New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
MOTHER TAMMANY GRAB.
,1ER CALLS MAYORS ATTENTION TO
EETRATAGANCE IN IMPROVE
sIENTS WORK.

Elie protests Of property owners IN Ihe b'oilA
a elsewhere on account Of the almost criminal
travagance Of the city's agents who have chafse
improvements led Controller ColeT last week 10
dress a letter Of mild protest 10 Mayor van
-sck II will strike the people interested as
rnsrl,ablv gentle criticism In view Of the way in
hich some Of the complainants have legally been
undered Controller Coler is chairman OF the
bard OF Revision and Correction Of Assessments
De Controller. In explaining 10 the Mayor '1'e
ethOd Of paying for local improvements. says
al the property benefited is subsequently as
ssed 10 reimburse the city for its outlay lhese
sessments are based upon two certihcates-ohe
ON the department having the Work IN chafse'
3 other from the Controller, certifying the
mount OF interest accrued upon payments maoe
the contractor as work goes on
The Controller calls attention 10 the fact that an
Inspector is employed, at s. 80 a day. between
e beginning the work and its complexion
Right here although Of course the Controller
US nothing about il. is where Tammany gets IN
! fine work Whether work is going on on the
sntract or moi. the inspector draws his pay Ihe
strict leaders see 10 it that no improvement work
{ unnecessarily hastened. because that 'oulo
Aorten the life OF the good thing" This IN
hectorship business has been reduced TO science
the Tammany administration. The city ad-
hnces money 10 pay all these Inspectors and
surveyors," and collects it from the property
sner su addition 10 the cost Of the improve
ent through assessments upon the property. IN
= taflding Of new sewers the property owners
we in some eases 10 pay inspectors fees for
.ree years before the sewer is completed aho
INJECTED.
IN referring 10 the way in which contractors
,dge their obligations. the Controller says;
when contracts are to be let for assessahle i'm
'Ovemelts bios are advertised Ter, ana tne cor
his bid q statement TO the number OF days
ithin Nhch he proposes TO hnish the Mork' me ne
iccessful bidder y then compelled 10 give a bond
r The fsitbfrll performance Of his contract. of
hich this stipulated time becomes an essential
Il actual practice it rarely happens that the work
completed within the sDecined uIne, ana sun
ore rarely is the contractor held 10 the proNls-
ms Of his agreement IN that respect ana penalties
sacted under his bond Various excuses are elNea gwen
support OF requests for extensions OF time. ana
sere can be no doubt OF the fact that the deIaTt-
ents are entirely too comIlaisant IN sIaliIas siI W
tllsing the contractor Inconvenience than OF IN
,esei,sv he burden Of expense imposed upon own
: of 1ropertv often through these extensions
time, the period for the complexion OF the "oIA
more than doubled. -
ent very materially for the inspectors fees go
} during the whole period. and interest accumu-
ties, until the added expense frequently aHonhls
, 20 50 per cent Of the contract price Ihese
iings give property holders subsJantaI groonGs ,
Diections are filed with the Board OF Assessors.
bev are SEM 70 the different departments for re-
Drts. and eventually come before the Board OF
eyision The departmental reports invariably sus
In fbe original cerfiicates but IN a manner that
not always convincing TO me.
These objectionable features OF the system tend
make taxpayers dissatisfied. and 10 discourage
rsons OF moderate means from investing in homes
u fear that they may not be able to meet the
sQuirements Of the city in the matter OF assess
ents. Property holders feel that they are not
,operly treated by the public authorities. main
lining (With forcible evidence to support the con-
ntiOn) that they are compelled 10 pay much
ore for the making OF streets and the building
sewers than they would pay II the work We're
)ne by private contract. on account Of the seem
.gly excessive charges for expenses the Board
Revision, on the 18th inst. ordered reductions
the assessment lists considered by IL on that
sy aggregating $4,000.