New-York tribune., 1907-05-13
DALTON SLATED TO GO.
Aheorn Decides on Shake-up To-day.
Friends San.


on the advice of his counsel and of friends on
the supreme Court bench, has determined TO ask
Tor the resignation of William Dalton. Commits
sioner Of Public Works and William H. Walker
Superintendent of Public Buildings and Offices
1t is understood among the friends of the Bor-
ough President that Dalton will be out of office
tonight and that Walker will follow him to-
morrow.
The Commissioners of Accounts are piling up
page after page of evidence showing the utter
incompetency of some of Mr.. Ahearns assist
ants. There is little doubt that Mayor Mcclellan
will ask the Governor to remove Mr.. Ahearn
not because of any personal i'll viii toward him
but because of the evidence adduced by the
Commissioners Of Accounts. Undoubtedly 1t is
this fear of removal that has forced Mr.. Ahearn
into position of hostility toward Of his
principal assistants.
The removal of William Dalton as Commits
sioner of Public Works will be a serious blow to
Charles F. Murphy. If it is followed by the re-
moval of other men prominent in Mr.. Ahearn's
office as now seems probable it may mean the
retirement of Mr.. Murphy from the leadership
of Tammany Hall before the end of the present
year.
There is no longer any doubt that If Borough
President Ahearn is going to save himself he
must move quickly and drastiCally. IF he
moves Il nulnDer OF MS neadS or bureaus ne may
he able to demonstrate fully his personal desire
to conduct his Office beyond reproach and thus
himself.
William Dalton as Commissioner of Public
Works receives a salary of $4,000 a year. He
IS in one sense, the vice-president of the bor-
ough In the absence of the president the duties
of that office devolve upon him. From the point
of view of good administration the Commits
sioner of Public Works should possess a high
degree of technical and administrative skill,
as to supervise the making of pavements. the
building of sewers and the construction of build
ings. Dalton was appointed to the office by
Borough President Ahearn because Dalton had
to be taken care of by Charles F. Murphy. He
is a butcher and carpenter by trade and poll
tician by profession He is and has been for
years the leader of the old 11th (new 9th) Dis
trct on the lower West Side
Dalton's most conspicuous performanceswhile
Commissioner of Water Supply under the Van
Wyck administration was his ardent espousal of
the Ramapo Water Company's proposal to
vert the water supply system OF this city into a
private snap" for the benefit of a ring
trolling the Ramapo watershed. The personal
identity Of the Ramapo ring was never fully
disclosed 1t probably contained a number OF
Tammay district leaders, with here and there a
Republican supposed TO be able to get jobs
through the Legislature.
The technical qualifications of the Commits
sioner of Public Works, William Dalton, were
stated by himself in his testimony before the
Mazet investigating committee follows:
Question (by counseD: Mr. Dalton. did you
go into your Office Commissioner OF Water Sup
ply possessed Of any special requirement OF
knowledge In the matter Of engineering ana
water supply? Answer: Well so far as en-
gineering. yes. sir; owned engine for some
years. AT my place of business we rnanufact-
lipQ md ter pnrt
1t was small about eight horsepower"
William II Walker was Superintendent Of
Public Buildings and Offces. under Borough
President Cantor in the Low administration,
and held under Borough President Ahearn.
He is carpenter by trade. The investigation
by the Commissioners Of Accounts under
way, tends 70 show that thousands OF dollars
worth of job work done without public let
ting by man who used to be associated in
business with Walker.
It is hardly believed that the housecleaning
will stop with Dalton and Walker. 1t is likely
that George +. Scannell. Superintendent Of
Highways with a salary of 81 Ooo and Edward
s. Murphy Superintendent Of Buildings. with
similar salary, will likewise be dropped. Sean
nell is the leader of the 2Jth District. and
brother of ex-Fire Commissioner John J. Scan
nell.
x-Borough President Martin w. Littleton.
counsel TO Borough President Ahearn, when seen
last night. absolutely refused TO discuss the
Borough Presidents dilemma. He denied en-
phatically that ne would, in case Mr.. Dalton is
removed. succeed him Commissioner of Pub
lie Works.
Commissioner Dalton refused to discuss the
probability Of his own removal.
Borough President Ahearn seen at his
home on the East Side. He refused 10 discuss
the matter.
\ member Of the Tammany executive commit
tee close TO Charles f. Murphy said
Murphy is a good fighter, and will not lie
down There is no use denying the fact that
The removal by Borough President Ahedrn of
men like Dalton and Scannell would be hard
blow to the organization. Ahearn always has
been loyal to the organization. He is In deep
hole. If he does not do something to save him
self ne may be removed from office on charges.
IL by sacrificing some of his heads of bureaus
he can save himself and the patronage for the
organization he may find ii eXpedient 10 90 Ii.
ANY way YOU look at it, IL is a bad thing FOR the
Tammany organization