The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-03
GRAND JURY SCORES CASSIDY.
SHOCKING CONDITIONS OF PUB
Lie BUILDINGS IN QUEENS.

t1tys Property Going TO Ruin on Account
or OnicInl Nesllgence-ThIrty Tons or
Ashes In Cellar or Jamaica Town Hall
-LealSy Boofs-Chimneys Out OF Rcnair
The Grand Jury OF Queens county. which
began an investigation into the conditions
Of the public buildings Of that borough on
Jan. /, returned presentment TO Supreme
Court Justice GarTetson, sitting in the Town
Hall in Flushing yesterday. which hits
Borough President Cassidy, his Deputy
Commissioner of Buildings. Philip r. Cronin.
and the Board Of Estimate. Public build
ings at Flushing. Jamaica. Newtown.
Arverne, Far Rockaway and Long Island
City were inspected by the jurymen
IL was found in the Town Hall Of Flush
ing the presentment reads, that the
walls OF the Grand Jury room were dirty
and smoky The ceiling in the clerk =
room has fallen through The toilet room
Is unkempt. The roof leaks and the chin
neys are out Of repair. The porches are
decaying."
In the Town Hall at Jamaica the pre-
sentiment says that the stairs are rickety,
and that waste paper, broken furniture
and other debris litter the floor Of the boiler
room Thirty tons of ashes, il is charged
are packed between two tiers OF bricks
at the right Of the boiler and are held In
place by old boards. The janitor of the
building says the ashes have not been re-
moved for two years.
There is no ventilation in the Railways
and foul odors exist, says the present
ment. "A telephone in the Coroners' Office
was discontinued three months ago. The
telephone company has not been paid in
two years. The audience hall has been
used IA IA dormitory for policemen. The
water il cut of and there are no toilet
facilities in the hall. In the County Clerks
Office in Jamaica the roof leaks. the plumb
ing is out Of order and the tile floor is
broken.
The town hall at Far Rockaway, the pre-
sentiment charges. is in an equally bad CON
dition. The Arverne town hall. which
was built in 1897 at cost of $40. 900, is said
to be falling into decay. Most Of the other
found 10 he almost as bad as the one in
Arverne.
The Grand Jury bames the Board OF
Estimate chiefly for these conditions but
aside from stating that they are due TO
official negligence. the presentment scores
Borough President Cassidy and Cronin,
his appointce. inferentially. when Il states
that there has been an improper distrihu-
ton Of labor employed and that an un-
accountable disparity exists between the
amount of labor employed and the amount
actually expended.
Some people III Queens thought this was
putting 1t rather mildly. but everybody
over there understands the condition of
affairs which the Grand Jury alludes to in
it, presentment. Everybody has known
for long time how Cassidy's payrols
have been loaded with the names of heelers
and political lieutenants who render no
service to the city at all
THE only way. says the report. in
" hlch the repairs can be made is for the
Board Of Aldermen Of the city to adopt n
resolution, for the Mayor to approve IL
and then for the Board Of Estimate to pass
on it,.
Copies OF the presentment will be served
on Cassidy, Cronin, members OF the Board
Of Aldermen from Queens and the members
Of the Board of Estimate, including tho
Mayor.