New-York tribune., 1906-06-27
DIFFER OVER WOODBURY.
INVESTIGATIONS At ODDS.
Three Different Reports on Street
Cleaning Department.

Three reports each varying In its recommen-
dation. and none of which is likely to disturb
the tenure of office of Commissioner Woodbury.,
IS the net result of three months of investigation
of the Street Cleaning Department by. William
NJ WINS and the committee of aldermen with
Max S Grifenhagen as chairman
Mr.. WINS as counsel to the committee, rec
ommends the removal of the commissioner
Aldermen Grifenhagen and Brown. Republicans
concur in this recommendations Alderman
Downing RepubHcan), Brooklyn, does not con-
cur in the recommendation Aldermen Dowling
cTammany) and Mullgan IN. o. present q mi
nority report suggesting minor reforms. but not
removal.
Mayer Mcclellan alone has the power of re-
moval. and he decided more than month ago
that the case against Woodbury. was not strong
enough 10 warrant removal
Regret is heard on all sides that Mr.. Ivins's
three months of hard work should not have had
the unanimous support of the investigating COM
mttee. The feeling is general that. while the IN
vestigation has been honestly made, many OF
the existing abuses will go uncorrected, simply
because of lack o. team work in presenting
the result of the inquiry.
The most drastic recommendation Of the WINS
report is for the removal from office for drunk
enness of the assistant general superintendent.
John Campbell Wallace. There are twenty-five
recommendations. follows:
That Commissioner Woodbury. be removed from
Office for incompetence inefieiency favoritism.
lation of the provisions of the city charter.
That the Street Cleaning Department be reor-
and that a deputy commissioner be appointed for
the Borough Of Brooklyn.
That the Mayor require the Commissioner OF
Street Cleaning to adopt new and proper system
That the system of trials of subordinate officers
OF the department for offences against its rules De
trials
That the Commissioner be required to comply with
the provisions of the city charter in regard TO the
purchase, of supplies in items exceeding 5000,
That the present system of snow removal be
abandoned, and that contracts be let the basis
OF actual removal of snow.
in a position where it shall not be dependent upon
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company after the
present contract for final disposition in Brooklyn
expires.
purpose of making public lands for the city, which
win amount to at least Sl"G0oo a year in the next
That the contract vita the New York Sanitary
Uthzation Company be terminated at the earliest
possible date. and the city remove and render its
That no picking or cuIling of rubbish be permit
ted at the docks in Manhattan and The Bronx. or
at the receiving stations in Brooklyn.
rrraflc Company be enforced without delay as to
the erection Of proper receiving structures the
removal by night, and that failing the contract be
That proper proposal of contract for the re-
moval Of rubbish from Manhattan and The Bronx
That, attending The making Of such contract. the
Rghs BIDDER P9 npd9 weekly 70 ar 1 e 7r6 to the
That the present contract for the purchase of
bous6t in o5en 5eS market '' ''i''' al h0'SsS os
That the assistant general supplementary John
Campbell Wallace who has sworn that ne is a
drunIard and a samhler and lender Of money 10
persons hiring horses 70 the department. be dis
missed frOr1 the service.
That members Cf the uniformed force he per-
nttted % buy uniforms and hats where and from
whom tT they please conforming 20 the regulations
Thar all drrnpfro Of ashes s+re~+ ,yf~+ CO.,
be discontSued " 'SeS anu S'''e' D'r' AT sea
That necessary measures be taken to prevent the
the right of dumping at city niers, Of sums largely
of such piers and docks
That the Commissioner of Street Cleaning publish
annually full report Of the operations Of the de
TO strctc- accouHta5ility for the cIeanI1 % ~ tb
streets, particularly in the tenement house dis
That the incinerator at Delaney street be aban-
utilize the power now produced hv the nisnt ara ~
going to waste NJ tn rate Of 250-horsepovrer per
That the Mayor or the Beard Of Estimate and Ap-
@ Ie ANA 3ppG ca [ SPECIAL cormttee of bust
report uqou the best methods of final disposition
reap the beref and 50 reduce the net cos, of 1 I'M
department 70 the city.
The WINS report covers about two hundred
printed pages and goes into every feature OF the
departments work with great thoroughness.
so far your committee can discover" SAYS
the report, there is only one controlling motive
or consideration among the working force
namely, that Of fear of dismissal rather than
| that of approval or comnendation. The first de-
sire of the employees OF the department there
fore is 10 serve. at least not personally =
displease. the superior officer rather than 10
serve the public, and If the superior officer lack
either ability integrity the rot spreads
throughout the entire force under him"
In connection with the work at the Delaney
| street incinerator the report charges the CON-
missioner with falsity and deceit on page lis
| the report says:
In the statment OF June = 1906 the commits
sloner calls special attention TO his incnerator
| plant as an evidence of some Of the good work
i that he has done Your committee fails 10 dnd
that there Is anything in the incnerator plsnt Cor
which the Commissioner dAserrinn nf nr,,r