New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-13
4 DAY or RANAPO.

The character If our Tammany government
Is So well understood that any new revelation
Of Incompetence and jobhcry is likely TO seem
m old story. Nevertheless the excursions "
Mr.. Moss into the history Of the Ramapo deal
yesterday were decidedly interesting and in
struciivc They would have been sensational
If popular capacity for finding anything sen>a-
,ional in Tammany methods had not long ago
been exhausted. Mr. William Dalton wholesale
butcher who was selected by Mr. Croker as a
person NJ eminent fitness "a look after our water
supply. played star part in the performance
He doubtless knows a good deal about cutting
hccf and hanging mutton huf ne appears 90
know next 10 nothing at al about water supply
He does not even claim any knowledge about
The technical side Of his work but says he
relies on his engineer. Then the engineer Is
brought forward and reluctantly confeSSes that
in acting on this important Ramapo matter. in
volying vast engineering questions. Mr.. Dalton
acted entirely without the advice of the said
engineer A> for his business ability. he voted
To make contract without taking tho least
trouble 10 find oui il the company could carry
ont IT'S agreements As 4 matter Of fact L
could moi. Ms own chartered life would have
expired before the termination of the pro-
posed contract. Neither dd he examine into its
financial responsibility hut Just took for granted
what the companys representatives said n he
had been in the habit Of selling s. worth Of
meat on credit with as little attention 10 husi-
ness prin. pies as ne exercised in R S2oO0o0.-
ooO deal for the city ne would never have been
successful enough as butcher to he rewarded
ly Mr. Croker with the office ~ Commissioner
of Water Supply
The examination Of Mr. Dalton went far 10
make credible the statement Of Mr.. Moss that
the Ramapo contract was never intended N re
suit in a water supply. but was from beginning
10 end great stock iohbing operation. The
Tammany officials made no study OF the enCi-
neerlng problems involved. Mr. Dalton could
not tell where the aQueduct was TO end. where
or how II was 10 cross the Hudson. what the
pressure would he or If there would be any
pressure n all at the city line. Neither did
he have any definite knowledge 81 the com
pany's rights or their value He pretended al
first that he acted on the strength of an old
report Of Brooklyn engineers in Mayor Scher
ems administration that the Ramapo Rivel
watershed offered good and cheap source OF
supply hut was Immediately compelled TO adm
that he knew that this report dealt with an en-
tirclv different region from the EsOpus Creel
watershed. which is the Ramapo company
field Of operation Then he told Mr.. Moss tha
he was not trying to deceive him in miXini
M these TWO watersheds. but he did not salts
factorily explain what else he was trying to dc
Mr. Dal,on's principal authority in all mat
ters leading up 10 the Ramapo contract appear
10 have been Mr. Edward Iauterbach. the coun
rel Of the company. From Mr.. Lauterbach h
learned that the company had the money to bull
the aaueduct From Mr. Lauterbach he learne
that the legal steps TO secure the water ha
been taken. He took Mr. I.auterbachS counse
A. 10 the sufiiciency Of a 100000 bond for
$500 100000 contract. Mr.. Lautcrbach mus
feel that the value Of a good name is abOv
ruhles Such trust by business men Of the rel
rosentative Of the opposite party TO a fnar
c,al transaction is rarely enjoyed in this vale q
tears and suspicion We do not wonder tina
Mr. Ianterbach preferred Tammany Mayo
10 a man responsible TO no party and with II