Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-25
METHODS IN NEW YORK.
How Tammany Plumbers the City
Thru supplies Contracts.

'Infu supplies sGODtrhctS.
New York, May 2lTh Evening
Post yesterday. in an article by Frank
lin Matthew's. which 10 entitled. Tam
many Plumber exposes how money is
made b., the cornlNance of city oilieiuis
out of city contracts for supplies. 'fhe
fire department. is particularly dea
with in this aNticle. and il is charged
that a go-bet@een has got - per cent on
all purchases made for the Slepartnents
and that the city has had 10 pay this.
For example. hose osfersd a, IS cents
per foot has been refused. ard the SAM.
Kind bought for 81 per foot On the un
Outstanding that this middienan. Whose
name is given as w. l.. Marks would
receive the . cents difference MIR
Matthews, in his article. says in part.
The excessive cost OF the FIRE depart
meni in NeSN York leads naturally 10 4
consideration Of the management OF at
fairs ef tina, department under Tamna
ny rule. Within q few months charges
emanating from the Offices OF the comp
troller or the city of New York. haze
ben made OF soandalous mismanage-
ment in the purchase OF Supplies for
tina. department. particularly Of fire en-
gines and of hose.
1T has been charged that only those
manufacturers, Who employed ". l..
Marks could sell their stuff to the city.
and that Marks having the Friendship
of Fire Commissioner Scannel. VAS EN-
abled 10 receive a commission on these
sales, known in Tammany parlanee as
a rake off; ard that. further. because Of
this state Of AFFAIRS the city In soma
cases, has had q pay increased ara ex-
travagant prices for suppleg
Both Scauneli and Marks have de-
MED with heat that there was any coliu-
sion between them, and have defied any
nne 10 prove il. They are shrewd man
and the person who attempts TO declara
them guilty Of criminal acton would. M
deed be bold. Nevertheless. only part
of the story of the purchase OF supplies
las been told in the public prints. What
/ have 10 say upon this subject. let II he
understood. is based absolutely and en-
tlrely upon documents now in the pos
session OF certain authorities of the city
of New York and also. in every M
stance. upon formal statements made 10
those authorities in the presence OF Wit
nesses.
In all the advertisements Of the fire
department for supplies certain stand
ard makes of goods, or equal thereto, are
invariably called for. 1t is charged that
FOR the STANDARD makes, OF Witch Marks
is agent, openly recognized as such by
Mr.. Scannell, as shall SHOW. tho equal
thereto clause is a mere fornality.
Marks goods are bought every TINE.
even If 1t requires second call for estl-
mates. Marks Is the open AGENT might
say. as the documents Will prove. the
undesired agent in some cases-of sew
eral companies and firms.
Among the concerns whose interests
he has advanced are the La France Fife
Engine Company. the American Steam
Fire Engine Company, the Akron Rub
Der Company. the Voorhees, Rubber
Company. the Fabric Hose Company
and the b. f. Goodrich Company.
From these companies the city With
in one year purchased supplies worth
s214O0o. on all of which, according to the
heads of these concerns, Marks got ],
commission, amounting on some goods
to rs per cent In 1900 the Are depart
ment purchased $4,000 feet of hose.
Marks firms and commands ranA'vad