New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-29
LOW SUPPORTS STURGIS.
Finds There Vas q Technical pa0-
Iation Of the Charter.
PRAISES FIRE DEPARTMENT WORK.

Mayor Low yesterday made public his report anu
findings the charges preferred against
Commissioner Sturgis by Controller circuit Oh ~ -
20 Mr. Grout accused Mr. Sturgis of violating
Section 40 of the charter in purchasing supphea
for the use of his department to an amount eN-
ceeding 81 600 without the toImality OF pnoic ete
and bidding Mr.. Grout suggested TO the haEoi
that he remove MI. Sturgis
The Mayor says he sent the Controllers letter"
Of criticism of the administration of the FIRE De-
nartment by Mr. Sturgis with all The documents at
tached to Corporation Counsel Rives, who' a,'e.
a careful inquiry as to every item reported that
there has been in his opinion no Vlolatioh u '''
charter as the purchase of supplies.
In the matter of repairs to engine HOUSES
1Iavor saws That Corporation Counsel ttVes thlhhs
there has been technical violation OF the secHoh
of the charter as to seven engine houses III
lyn but he adds that this violation LOON P'
while the department still under the lnnueiice
Of its old and long established practice ana oeiore
Mr. Rives had given his opinion on the SUBJECT ol'
December 81 1907 AS to an apparent Voiatioi' IA
January 1903 the Mayor says MI RlVes 'ii,iiA'
these repairs complained of by the Coi'io
though exceeding ST. 600 for each of two engine
bouece do not constitute violation of the char
ter the items being so unrelated as not 10 coHSu-
tute in either case a single job
The Mayor finds that Mr.. Sturgs gave orders
that the opinion of the Corporation Counsel Oh De-
ce,nber 1902 must thereafter be the guide OF 'ile
department and that if a contrary we" was SUI
seouentlv taken as to repairs the mistake "oulu
have been made not wifuly, but IN orecl Nioi"t ''
Of the Commissioners instructions
As 10 the purchase OF hose, the Mayor says ne Is
convinced that the action Of the Fire Commis-
e,orer p,as altogether In the public interest. and
that if he made any mistake at all 1t was IN eA~
planning his wishes to the Board OF fs"lia'o
completely or rather, perhaps carelessIy' "Hen
he asked for authority to award the contract ~
various bidders
Continuing. the Mayor says that Commissioner
Stureis was aware Of the scandalous TRANSACTION
in hose under the previous admlnSil au0ii ,Iarke
nection with the operations OF W3iLlam -. 3rner
and that an effort was made by Fire Chlet SIoNef
to commit the Commissioner to the p urChase
brands of fire hose which had hsurea NJ Tavor
Win the department in this connection. but he
was promptly notified that this WCuld De llpos
The Mayor that the only question od ne tio rs
required to upon is the technlea troiier
He saws he is sorry such violation occurred. ana
by the Controller win lead to more strict con.
struction Of this section OF the chStter ,,es+ion
heretofore prevailed. ITO act upon the @
that the commissioner should be removed. nov w
ever would sem to me- saEs me emmsstoner IN
doubtedy believed he was acting IN Se n
with the law, mr yhT was received and because
since the receipt of that opinion he has endeayored
eI,fferad no harm but has in fact been benefited
by the expenditure said TO have been Improperly
The Mayor then points out some Of the good good
the FIRE losses last year were rs 900 less than In
than in 1900 and 10000 less than
in 1904 although the number of fires was greater
If 1902 than In any Of the other years The average
loss a fire last year in Manhattan and The BronK
says the Mayor, was 1888 42-the lowest average III
ten years. -, ,,, 80
Controller Grout said. regarding the Mayor 3 re
mort on the charges against Fire Commissioner
Sturgis that he could see difference between an
ordinary violation of the charter and a technlcal
vi0at ton There difference between the
opinion of MI Rives and opinions given by PRED
ecessors Of MI Rives, he asserted. Mr.; circuit
added that from what he had read Of the Mayor
ren0rt II sustained his contention that there faq
}een q yioIati0n of the la ". Asked If nc intended
10 take any further action in the matter, ana
troIIer replied: No I consider. as far as ] am
concerned that the incident is closed II me