New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-03
CITY FATHERS CALLED.
no APPEAR BEFORE MAZET
COMMITTEE TO-DAY.
uoNOPOLIES ENJOYED BY TAMMANY
MEN EXPOSED BY Mr.. MosS-HOW
CONTRACTS ARE GIVEN OUT.

More evidence Of Tammany monopolies was
.,odpced Yesterday before the Mazet Investiga-
ton committee. Tammany, which is preparing
=. cr, "anti-trusts" and anti monopolies" in
rho next Presidential campaign. is in itself a
,roA monopoly Whenever there is public dol
low 70 be spent Tammany. as has been demon
,oted before the committee. takes care that II
,au find its way into a Tammany pocket Mr.
x,oss made II clear yesterday that the same
r,ncinle which allows Peter F. Meyer G. Co. to
control all the public sales; which compels city
@c,als TO take out their bonds in Andrew
Freedmans company. and which gave into the
hands of Morgan Slattery all the city's build
ing contracts is followed in the various depart
ments The examination of a member of the
Dock Department yesterday brought out the fact
that all the city dredging is given to dredging
company Of which George Leary. prominent
Tamnany man and brother of James d. Leary.
the contractor is president. Since January l.
1895 Mr. Moss proved by records. work which
was paid for at more than the market price. and
which amounted to thousands Of dollars in the
aggregate. had been given to this firm. known
as the Morris & Cummings Dredging Company,
10 the exclusion of all other concerns.
Moreover, in like manner the Department gave
all its asphalt paving work TO one concern, the
Ivalde Asphalt Company; bought all its cement
from John p Kane. friend Of Richard Croker,
and John F. Carroll. and gave TO various other
individuals favored Of Tammany Hall rich con-
tracts which should have been awarded only
after public bidding.
By an ingenious device the Department
eyaded the law which requires that all contracts
involving expenditure of more than $1,000
shall be put up for public competition. In the
emergency TO be carried out without the neces-
sary delay Of advertising contracts. by means
Of what Is known as "treasurer's order"
Awaiting themselves OF this clause the DOCK
Commissioners. whenever they wanted dredging
work done. piers repaired or materials sup
piled. resorted to the process of having their
engineer certify that the work was emergent,
and thereupon the treasurer Of the Board would
issue his order" In this way the Board has
spent large sums of money contrary to the in
tent of the statutory provision; and what Is
true of the Dock Department will undoubtedly
be shown before the investigation is over to be
true of other departments.
Mr. Moss devoted the greater part Of the after
noon session to endeavor 10 prove that the
Third Avenue Railroad Company before II could
obtain permission TO open up the roadway Tor
the purpose of installing electric conduits on It's
system had been compelled to give the contract
for the work TO Naughton Co, with which
Daniel F. Mcmahon. chairman Of the Tammany
Executive Committee. is connected. Albert D.
Elias however. denied that he had been coerced
and repudiated conversation which Mr.. Moss
suggested he had had with Mr. Croker, in the
course of which the Tammany leader was re-
ported to have said: Give the contract to Dan
McMahon; It will please the organization, or
words to that effect.
Members Of the Municipal Assembly will ap-
pear before the committee to-day Charles F.
Dillon Of Mr.. Moss's staff. attended yesterday
meeting Of the Assembly and served all the
members present with subpenas. With each
subpoena was this letter.
Dear Sir: much Impressed with the reasons a,'!o
for not adopting the resolutions 70 issue bonds LOT
street having. You will be subpPnaed 10 appear
before this committee Thursday. at u a. m
and will be treated fairly and courteousIy me
Assembly will be urged TO convene ana IeglsIaIe
against the Municipal Assembly, and desire tnat
! Uut S'u' - ' FRANK MOSS.