New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-20
FRUITS OF REFORM RULE.
OBJECT LESSONS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT SHOWN BY
4 COMPARISON OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER
T4MN4NT And UNDER Low.
DEPARTMENT OF BRIDGES.
T4MM4NY'S RECORD.

Under John L. Shea, the Tammany Commits
sioner OF Bridges from 1895 to 1902. although
Mr.. Shea was honest as TO the money affairs of
the department there existed halcyon time OF
political appointments There were in four Dor
oughs deputy commissioners who owed their
places to the political power they could infiu-
ence. and in each department there were clerks
stenographers and assistants who did little
save draw their salaries For weeks before
elections it was a common practice for Tam
many leaders to saddle their heelers on con-
tractors who We're working the citys bridges
1t made no difference that the contractors did
not want these men, the leaders insisted that
they be put the rolls and have good. easy
jobs. The contractors, grown wise through
long usage and knowing that their share OF the
city's work depended on this blackmail sub
mtteG. Mr.. Shea got his own job through the
orders OF Richard Croker. He knew absolutely
nothing about engineering. and used to approve
any plans his engineers put before him.
The salaries list under Tammany admins
tration appalling. There were four deputy
commissioners at from 5000 10 $1,000 each.
There were four chief engineers. three getting
$4,000 n year each and one S9'oV Oh
Staten Island an inspector and a superin-
tendent drew SolOO for overseeing the work
Of two bridge tenders. each of whom re-
ceived 5000, while his work would not take
four hours a week. Two men cared Tor
the Strong's Causeway bridge IN queens
Each received S766 20 a year. Under this ad-
ministration one of them does the WORK lor
5000 a year. The Little Neck BRIDGE III
Queens. had keeper at S766 30, who, under
fusion. agreed to work for $3.50 year. lie
died in 1902. and the bridge has since been
operated for $500 a year. The work is merely
nominal This bridge has not been opened once
in the present administration. These small
bridges are seldom used therefore the extent
Of the Tammany graft is apparent
Because the Commissioner was not himself an
engineer. there was certain amount of neglect
amonf, the engineers. In July, 1901, a police
man reported a break in the suspension rods o.
the Brooklyn Bridge. Investigation showed that
twelve had parted. Experts declared that they
had rusted The chief engineer of the bridge
could not recall when the ironwork had been
painted The expenditures did not show that
the commission had spent money for painting.
Soon after the breakage a large force of men
went to work painting the cables and suspension
bars.
There was great need for a new bridge over
Nevtown Creek at Grand-st., between Brooklyn
and Queens, so in August, 1900, contract was
! let STIMULATING that the bridge was to he COM
pleted in October. 1901. The final estimate OF
cost was S166S19 90. The bridge opened
SIP 323 AZ. including extra biz for 5000 At
! for work which the contractor did not do right.
He tried TO use inferior cement In spite OF
written instructions he put into place 23-foot
piles instead Of 45-foot piles. The steel work
was bad both because of errors of the contractor
and errors in the department itself. Floor
system connections were wrong. The stone
work was SO bad that most of it was rejected.
Until 1901 the East River Commission had
been acquiring the land for the Williamsburg
Bridge by appraisal and private sale. The APP
praisals were made b. different sets of experts.
who had special knowledge of the sections in
which the land was. In January, 1901, the Tam
many Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
! voted that all land acquired should be taken by
( cOndemna ton proceedings. According to COM
putation made by the City Club this method
the city nearly II per cent more than the
appraised valuation of the land, 16 per cent
being added TO the cost for the interest the
stock issued to pay for the land. By private
sales the CITY obtained the land for about = per
cent more than the appraised valuation
The engineer I'm charge OF the removal of the
buildings for the bridge approaches recon-
mended that they be sold by city blocks. Orders
came from Tammany Hall to sell them by CITY
lots as they would yield greater returns and
the small buyer would have a chance as well as
the rich man" In reality, this done to give
a chance to the auctioneer. one Peter Z. Never,
OF Dock Board fame. who was partner OF
Richard Croker. While il cannot be said wheth-
er more money receied by this method OF
selling, il is certain that great delay resulted
The employees, of whom several hundred have
to wear uniforms. were ordered buy those
uniforms of a certain contractor, who aIso held
similar business relations with the Fire De-
partment and Police Department Needless to
say, he was Tammany favorite