring water to this
city without customar2 A. Do you suppose
men are foos2 Wouldn't they DO silly lot Of
| men TO build q set OF works before they know
they had any call for their water1
Q. Did you ind out who the President WASH
| A. Either Tracy or Dutoher-I don't know
which.
| O. Why didn't you investigate to ind out
| what these people would do2 A. took II for
granted that they wouldnt make a contract
| unless they could carry II out. The city wasn't
| involved for a cent.
| @. Did you know who the Ramapo Company
wasp A. No. 1 didn't Neither do you nor
| anybody. You've had em here on oath and
you can't md out.
| .. Haveyou talked to the Mayor about it2 A.
No: he wouldn't have let NO. He's q member
| OF the Board OF Public Improvements and
could find out about 1t there.
| O. How often has he been to the meetingsl
| A. he hasn't been there.
O. When will the question get to him? A.
when 1t gets to the Board OF Estimate and
| Apportionment.
Q. II the Board OF Estimate and Apportion-
ment refused to pay for the water delivered
wouldn't it2 A. No. because the money to pay
for the water has to be appropriated.
Q. But II the water 10 delivered to the city
under contract. tho city is liable. 10 It not? A.
The contract has not yet been approved.
Q. But you would have approved III A. Yes
but II rested with tho Board OF Estimate and
Apportionment to make the appropriation
The city wasn't involved.
O. II this contract didn't come up for five
| kaR~z
Board OF Estimate aud Apportonment2 A. he
might not be Mayor then. would give mil.
lion dollars gallon for water II we could get il
now.
| CITY RUN BY CLIQUE
You see. Mr.. Chairman" said Mr.. Moss: by
| the testimony OF this witness. taken In con-
nection with that Of the Mayor. that this city Il
run by an oliEarchy. not by the people. Com
missioners appointed by the Mayor control the
situation"
Q. Did you consult with Mr. Dalton in tn,
formulating Of his reasons for the contract
A. No.
O. After the matter was discussed there wal
test vote at once. whom several Of the Nom
bers were absent You wanted 1t put through
that day. A. No.
O. But soon thereafter? A. subsequently,
yes-as soon AZ the contract was completed.
q. How soon? A. In about two weeks.
Q. That test vote revealed. didn't It, that tn
board was evenly divided 8 to 9. and that yo'
couldn't put II through?
NO, It didn't reveal anything to mo.
snarled tho witness. Il amt as smart as yo'
are to see all these things"
But you did see that the board was evenl
divlded2" asked Mr.. Moss. and while the wit
ness spluttered repeated the question. At tn
third repetition Mr.. Holahan admitted that h
did SEQ it, but with such an expression Of rag
that the LAWYER remarked
Il wish We had a camera here to catch som
Of those pictures"
I'D like to have had one on you yesterday.
retorted the witness
, O. The Comptroller is a member Of you
boar I'd. is he not? A. Yes.
Q. And he has Investigated this subjec
pretty thoroughly hasn't hef A. oh. yes. an
. he's had engineers and lots OF other people.
Q, As was his duty? A. Yes; l suppose h
thought II was his duty.
Q. He got an Injunction against you. did h
mott A. Yes
= |