New-York tribune., 1906-05-04
WINS HITS AT PIPER.
CALLS METHODS ABSURD.
Var IN Investigation of Street Clean
ing Disposition.

Captain Alexander r. Piper ex-Deputy Police
Commissioner. at one time superintendent Of
final disposition in the Street Cleaning Depart
Enent and now superintendent of the American
Railway Traffic Company. gave important testi-
nony yesterday before the aldermanic commit
tee investigating the Street Cleaning Depart
nent Examined by w. NJ. WINS, counsel for
tne investigating committee. Captain Piper testi-
fleo that he devised in substance the contract
1or maj disposition which is to come UP before
ene board OF Estimate to-day and which Mr..
Wins said was 80 absurd that no sensible man
would bid under ft''
Captain Piper said he bad bean annolneed
superintendent OF final disposition and that he
hao hao no previous experience in street clean
Ing except that gained in the army where he
served ten years, and that obtained from a ten
days inspection Of street cleaning methods in
London He said he was an intimate friend Of
Commissioner Woodbury. and President Winter
OF the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. Mr.
WINS then examined the witness regarding his
work on the flnal disposition contract. A rough
draft Of the contract was first prepared by a.
law clerk, Captain Piper said. AS he could not
ten whether the contractor should pay the city
tor tne privilege or whether the city should pay
1or the privilege Of removal, the witness said
ne MADE provision that the contractor should
pay the city for the privilege
At this point Julius Henry Cohen associate OF
Mr.. WINS, said that as Captain Piper had prae-
tlcally drawn up the scow trimming contract the
company he now worked for would haze an IN
SIDE track bidding for this contract and other
similar ones. The American Railway Traffic
Company has the contract for the final DISPOSE
ticn Of garbage in Brooklyn. Mr.. WINS wanted
70 know If there was anything in the contract
which would prevent a recurrence Of the condi-
ton In Brooklyn where an extension OF time had
TO be granted. In reply Captain Piper read a
clause OF the contract which described the
method OF removal Continuing his examina-
so you think that mere method avoids the
possibility"
7 think the provision answers your question" {"
replied Captain Piner
Counsel asked if under the contract an under
standing could not be had between the con-
tractor and the Commissioner.
That is criticism" said Captain Piper
NO, II is not. II is a question" said Mr..
1vlns; and the clause is so vague that it gives
the contractor extension Of time"
Ihat is all nonsense" said Captain Piper.
You VIII md 1t Is not nonsense before am
through. This contract is so absurd that no
WINS. ''U VT
7 suppose you know" said Mr.. Rand. "that
form OF the contract"
7 know that. and also know he was respon-
sipie Tor the form Of the Brooklyn contract,
which has allowed abuses" said Mr.. WINS
MI WINS after a stormy war with Mr.. Rand
introduced in evidence a letter from Borough
President Coler of Brooklyn in which he criti-
cised the contract, saying that 1t gave too much
latitude to the Street Cleaning Commissioner
Thomas F. Galwey, a law clerk in the Street
Cleaning Department testified that the CITY had
been disposing of the city refuse without a con-
tract for nearly three years. and that he had
advised Commissioner Woodbury. that all re-
bates or allowances 20 the contractors should
be passed upon by the Controller and not by the
street Cleaning Commissioner, as has been the
case. Galwey drew three separate forms Of
contract after Major Woodbury's administra-
ton, he said, but none Of them were advertised
under The witness said there were inconsis-
tencies in the contract
u. Garrfzzo said his total payments 20 Joseph
MaTrone were S125 week and that he paid his
money to the mysterious Mary Brown, at No.
A Court street. Brooklyn, where he last saw
her about three months ago. He said he never
went to the dumps
Joseph Marrone asked the committee for Mary
Browns checkbook, which counsel has for use
as evidence, but the request was refused
Antonio Raisino secretary Of the Hanover
realty Company, testified that he had called
upon Commissioners Woodbury. about six months
ago ana asked him to advertise for bids for
scow trimming, as he said he had a client who
would pay as high as $1SOO week for the con-
tract He said Major Woodbury. referred him
TO the Board Of Estimate ---'